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My cat's nipple is red and raw. Is it an allergy? What's next?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | American Shorthair | Male | neutered | 2 years and 1 month old | 12.8 lbs

My male 2-year old cat has a redness around one of his teats. It looks red and raw. I have taken him to the vet who suspected a food allergy. She said the most common one is chicken although I have read that it is beef, dairy and seafood. I have been feeding him beef and seafood and staying away from chicken. She gave him an antibiotic shot and steroid to stop him from licking. It seemed to help for a while but the redness is back. He likes to sit on the heat vents. Next step: scrape/culture?

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1 Answer

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Answered By Mariya Gugel, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on February 10th, 2018

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Food allergies are a possibility in cats, however, fleas can also cause an allergic reaction that may look like this. Bacterial, fungal, and certain mites can also cause redness and itching, so a skin scrape would help make a diagnosis. Your vet can also recommend topical wipes, rinses, and ointments that may help with the itching and infection if present. I hope this helps and am happy to answer any other questions you may have!

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