My cat's tail has missing hair and looks injured. What should I do?

Question

I just noticed the middle of my cats tail is missing hair. About 1.5 inches length the tissue is bare. Upon a closer look I saw what i cant determine are puntures or just scratches with dried blood. I then recalled seeing blood on my bed sheet where she lies but I couldn't figure out where it came from. This was a week ago which makes me think the condition is worsening. Im sure if she had this hair missing on her tail before I would have noticed sooner. What can I do? Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Female | spayed | 10 lbs

Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS · Accepted Answer

I would gently clean her tail with an antiseptic soap and warm water, then have her seen by a vet in the morning. If there are puncture wounds, it's likely Sadie was bitten by something causing the hairless, and that can lead to infection. She may need antibiotics to treat the infection, and the vet can prescribed that. Please do not put any neosporin or topical antibiotic ointment on her tail. Although quite safe on superficial wounds, cats groom and ingest most of the topical ointment you apply and therefore should be used only under direct veterinary supervision and if there are no other appropriate options. Many human ointments contain multiple other ingredients which are not necessarily safe to be swallowed. The vet can prescribe oral antibiotics if needed.

My cat's tail has missing hair and looks injured. What should I do?

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