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My cat is itching like crazy, but I don't see fleas. What's wrong?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Female | spayed

My cat has been itching like crazy however I’ve checked her fur and there are no fleas, could it be something else? She itches so much it bruises her skin

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Sarah Derksen, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on November 3rd, 2018

She may have allergies, she food sensitivity, or even microscopic type of mites that you can't see with your eyes. There are may possibilities for being itchy unfortunately. I would recommend a good oatmeal shampoo bath, and a visit to your for some testing. Good luck.

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    Answered By Ricardo Fernandez, DVM

    Veterinarian, Veterinary Oncology Resident

    Published on

    Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is possibly due to allergies. It really comes down to figuring out what is causing her allergies so that they can be treated or the specific allergen avoided. A secondary infection is likely and also needs to be addressed. There are many things that can cause allergies though in most cases they can be broken down into 3 big categories: flea, food and environmental allergies. Allergies are usually worked up in a stepwise fashion starting with flea allergies as this is the easiest and cheapest to take care of. If not on a flea preventative, then it would be a good idea to get started on one. If already on one then it would be a good idea to change to something else (there are many new products out in the market). If not improved in 1-3 months then it is time to move on and check for food allergies by switching to a novel diet (new protein and new carbohydrate). If that does not seem to be the issue then you are left out having to check for environmental allergies which require blood and/or skin tests. Allergies can be very frustrating to deal with at first but so rewarding at the end when we are able to treat them effectively!

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