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My cat is itching and scratching after Revolution. Is it an allergy?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Male | neutered | 1 year and 6 months old | 13 lbs

Is it possible my cat is allergic to revolution?? Have used it 3 times, spaced out monthly and over the course of the 3 months, my cat has become worse with more itching, scratching self all over, biting self to the point he now has two open wounds below the neck. And I know it's most definitely not a food allergy. And he doesn't go outside. I'm beginning to think it's the revolution treatments that have caused it as each time he became worse.

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1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

Published on March 24th, 2020

Yes, it certainly could be Parker is having a reaction to the Revolution. I'd have him seen by a vet asap to get this itching and wounds treated and to discuss another flea medication for him. An oral one may be better.

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My cat is excessively licking his self all over. Constantly biting self & pruning. He had been treated 3 times with revolution due 2 a kitten coming into the house with a severe case of ear mites. I believe now, he is actually allergic to the revolut
Poor kitty! It's possible it's the Revolution but reactions are generally localized to the area where the product was applied. The only way to know for sure is to change your product and see if things get better. Advantage Multi is another product similar to Revolution but a different make up. Other reasons for chronic skin lesions and itching are allergies to fleas, allergies to something in the environment, food allergy or endocrine disease. Each one of these problems is detected and addressed differently and I recommend to discuss with your veterinarian which one to start hunting down first. Fleas are less common since you are using a medication like Revolution. You may want to use a flea comb and check your kitty and the kitten for any evidence of fleas just to be sure there are none. Comb around the lower back and between the hind legs. Food allergy is best ruled out with a diet trial using a hydrolyzed protein. Endocrine diseases are detected with blood work. Environmenta
Updated on September 24th, 2025
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My cat will be 16. He’s very anxious when we go out so I don’t like to take him to the vet when unnecessary, but he’s worrying me. He had fleas I couldn’t get rid of and was given revolution. He doesn’t have fleas anymore, but now he’s lethargic, ove
Some cats do get a skin irritation from Revolution. I’m glad the fleas are gone, Revolution is very effective that way. I would wash the application area with a warm damp cloth to remove any Revolution that is still on the skin. If he can’t reach the area to lick you can use a thin film of hydrocortisone cream on the sore to stop the itching. If he’s itchy all over a cool bath with a hypoallergenic shampoo may soothe the skin. If he continues to be lethargic and overgrooming then your veterinary should do and exam to make sure it’s just a skin reaction and they can then give an anti inflammatory injection which should make him more comfortable. Thanks for using Boop by Petco to help you care for Mio.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
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Please read Forrest's bio. I gave him Revolution about a week or so ago and he's still scratching and nibbling. No live fleas or black specks I don't believe. So I'm not sure why he's doing that??? .. also, he's always crying, for no reason. He will
I did read Forrest Gump's bio, it was very cute and I love how you wrote it from his perspective. Cats can develop a flea allergy, and that could be why he is still nibbling and scratching despite being treated for fleas. He may need additional medication for it, such as steroids or antihistamines, so I would have him seen by a vet tomorrow. As for the crying, it sounds like to me he wants attention. Cats will vocalize to get attention, and if he's doing it when you are walking by him or when he's walking around, he's looking for someone to give him love and attention. As long as he's eating and drinking normally, walking normally, and using the litter box normally, I would not worry about it. Some cats are simply very vocal :-) I certainly hope you get to keep him, he sounds very loved already!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
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I gave my 6 mo old kitten revolution 12 hours ago and he is constantly scratching and gooming right now. I put the product between his shoulder blades but the fur was wet for a bit. Not sure if he could reach the area.
Hi ! Can you still spot presence of fleas ? You should look for flea dirt more than adult fleas, tiny black dots that dissolve when put in contact with water on a white tissue . You can use a flea comb for this purpose and then wipe it on the wet tissue to see if there is any evidence of flea dirt. If you have established that there still are fleas, then it could be that when you applied the product it did not actually reach the skin surface. I would recommend to speak to your veterinarian with regards to an additional product to kill flea eggs and arrange an appointment perhaps with a technician to show you how to best administer this treatment, good luck and I hope everything goes well !
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
We very seldom have fleas where we live, but both of our dogs got them about a month ago. We treated them with Pet Armor plus (fipronil & methoprene) 4 days ago, but found fleas on Tucker today. He had a reaction to the other meds (lethargic), but I
It would be expected for the fleas to be killed by the Pet Armor by now, but it would be worthwhile to wait a week before exploring other options. Revolution has a different medication and would be OK to apply at this time, but should be used cautiously in some dogs. There's always a possibility that he may be sensitive to the medication and it can be risky with dogs that are heartworm positive. For this reason, it's best to only use Revolution if prescribed by a veterinarian. It's possible that he may have a sensitivity to fleas, which can make the itching much worse. It's also possible that there is another problem like mange contributing to the itch, so it's best to have a vet evaluate him if this problem is not resolved soon. The vet may suggest another treatment, or provide medication to help relive his itchiness. I hope that helps and Tucker gets better soon.
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I have an 8-year-old Russian Blue. He has never had a skin problem until I took him to the vet. Could it be from a dirty exam table??? He's been scratching for 4 weeks on the areas that came in contact with the table. He's bald in those areas. He's o
Hi Barb! I'm sorry to hear that your cat is so itchy! I highly doubt that your cat developed his itching from a dirty exam table, but he may have had an allergy to the type of cleaner used on the table. Causes of acute itching are typically allergic in origin and can be due to fleas (less likely since your little guy is on Revolution), diet changes, or environmental allergens. When animals become extremely itchy, they can cause skin infections as a result of their scratching. At this point, it sounds as though your cat needs to go back to the vet to make sure he has not developed an infection and possibly may need a course of corticosteroids to help control his excessive itching.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Training & Behavior
hi my cat always licks and scratches it probably has itchy. suffers from a little of this. it hurts my heart to see it like this. what can I do ?
Poor kitty! This scratching can be caused by fleas, mites, ringworm, or allergies. If he isn't up to date on his flea treatment, I can give you one for him. First, I would give him Capstar. It's a one time pill that starts killing fleas within 30 minutes. Then follow up with a spot on treatment, such as Advantage or Revolution. This is a treatment that has to be used once a month. You will also have to disinfect the environment. Wash his bedding in hot soapy water, and vacuum the furniture and carpet surfaces. You can use a spray to kill fleas in the house, such as Indorex, or a flea bomb would work well to kill the fleas in the home. If he is up to date on his flea treatment, I recommend taking him into the vet for an exam today or tomorrow. The vet can do blood tests, skin scrapings, and use a Wood's lamp to diagnose allergies, mites, and ringworm. Once the cause of the itching is found, the vet can prescribe the appropriate treatment.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
We treated our cat with Revolution flea treatment yesterday. Now Georgia has a raw spot where we applied the medication. What do we need to do for her?
Oh poor girl. It looks like she has a hypersensitivity to the Revolution. This isn't very common, but it can happen on occasion in some pets. I would recommend washing as much of the product off as possible with a Betadine solution diluted 50:50 with warm water. Then you can apply a "hot spot" spray ok to use in cats, from your local pet store to the area until it is healed. If it is having a hard time healing properly, then it is best to have your vet look at it and prescribe stronger medication for Georgia. I hope this clears up soon and for next go round, I would recommend trying another product such as Advantage Multi for cats.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
I just found a single flea on my pup three days after starting her revolution flea meds. Should I worry? She’s been scratching a lot but dr says it’s just dandruff and that they didn’t see any fleas. Also have a vet appointment tomorrow because she m
I would not be worried if the flea is dead. It means the product is working. Unfortunately the flea does have to come into contact with the product in order to then die, so you may see a few fleas but they should be dead. Also I would try to cut back on the frequency of the baths because this can strip some of the product from the skin, making it less effective. A bath once every 2-4 weeks is ideal. Mia likely is scratching because she has dry skin due to overbathing or she is reacting to the flea you recently found on her. Try to use a conditioner to help rehydrate her skin and then ask your vet about any antihistamines that can be prescribed to help with her itching if it’s still present. Best wishes with your puppy Mia moving forward. Take care : )
Updated on September 24th, 2025
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We put centreguard on him a little over a month ago. And he has been scratching at the spots ever since we have been rubbing on coconut oil on him but it just seems worse everyday we just don’t know what to do anymore
This is an allergic reaction and requires an immediate treatment to be resolved otherwise it could continue to spread and by scratching it will lead to secondary skin lesions and infections. Some medications can be given by the vet in order to repair any possible skin lesions and treat allergic reaction (like steroids and antibiotics). Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. Please find the time to give us a feedback about the consultation as that will be used to improve our service.
Updated on September 24th, 2025

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