Q

From Jennifer

I have taken my cat to three vets now, and I still can't seem to figure out why my cat keeps scratching himself around his eyes, ears, and chin.  He hurts himself with his constant scratching.  Please help, what can I do?

A

I’m sorry that you’re having such a difficult time getting to the bottom of your cat's scratching issue but skin issues are notoriously difficult to diagnose in many pets.  Since at least three veterinarians have already examined your cat, I’m not sure I will be able to offer much assistance but I will try to help you as best I can.

Without examining your cat and knowing what diagnostics have already been done, things that come to mind are bacterial or fungal infections, mites, and allergies.  Working up these issues will be at the discretion of your veterinarian and may include some in-depth testing.  Since your cat's scratching is focused around the head area, that may be a helpful clue.  Make sure that you allow your veterinarian to do a complete work-up for ear problems including cytology and examination of the ear with an ear scope.  Sometimes cat scratching of the head and face can even be related to dental problems.  A thorough dental exam is difficult on some cats and is sometimes only possible under general anesthetic.  One thing you could try doing if your cat is scratching his chin is to change to stainless steel feeding dishes to minimize contact reactions.   Also, consider referral to a veterinary dermatologist.

If you’re getting frustrating while waiting for answers, you could consider nail caps for your cat!  Soft Paws are vinyl nail caps that are applied to your cat’s claws with an adhesive.  They are humane and non-permanent.  Ask your veterinarian about them!

Good luck and I hope that your cat can find some comfort soon!

Craig Galbraith, DVM