Pawsitively Pets--
-- Jasper’ s Unexpected Request--
Both Jasper and Hector are sweet, lovable boys, but they show their affection in very different ways. Hector is the kind of cat who will actually ask to be picked up and held. He loves curling up in a lap and enjoys all kinds of petting. Jasper, on the other hand, is much pickier. He greets people with enthusiastic head butts and will happily request an ear scratching, but that’ s usually where his affection ends. He likes to sit beside you, sometimes even leaning against your leg if you’ re one of his favorite people. What he does not like is having his back touched. A stroke along his spine often earns a yelp, and it genuinely seems to bother him.
That’ s why I was surprised this week when Jasper climbed into my lap, settled in, and requested both petting and assurances that he was a“ best boy.” Not only was it sweet, but it gave me the chance to gently pet him all the way from his shoulders to his tail. That’ s when I discovered he needed some human help. He had a rash. The timing was puzzling. Jasper had recently been to the veterinarian for a thorough exam, complete with blood work, and there had been no sign of a rash then. A skin irritation like this can have several causes: food allergies, bacterial infections, fungal infections, reactions to a cat bite, or even stress that leads a cat to lick himself raw. But the most common culprit is fleas.
The vet had found no fleas and no flea dirt during his visit. Still, Jasper is an indoor-outdoor cat and has been spending more time outside lately. It’ s possible that he encountered a flea in one of his favorite lounging spots. He receives flea prevention medication, but he is also highly allergic to flea bites. Sometimes a single bite is enough to cause intense itching and a rash.
So what should you do if you discover a rash on your cat? First, take a close look at it. Is it infected? Bleeding? Oozing? If the irritation appears serious or extends beyond a simple rash, it’ s time to call your veterinarian.
In Jasper’ s case, the affected area was small and showed no signs of infection. I also checked carefully for fleas and flea dirt, paying special attention to common trouble spots around the base of his tail, neck, and ears. I didn’ t find any evidence of either.
One thing you should not do is treat a cat the way you would treat yourself. Avoid applying human ointments, creams, or anti-itch medications unless specifically directed by your veterinarian. Instead, I gently wiped the area with a cool, damp cloth and made sure Jasper had a comfortable place to rest with good air circulation. He won’ t tolerate a fan blowing directly on him, but keeping his favorite room cool helps reduce the temptation to lick or chew at the irritation. And resist the urge to pick at any scabs- they’ re part of the healing process.
It’ s been a few days now, and the rash appears to be healing nicely. I’ ve caught Jasper licking it once or twice, but not excessively. If it hadn’ t begun improving on its own, that would have been my signal to contact the vet.
For now, Jasper seems comfortable, and all of us are enjoying the pleasant days that September brings.
- by Linda Roller, Bookseller, writer, and owner of Liberty Book Shop in beautiful downtown Avis, PA.
LIBERTY BOOK SHOP
Linda Roller
Hours: Thursday & Friday 10-6, Saturday 10-3, or by appt.
“ Where yesterday’ s books are today’ s treasures.” www. thelibertybookshop. com
1 East Park Street, Avis • 570-753-5201
Pawsitively Pets--
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