Dog ate chocolate?

ask a vet

Bald spots on cat's legs.

Species: Cat
Breed: Domesic Shorthair Si
Age: 8-11 years
I moved from Los Angeles to St.Louis with my cat. For a few months now I've noticed my cat is obsessively licking her hind legs and now her front legs. She's licked the back legs to a point where they're red blood bruised. I've also noticed on occasion red mucus/blood in her stool. I've changed her litter brand, started giving her fish oil and try to spray the areas with wound spray but she's still going at it. I also started giving her half a small can of wet food to help with stool. Her dry food is Natural Balance Indoor Cat. I don't know what else to do. She's an indoor cat, very skiddish, hides under the bed most of the time. I've never taken her to vet. She will be 8 soon. I rescued her from an animal shelter at 3 years old (they estimated her age). She is fixed. I will try to send a picture so you can see her licking.


Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

There are a few things that can cause symptoms like this.

bald legs on a cat

The scabs on the legs are likely due to self trauma. But the question is what is causing her to do this. An allergy certainly is possible. It is often difficult to know what a cat is allergic too. It is unlikely to be the food. Fleas can do this, although the distribution of the lesions is not typical for a flea allergy.

Some cats can do this as a result of "stress". It's often difficult to know what the cause of the stress is and most cats in which I see this actually lead pretty non stressful lives.

There are some conditions such as immune conditions that can cause lesions like this too.

This is something that is not likely to go away on its own. I would highly recommend a veterinary visit. The vet may decide to do some tests to rule out immune conditions like eosiophilic dermatitis or even fungal conditions like ringworm.

There is a good chance that this will go away with steroids. These are safe to give to cats in the right dose.

If your vet thinks that this is due to stress then they may prescribe some antianxiety medications.

I do hope that things improve soon.

Dr. Marie


Do you have a pet website? Interested in learning more about SEO for Wix?


Check out our dog age calculator and cat age calculator.

Want to receive pet coupons, vet advice and info on new pet products in your inbox?

* indicates required

We'll only send you great stuff, never spam. Unsubscribe any time.

Disclaimer: Although Dr. Marie is a qualified veterinarian, the information found on this site is not meant to replace the advice of your own veterinarian. AskAVetQuestion.com and Dr. Marie do not accept any responsibility for any loss, damage, injury, death, or disease which may arise from reliance on information contained on this site. Do not use information found on this site for diagnosing or treating your pet. Anything you read here is for information only.

Search for similar questions:

ask a vet

Popular questions...

Healthy weight for a puppy. My papipoo recently had a haircut and I was shocked at how skinny he is. What is a... (11965 views)

Reduce allergies to cats. I'm allergic to cats but I would love to have one. I've recently heard that there is... (9689 views)

Chattering jaw. my 2yr old lhasa apso could just be sitting and his jaw starts to shake non-stop for... (11299 views)

Feline leukemia contagious? I'm feeding a neighbor's cat that has feline leukemia. I have cats of my own. Is it... (10102 views)

Will mating kill my dog? i have had my dog for 2 weeks an she has just mated with my brothers dog but the... (9641 views)

Is this a mouth tumor? Hi, Our cat has been doing poorly lately. She went for about a month eating once... (5810 views)

Something in throat? Husband won't let me take cat to vet..childrens pet. Cat stopped eating a few days... (36768 views)

Dose of interceptor? I have a new puppy... he's 8 weeks old and weighs 4.6 lbs. I live in Florida which... (12927 views)

Dog ate collar. Our dog ate half of a leather, metal studded collar about a week ago, which after a... (16258 views)

Biopsy? Dr, As you know Max has been having issues with vomiting and soft stools. 9... (10274 views)

See all questions...

Dr. MarieDr. Marie is a veterinarian who practices in a busy animal hospital in Ottawa, Ontario. She created Ask A Vet Question as a resource for good, accurate veterinary advice online. Dr. Marie treats dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, and rats. She has been a vet since 1999.

Is an online vet visit just as good as a trip to your veterinarian? No! But, many times, asking an online veterinarian a question can help save you money. While Dr. Marie can't officially diagnose your pet or prescribe medications, she can often advise you on whether a vet visit is necessary. You can also ask Dr. Marie for a second opinion on your pet's condition.