Expert: Karen Craft - 1/25/2008

Question
Hi my name is Toni.  I have a nearly 3 year old cat, Chester.  He often gets sores on his mouth and paw.  It it usually starts as just open, raw looking skin.  Sometimes sores will develop, sometimes it will just go away. Right now he has one on his mouth and it is beginning to scab over.  I have taken him to the doctor before and they give him a shot of cortizone (sp?) and have given me some ointment to put it on.  I thought for a while that it was a food allergy, as he seemed to get them even more when I would try to change his food.  But he does not seem to be bothered by it, he gets angry when I put the medicine on him but only because I have to hold him down, he doesn't seem to be bothered at all when I actually tough it.  His apetite is not affected and he acts normal, not overly tired and he doesnt seem to be embarrassed or self conscious at all by the sores.  I switched his food again and everything seemed fine for a while, but then over christmas he deleloped a sore on his paw and now he has probably the worst one I have seen on his mouth.  It has began to scab over.  Again, he does not seem to be in pain or uncomfortable.  He does sometimes have "accidents" on the carpet but it really only happens when I am not home very often over a period of a few days.  My question is that I do not know how to tell what food he can eat and what he cannot eat.  Should I try hypo allergenic food?  Or should I take him to the doctor and see if there is anything else wrong with him?  My problem with the doctor is that I don't know if they will really be able to tell me very much?  When I took him last time, they were not very helpful.  Also, he is an indoor cat so he does not have any contact with other cats or anything outside.  A part of me is not too worried about it, but I do not want to dismiss it, especially now that it seems to be getting worse.

Answer
Hi Toni,

Get him to another vet. Sores and urinary incontinence are usually not from allergies. And if they are not helpful then it is time to find one who will help you out. Especially if he is getting worse. Good luck and let me know what happens.

Ciao, Karen