Expert: Jessica - 2/1/2012

Question
I have a male neutered cat that has been in the house for a year now. He was a stray before that. I brought him in and neutered him. I also have two other cats. One female who lives under my bed not friendly to the other cats or humans just me. I also have another male who he spends time playing with. I had not noticed this problem before but if you try to pet him down his spine or even touch it his head starts turning and he starts licking with his tongue and if you continue to touch it he kind of looks like he's being spastic. At the base of his tail he is even more sensitive and has crusty skin. He also licks there a lot. He's never bitten me but has come close when I rubbed up against his back on the couch.

Answer
Hi Patricia,

I would imagine that he's suffering some sensitivity along his back because of the skin condition that's causing the crustiness. Cats have a very sensitive nerve bundle that runs down the back, so any touch can be overstimulating to some cats. If there's a condition that's causing inflammation, it can be even more sensitive.

There are many possible causes of crusty skin, including allergies to fleas, food ingredients or something in the environment, autoimmune disease, bacterial and fungal infection and mange mites. Sometimes skin damage can even be self-inflicted. To determine the most likely cause of your cat's crusty skin, he should see a vet. A treatment plan can be formulated from there.

Best of luck!
Jessica