Instructions
Check your cat for fleas. Fleas are the most common cause of feline pruritus. Your cat could be scratching at the fleas themselves or at places he's been bitten. Examine your cat's fur closely for the insects or their tiny, dark-colored droppings. Use a bright light if your cat has dark fur. Pay special attention to the groin, belly and the area under the chin. Look in the creases under the cat's legs.
Manually remove the fleas you find and drop them into water. They sink to the bottom and quickly drown. If your cat has more than one or two fleas there is probably a breeding population and their reproductive cycle will need to be stopped. Apply flea powder. Wash the cat's bedding or thoroughly vacuum areas and furniture the pet frequents. Repeat the treatment after a week to kill any newly hatched fleas. Use a topical flea preventive if the problem persists.
Watch where your cat is scratching herself. If it's mostly in and around the ears, there is a good chance your cat has a case of ear mites. See if your cat shakes her head more than usual, or lays back her ears a lot, both signs of ear mites. Examine the ears closely with a magnifying glass to spot the tiny spider-like parasites. Clean the ear canals thoroughly. Use over-the-counter ear drops or get stronger medicine from the vet.
Examine your cat for symptoms of allergy-related skin disease. See if your cat focuses the scratching on one or two small skin bumps, indicating a possible allergic hypersensitivity to bug bites. Check for signs of allergic irritation from mosquito, bee or wasp stings. If you've recently switched cat food brands, switch the cat back to his former diet. Discontinue use of carpet deodorizers and sprays or any similar household products that you've begun using recently.
Check your cat thoroughly for any signs of sarcoptic mange mites. The mites themselves are microscopic and too small to see, so inspect your cat for symptoms caused by the mites. Look for small, red bumps or papules on the margins of the ears, elbows, haunches and stomach. Examine the skin for thickened, wrinkled areas with patchy hair loss. Kill the mites with a lime sulfur dip or use topical anti-parasitics.
How to Stop a Cat from Itching
An itchy cat is an unhappy cat. If your cat spends an inordinate amount of time scratching and clawing at himself you have to determine the cause and stop it. Called pruritis by the veterinarian, excessive scratching of the skin can cause inflammation, irritation and secondary infections. Whatever the original cause of the itchiness, the act of scratching can stimulate more itching, setting off a cycle. You may be able to diagnose and treat the condition yourself, but some causes of pruritis require the services of a small-animal doctor. It's important to stop the itching before your cat injures her skin or suffers hair loss from all the scratching.