4 Causes Why Cats Skin Crusty
Having a cat that has thick fur and has good skin is the dream of every cat lover, of course. But what happens if the desired thing happens instead, instead of having thick hair and having healthy cat skin, the hair falls out and the skin looks like crusty.
The skin of a cat with crusts will make the cat unsightly, besides that this can also make us as owners afraid that this disease can be transmitted to us. Besides being afraid of getting infected, we are also worried that this disease will get worse.
Although this disease is considered not to endanger the cat's life, in fact this disease can be a risk of death for the cat. How not, cats who feel their skin is hard and very itchy can cause cats to lose their appetite, can't sleep and others.
Food as delicious or as expensive as anything we give will be rejected by the cat. There have been many cases where cats suffering from severe skin diseases died from refusing to eat due to loss of appetite. Cats who lack sleep also make cat health worse.
And among these cases, Anggora himself has seen a cat with crusts all over its body because the cat is not getting enough sleep due to being busy scratching, licking its body and not wanting to eat at all. If your cat is currently experiencing crusty skin, you must know the main reason why the cat's skin is crusty so that you can take the right action for the good as well as the cat's health.
You can see the causes of crusty cat skin in Angora's article below.
4 Causes Why Cat Skin Crumples
As good owners, it is important for us to know what causes our cat's skin to crusty so that we don't panic easily and understand what the best course of action is for our pet fur friend. Like whether to treat it independently or immediately take it to the vet.
Then what is the main cause of cat skin becomes like crusty ? Some of the causes include :
1. Crusty Skin Due To Wounds
For cat owners who have just started deciding to own a cat, they often think that the scars on their cat's skin caused by scratches and bites or something else are crusty skin. This is because the scar that begins to heal will turn black and look hard and rough like a crust.
When in fact blackened skin is skin tissue that is dirty and has been damaged by wounds. This skin will eventually detach itself when the injured skin is completely healed.
2. Crusty Skin Due To Mite Attack
The second cause is due to mites. Mites often cause skin diseases such as scabies in cats. Mites are small insects that attack the skin that cannot be seen with the eye. Need to use some kind of tool such as a microscope to see these insects.
Mites attack on the cat's skin can cause the cat's skin to be red, sore and crusty. Not only that, cats that are attacked by mites will experience hair loss in certain areas. If the mites are left alone and not treated immediately, it is likely that the mites can spread to all parts of the cat's body, causing all the hair to fall out and the entire cat's skin to be covered with crusts.
In a very severe level, the cat's eyesight, mouth and body can be greatly impaired due to the presence of this crust. This will make the cat's quality of life will decrease and can be the cause of death for the cat sufferer.
One example of a disease caused by mites that can make a cat's skin crusty overall is scabies. Scabies is a type of cat skin disease that occurs due to fungi and mites.
3. Crusty Skin Due To Fungi
The next cause is crusty skin due to fungus. Cats that are attacked by fungi ( fungus ) will generally have the following characteristics :
Unnatural hair loss
Cats often scratch their bodies
There is a red rash on the cat's skin
Dry and crusty cat skin
Weak
If the cat appears to have some of the characteristics above, it is likely that the cat has a fungus. There are many types of fungi that attack cats themselves. As far as Angora is concerned, the types of fungi that often attack cats are as follows :
a. Lice Mushroom
This is a type of fungus that can make a cat's skin feel very dry.
b. Scabies
Is a combination of fungal and mite attacks that can cause hair loss, itchy skin and crusty skin in cats.
c. Pijal Mushroom
This type of fungus can make the cat's skin crusty as happens on the skin of cats suffering from scabies.
d. Stud Tail
Stud Tail is a type of fungus that causes excess oil to leak out in the cats it lives in.
e. Ringworm
Ringworm fungus itself is a type of fungus that often attacks the body and ears of cats. This mushroom is characterized by a circular shape.
f. Mushroom Fall
This fungus is similar to scabies, but this fungus only causes the cat's hair to fall out.
g. Dandruff
White fungus on cat fur.
h. Fungus Due To Drug Allergy ( Allergic Dermatitis )
This fungus is a type of fungus that can grow due to allergies to drugs, cat food and drinks.
4. Crusty Skin Due To Lice
The last reason why cat skin crusts is the result of fleas. But this does not apply to cats who have mild flea problems. This usually occurs in cats that have severe flea problems. Severe flea infestations will cause itching and sores due to cats who keep licking and biting excessively on the areas of the body that are itchy.
This wound can usually cause the cat's skin to fall out to become red and crusty. In some cats, flea bites can cause allergies and then cause extreme itching.
How To Treat Crusty Skin Problems In Cats ?
After knowing what causes crusty cat skin, of course you also want to know how to treat this skin problem. The easiest way to treat it is to take the cat to the vet for treatment. But for those of you who want to treat your cat independently at home then you can do it if you really know for sure what the main cause of why your cat's skin is crusty.
For example, if a cat's skin is crusty due to a fungus, then you can buy a spray or a special fungus repellent for cats at a pet shop. If the cause is mites then buy anti-mite medication or spray, and so on. Generally it takes quite a while for the mites and fungus on the cat's body to completely disappear.
According to Anggora's own experience, it can take up to one week for cats to recover for mild cases of fungus and mites, while for severe cases it takes 1 to 2 months. Then what about cats whose skin is crusty due to wounds ?
Yes, just let the wound heal itself or you can help speed up the wound healing by giving wound medicine. Also make sure the cat does not bite or scratch the wound again so that the healing process is not disturbed as well so that the wound on the cat's body does not get worse.
Can This Be Prevented From Happening To Our Pet Cats ?
Of course it can be prevented. The way to prevent this is to do regular care of the cat. These treatments can be in the form of routinely bathing the cat 1-2 times a month, combing the cat's fur, making sure the cat's equipment is clean.
In addition, preventing cats from coming into physical contact with stray cats or cats that have been infected with fungi, mites or have lots of fleas is also one way to prevent cats from crusty skin problems.
Maybe that's all the discussion about why cat skin crusts. Hopefully this article can help you understand the main causes of crusty cat skin and how to overcome and prevent it.
