Dealing with Itchy Red Bumps on Cats: Not Ringworm, Wha

Q: "My cat has developed numerous red bumps that are very itchy. However, when examined under a Wood's lamp, there was no fluorescence reaction. What should I do?"

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Recently, a friend of ours on the Oxygen Pet platform has raised the issue of "red bumps on a cat's body." Since we've encountered similar situations with many pet owners before, we thought it would be helpful to provide a comprehensive explanation and some solutions today.

Part 1: Causes of Red Bumps on Cats

1. Allergic Dermatitis: This could be due to allergens such as food, pollen, or dust mites. If your cat starts to have skin issues after coming into contact with certain substances, allergic dermatitis is a possibility to consider.

2. Parasite Infection: Red bumps on a cat's body may be caused by flea, louse, or mite bites. These parasites bite the cat's skin, leading to redness and itching.

3. Contact Dermatitis: Cats may be sensitive to certain household cleaners, plastic bowls, or vegetable oils. If you've recently changed cleaning products or your cat has come into contact with new items, this could be the cause.

4. Skin Infections: Many types of feline skin diseases can cause red bumps, including ringworm, eczema, and folliculitis, which also come with symptoms like itching and hair loss.

Part 2: Limitations of Wood's Lamp Examination

Although the Wood's lamp is a convenient method for quickly diagnosing ringworm, the results are not always accurate.

Ringworm can be caused by various fungi, such as Microsporum canis, Trichophyton mentagrophytes, and Trichophyton gypseum. Only some of the metabolic products of Microsporum canis will exhibit a green fluorescence under the light of the Wood's lamp.

Additionally, some antifungal drugs, cleaners, and dust mites may also show fluorescence under this light. Therefore, the Wood's lamp examination often results in false positives or false negatives. To directly determine the cause, it is necessary to go to a veterinary hospital for skin scraping tests and fungal cultures.

Part 3: Solutions for Red Bumps on Cats

Considering the above situations, the best solution when encountering this problem is to take your cat to a veterinary hospital for a checkup and diagnosis.

If you are unable to see a veterinarian, you can try the following methods while keeping a close watch:

1. Gently clean the red bumps and surrounding skin with iodine solution, then apply "Fusant" (zinc oxide ointment) twice or three times a day.

2. Put an Elizabethan collar on your cat to prevent it from licking the affected area.

3. Keep your cat's living environment dry and clean to reduce the growth of fungi and bacteria.

4. Administer a broadspectrum deworming medication like pyriproxyfen moxidectin to your cat regularly to prevent and kill fleas, lice, and mites.

5. Remove any suspicious items your cat has recently come into contact with, such as new cat food, cat litter, or cat toys, to avoid exposure to allergens.

Observe your cat for 5 to 7 days. If there is an improvement, you can consider supplementing your cat with some B vitamins and fish oil to aid in skin repair. If your cat's condition does not improve, consult a veterinarian or take your cat to a veterinary hospital for treatment.