Whenever I notice scabs on my cat, I always check for parasites. Fleas are one of the most common causes of scabbing in cats, particularly around the neck region. However, when my cat has scabs on its neck but no fleas, it can be confusing – what else can cause the formation of these scabs?
As it turns out, there are a few possible reasons why your cat gets scabs on their neck. For example, it could be that your cat does have fleas, but their excellent grooming habits mean you cannot see any in their fur. Other explanations include skin allergies, nutritional deficiencies, and immune-mediated skin diseases. These all cause a condition known as miliary dermatitis.
I run through all of these possible causes in more detail in this article. I also share how you can help your cat, when you need to call a vet, and what treatment options are available. Preventative methods are also shared so you can help stop any scabs from coming back for good!
Why Does My Cat Have Miliary Dermatitis?
Miliary dermatitis is the term used to describe a range of skin conditions that cause scabbing in cats. For this reason, it is also known as “scabby cat disease“. Fleas are the most common cause of scabbing and miliary dermatitis. In particular, an allergic reaction to fleas triggers the condition. However, fleas are far from the only cause!
Here I look at all the reasons why your cat has scabs on its neck and what you can do to help:
1. Parasitic Infections
External parasitic infections such as fleas, ticks, and mites are the most common cause of scabbing and miliary dermatitis. This is particularly true when there is scabbing around the neck area, as this is where fleas like to congregate.
Aside from scabbing, other symptoms of parasitic infections include:
- Poor coat quality and hair loss
- Excessive scratching and itching
- Lesions in the skin
- Red, inflamed, and irritated skin
I often see my cat twitch in her sleep when she has parasites as well. Even if your cat shows no sign of fleas, don’t rule out parasitic infections – if your cat is excellent at grooming, you might not see any visible fleas on its coat.
I suggest contacting your vet, who will be able to check for flea feces in your cat’s coat. This will confirm whether your cat does indeed have fleas that aren’t visible or whether the small scabs on your cat are caused by something else.
2. Skin Allergies
If you have 100% ruled out external parasitic infections as the reasons for scabbing, skin allergies are the next most probable cause. This has many of the same symptoms. For example, allergies can be why your cat keeps shaking its head, but no mites are visible or the reason for intense itchiness and scratching associated with fleas.
Now, the allergies themselves don’t directly cause scabbing in cats. Instead, the allergies cause the skin to become irritated and inflamed. Cats will scratch their skin like crazy in response to this and to relieve the intense itchy feeling. This can result in the formation of small lesions, which then scab over.
A whole range of different environmental allergens can cause miliary dermatitis in cats, including pollens, molds, and dust. Cats can even be allergic to another cat’s dander, their cat litter, or other substances in your home.
Unfortunately, it is pretty challenging to determine the precise cause of your cat’s skin allergies. In fact, diagnosing a cat with some form of environmental allergies is usually only done after fleas and food allergies are ruled out. However, eliminating a specific allergen from your home and seeing if your cat’s symptoms improve can help pinpoint the exact cause.
3. Food Allergies
Food allergies can also lead to your cat being covered in scabs. In most cases, the protein in their food causes an allergic response. The most common food allergens in cats are beef, chicken, and fish. It results in itchy and sore skin that leads to scabbing. You will notice other skin symptoms, too, such as hair loss, inflamed skin, and over-grooming.
If the cause of your cat’s miliary dermatitis is due to food allergies, they will often show gastrointestinal symptoms as well. Examples include:
- Vomiting or diarrhea
- Constipation or straining when defecating
- Scooting along the floor
To diagnose a cat with a food allergy, vets will start by eliminating other possible causes. For example, they will rule out their symptoms resulting from parasitic or bacterial infections. They will then put your cat on one of three controlled food diets that eliminate possible protein allergens.
The idea is simple – if your cat’s allergy symptoms ease while they are on the diet and return within one week of being back on their old diet, they are diagnosed with a food allergy.
4. Nutritional Deficiencies
A scab on the back of a cat’s neck can also be a sign of nutritional deficiencies. These usually arise when a cat has been fed a homemade diet over an extended period that lacks the full nutritional composition they need. Alternatively, some poor-quality commercial cat foods can cause deficiencies of some sort.
You might be wondering how nutritional deficiencies are linked with scabbing. However, the quality and health of your cat’s skin and coat are a great reflection of what is happening on the inside. A lack of the correct nutrients can cause the skin to become dry and itchy, resulting in scratching and the formation of scabs.
If you’re asking yourself, “Why is my cat shedding so much?” nutritional deficiencies are even more likely. As the skin becomes irritated and less healthy, their fur will start to fall out. Itching and scratching can exacerbate this further. Speak to your vet for advice on changing your cat’s diet for the better, so they get all the nutrients they need.
5. Autoimmune Skin Diseases
Autoimmune skin diseases are rare in cats but do provide another explanation as to why your cat has scabs on their neck. Sadly, autoimmune diseases are rarely curable, and cats can be prone to developing other conditions. However, with appropriate treatment, they are usually very manageable.
There is a range of different immune-mediated conditions that can affect our furry friends. Each of these has slightly different signs and symptoms but usually involves some form of ulcerated sores, rashes, or blisters on their skin. These can appear on the neck, though they are more common in the mouth, mucocutaneous junctions, and groin.
If you think your cat has an autoimmune disease, take them to the vet for diagnosis. Your vet will be able to perform a skin biopsy to determine whether this is a condition your cat is suffering from or not. Depending on the location of the inflamed affected skin, this may need to be performed with a local anesthetic or sedation.
How Can I Get Rid of Scabs on My Cat?
Now you know why your cat has scabs around its neck, we need to know what to do next – how can we get rid of these scabs?
First and foremost, know that you should never pick scabs off of cats. I’ve done this before, but unfortunately, it will leave an open wound that can become infected. Moreover, the skin will have to heal over again, and another scab will form in its place. Instead, wait for the skin to heal, and the scabs will fall off on their own accord when the time is right.
It follows that as we cannot pick scabs off, we can only help our cats by treating the cause of their scabbing and miliary dermatitis. Of course, the appropriate treatment will depend on the underlying condition. Therefore, you will need to speak to your vet to discuss the possible treatment options.
In addition, here are some other things I have used in the past that may help reduce scabbing. They may also prevent more scabs from forming in the future:
Flea Medication
In cases of fleas or other external parasites, use medication prescribed by your vet to eliminate these pests from your cat’s coat. I also use monthly flea treatments and practice good home hygiene to help limit the number of infestations my cat gets in the future.
Removal of Allergens
In cases of skin allergies, you’ll want to limit as many allergens from your home as possible. Keep your house clean to minimize the number of dust mites, stick with pet-friendly cleaning products, and use cat litter for allergies. You can further help remove the allergens from your home by using an air purifier which traps and removes all airborne particles.
Keep Cats Indoors
Keeping a cat indoors can reduce the risk of them running into other cats with parasitic infections to help prevent them from contacting them again. Indoor-only cats are also exposed to fewer allergens as you can control your home environment more easily. This can reduce the severity of allergies and scabs.
Special Diets
Ensure you feed your cat a nutritional diet that is comprised of everything they need to be happy and healthy. Their diet should predominantly consist of protein, moderate fat, and little carbohydrate. Remember that the precise nutritional needs of cats will change with age, so speak to your vet for advice if you aren’t sure.
In cases of food allergies, make sure you tailor your cat’s diet to this and eliminate the allergen from their food. You’ll need to speak to your vet and go on a controlled food diet to establish precisely what this is first. Ensure that you slowly transition to the new diet to keep stress levels at a minimum.
Drugs to Alleviate Itching
More generalized medications can be prescribed to help ease symptoms of miliary dermatitis while treating the underlying cause. For example, my cat has had cortisone injections in the past to help alleviate their itching and help them scratch less. This meant fewer skin lesions and scabs formed.
Topical creams can be applied to your cat’s neck and other affected areas to help reduce the pain and itchiness of scabs. This prevents them from getting any worse and allows them to heal more quickly. You can get these creams either from a pet store or by speaking to your vet.
Bandages and Cones
When miliary dermatitis is severe and your cat will not stop itching, you can try bandaging the area. This can help promote healing. In some cases, a pet cone can help, too. They prevent your cat from scratching at its neck and other affected areas. However, cones are more effective for places they cannot scratch.
MY FINAL THOUGHTS
If your cat has scabs on its neck but no fleas, you need to take them to the vet. Your cat might have a parasitic infection you’ve just not noticed or could suffer from environmental allergies, food allergies, or a nutritional deficiency. Although extremely rare, feline autoimmune diseases are another possibility.
In any case, follow your vet’s advice on how to treat the cause of miliary dermatitis and scabbing. You can also help your cat further by eliminating allergens from their home and/or diet, applying topical treatments or administering other drugs to prevent itching, and keeping on top of flea prevention medication. These all help promote healthy healing and prevent more scabs from forming.
Cheryl says
My cat is an indoor cat he did get fleas we think from my daughters dog which surprised us as she religiously uses treatment every month. But I noticed little black/ brown flecks on the window sills he’s sat on so did a little research and discovered that it was possibly flea dropping so immediately treated him with flea & tick treatment have done him twice so far and thankfully no more flea droppings but he does have scabs around his body mostly around his neck, possibly a reaction to having the fleas? What should I do just wait until they clear up or is there anything I can do to promote the healing, homemade remedies would be preferable as I’m housebound so difficult to get to a vet??
Catherine says
I have the same thing happen, scabs on back. I wonder what will heal him, always itching more.
Jayne says
My cat is a sphynx. One day in the morning he was fine all was normal, I came home from a drive, and he had soars on his face and above his nose. I was so worried. I eventually tried a Neosporin, the next morning they were gone like magic. I then noticed that the areas I thought were just over licking on his legs and scrotum were the same kind of soars. They are taking a lot longer to go away. I just moved have two other (haired) cats, but don’t have a vet yet. So I am attempting to put him in a long sleeve shirt to deter the licking. I now have all there records from my old vet, and will go to my mom’s vet.
Keziah Black says
Thank you, for this article, I suspected mites but was unsure, my male cat is miserable, I have treated him for mites a few times already, he got them from some ones dog that was overridden with mites & fleas…this was passed onto my two cats, unfortunately Shady was feral & has a damaged immune system as het had organ failure when he arrived on my doorstep! He has developed a cough as well as the black/brown gunk in his ears, this happened after being exposed to an animal that I had to report to the authorities in order for the dog to be helped…This is now an ongoing problem even though I have removed my cats and myself from the toxic environment!!!! People should need a licence to have pets after being trained in some sort of responsibility course!!! Once again this information was most helpful!
Kathleen Verderosa says
Beautifully & honestly spoken!! Kudos to you!!
William J Norkelun says
My cat was mauled by another cat, leaving scabs all around his head. I presume the other, bigger cat had him clamped around the head with his mouth. Anyway, my guy constantly scratches around his neck. I haven’t seen any fleas. Was wondering if there is a good topical to put on to accelerate healing?