Cat scratching a lot: why your cat is itchy and what helps

A cat scratching a lot is telling you something is wrong with its skin or ears. Itching is a sign, not a disease, so the aim is to find the cause. Most itchy cats need a routine vet visit rather than an emergency trip. If you’re not sure how fast to act, our should I go to the vet check can help you decide.

Why is my cat scratching a lot?

Merck Veterinary Manual lists parasites, infections and allergies as the most common causes of itching in cats. Many cats hide it. International Cat Care calls them “secret groomers”, so you may first notice scabs, thinning fur or hair on the floor rather than the scratching itself.

An itchy cat may scratch, lick, chew or pull at its fur. Look for where the itch is and when it happens, because both give your vet useful clues.

Is it fleas, even if I can’t see any?

Very often, yes. International Cat Care says fleas remain the most common cause of skin disease in cats in most countries. VCA Animal Hospitals notes that live fleas are seldom seen on cats, because they groom them away.

Merck explains that many cats are allergic to flea saliva. In an allergic cat, a few bites can set off itching all over the body. Comb your cat over white paper and put any dark specks on damp paper towel. If they dissolve into a reddish-brown smear, that’s flea dirt.

Flea allergy is also the reason vets ask you to treat every pet in the home, all year, even when no fleas are visible. Only use a product made for cats. Our guide to fleas on cats explains how to check and clear your home.

What is miliary dermatitis?

Miliary dermatitis is a pattern, not a single disease. VCA describes it as many small, crusted spots that look like millet seeds, and you can often feel them better than you can see them. Run your hand along your cat’s back and neck: it can feel like fine grit under the fur.

Merck notes that with flea allergy, the bumps are usually spread over the back, neck and face, and they crust over once the cat scratches them. Some cats get a “racing stripe” of sore skin along the back. VCA lists the lower back, base of the tail, face, ears, neck, flanks and belly as the most affected areas.

Scabs around the head and neck deserve a closer look. Fleas are the most common cause, but VCA and International Cat Care both list food allergy, environmental allergy and mites as other causes. Merck says itching aimed at the head and neck is fairly common in cats with a food allergy.

Can food allergy make a cat itchy?

Yes. Merck says food allergies occur in cats about as often as allergies to things in the air. The itch tends to stay the same all year. Signs can include small crusty bumps, hair loss on both sides of the body, or flat, red, swollen patches of skin.

Merck lists fish, beef, chicken and milk products as the foods cats are most often allergic to. Food allergy can’t be diagnosed with a blood test or skin test. The only reliable test is a diet trial.

How does a food elimination trial work?

A food elimination trial tests whether your cat’s itch goes away when it only eats food it has never had before. It’s simple to explain and hard to do well.

1. Your vet picks the diet. It’s either a diet made from a protein your cat has never eaten, or a prescription diet with hydrolyzed protein. Hydrolyzed means the protein is broken down so small that the immune system doesn’t recognize it. A home-cooked diet is only safe under a vet’s or vet nutritionist’s supervision, because it may lack key nutrients.
2. Your cat eats nothing else. No treats, no table scraps, no flavored medicines, no hunting and no food from neighbors. Merck Veterinary Manual warns that feeding anything your cat has eaten before can make the trial fail.
3. You wait. International Cat Care suggests 6 to 8 weeks. Merck says up to 3 months, and that cats respond anywhere from 1 to 9 weeks in.
4. Your vet may reintroduce the old food. If the itch comes back, food allergy is confirmed. Merck says the signs usually return within 10 days.

Change food gradually, and never starve a cat into eating the new diet. Merck warns that a long spell of poor appetite can cause serious liver damage. If your cat refuses the trial food, call your vet. Our food transition calculator can help you plan the switch.

What about environmental allergies, ear mites and ringworm?

Environmental allergy (atopy) is a reaction to things like pollen or house dust mites. Merck says it often starts before age 5 and can be seasonal or year-round. International Cat Care calls it quite uncommon and hard to diagnose. There’s no single test, so vets diagnose it by ruling out fleas, other parasites and food first. It’s lifelong but can be managed.

Ear mites are the major cause of ear canal inflammation in young cats, according to International Cat Care. They can also wander onto the skin around the head and neck. Because cats sleep curled up, the itch can spread to the rump and tail too. Mites spread between pets, so all animals in the home usually need treatment. See our guide to ear mites in cats.

Ringworm is a fungal skin infection, not a worm. International Cat Care says it isn’t usually itchy, but Merck notes some cats develop itchy miliary bumps. It causes bald, scaly patches and can spread to people, so your vet will want to test for it. Our guide to a cat losing hair covers it in more detail.

Can stress make a cat scratch and lick itself?

Yes, but it’s usually not the whole story. International Cat Care says most cases of over-grooming start with a skin or pain problem, though many also have a stress component. For a small number of cats, stress is the only cause.

Stress grooming usually shows up as licking rather than scratching. Look for thin or bald patches on the belly, inner thighs or flanks. Changes to routine and competing with other cats for food, water or litter boxes can all play a part. Your vet will rule out fleas, allergies and pain before calling it stress.

How will a vet find the cause of the itch?

Merck describes a step-by-step approach, because many causes look alike.

• History and exam. Where the itch is, when it started, whether it’s seasonal, what your cat eats and whether other pets itch too.
• Parasites first. Flea combing, skin scrapings, looking in the ears and often a trial of strict flea control for every pet in the home.
• Infection next. Hair and skin samples under the microscope, or a fungal culture for ringworm. Bacterial and yeast infections are often a side effect of scratching.
• Allergies last. If the itch continues, a food elimination trial comes next. Allergy testing is sometimes used to plan treatment for atopy.

Your vet may also prescribe medicine to ease the itch while the tests are done, and will set the drug and dose for your cat. Don’t give human antihistamines or creams unless your vet tells you to.

When is an itchy cat an emergency?

Most itching can wait for a normal appointment. A few situations can’t.

A sudden swollen face after a sting, a bite or a new medicine needs a vet now. For open wounds, stop your cat licking them if you can and book a same-day or next-day visit. Not sure what a skin spot is? Our symptom photo check can help you describe it before you call.

How can I help my itchy cat at home?

• Treat every pet for fleas all year, on the schedule your vet recommends, with a product made for each species.
• Wash bedding and vacuum carpets and furniture to clear flea eggs and larvae.
• Keep a diary of where your cat scratches, what it ate and whether it’s worse at certain times of year.
• Take photos of scabs and bald patches so your vet can see how they change.
• Keep home life calm, with separate food, water and litter boxes for each cat and quiet places to rest.

Itching makes cats miserable, and scratching damages skin and invites infection. Finding the cause early is the fastest route to a comfortable cat. For a clinic near you, see our vet finder.

Written by the CatsMed Team from the sources above. This guide isn’t reviewed by a veterinarian and isn’t a substitute for one. See how we research.