Welcome to Sphynxlair! Connect with Sphynx owners & enthusiasts around the world!

Cat Scratch Fever

Erin Paige

Lairian
Joined
Apr 23, 2017
Messages
3
Points
4
My sphynx, about 6 years old, healthy, no skin issues that I'm aware of (no visible rashes) has been scratching himself behind the head an unusual amount lately. I keep his nails trimmed but he still is getting all scraped up from it. I haven't changed his shampoo (Johnson's baby shampoo) or diet or anything else unusual. I capped his nails and my american short hair's before because he gets all scratched up when they play, but people kept telling me it was cruel (despite not seeing anything to evidence that, and it seems like letting him get shredded or keeping them from playing is cruel as well) so I stopped. I have ordered more though because this is getting out of hand and I am worried he will scratch himself deeply and get an infection or something. Does anyone have any advice? My vet is great but I live in Hawaii and there are no breeders on my island and none of the vets I've talked to have ever seen one in real life, so they're kind of shooting in the dark. Please let me know!
 
Last edited:

Maddie

V.I.P Lairian
V.I.P Lairian
Joined
Dec 8, 2016
Messages
1,718
Points
218
Nail caps aren't inhumane. If your babies had a problem with them, they would let you know :) they don't hurt them
Hopefully you can figure out what is going on!
 

Toa and Ross

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jan 23, 2015
Messages
32,390
Points
643
Could it be an ear problem? Maybe an infection in the ear? Would go for a vet check. Nail caps are fine and won't harm your baby. But it's also important to find out what the reason of the scratching is.

And welcome by the way!
 

Jynxified

Senior Lairian
Senior Lairian
Joined
Aug 29, 2012
Messages
501
Points
118
Don't let people bully you into not using soft paws/nail caps. they are perfectly safe and really don't hinder them at all. plus they just come off when their nails grow. I tend to agree with the others in regards to having your little one looked at again by a vet. could it be ear mites? they will cause a cat to scratch their ears and head up pretty badly. Ear mites can be quite common if you have multiple cats.
 

Silke

V.I.P Lairian
V.I.P Lairian
Joined
Aug 21, 2015
Messages
2,999
Points
588
I'm actually going to ask the vet today about which size I need to order, because there is still a ton of fighting going on here.
So I'm thinking of doing it with all 3 of them, to minimize damage.
I think €500 (and growing) in vet bills for one cat is quite enough... (Dodgy eye infection that won't quit.)
While I'm all for getting Jez healthy... I very likely end up getting her right and then rehome them, if it continues like this. (Despite Feliway.)
But if the claw caps help prevent injuries when I'm not fast enough to split them up... well.
 
Back
Top