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

MaryMary

Lairian
Joined
Nov 16, 2012
Messages
21
Points
19
My spyhnx has developed dark marks on his belly. He's a black sphynx anyway but these are very black spots. They have literally shown up in the last 2 weeks and continued to spread in a horizontal line across his abdomen. I've read numerous threads on here about similar marks on the skin but I do not believe any of those suggestions apply to Boo.
At first I thought it was a build up of oil so he got 2 extra baths with exfoliating gloves. Apart from him wishing he could claw my eyes out, it did nothing. He's not a very oily sphynx as it is. (We have white sheets on the bed and he never leaves stains on these.) I also read of a members cat getting little burns from a cable box. Boo doesn't sit on anything remotely warm enough for that. He has a little microwave heat pad but it's never burning, sometimes it's barely even hot.
I also read of members saying the spots were from the sun when their sphynx was sunbathing at the window. That is definitely not the case here, it's minus 5 degrees Celsius!!! We don't even see sun in our very limited "summer". Boo has never ever seen the sun.
I had a vet say they were liver spots, which I laughed at...he's 6 months old, not 10 years!! Iv never heard of a kitten getting liver spots nor have I ever seen them on a young sphynx.
The marks are not raised, and do not seem to affect him in any way at all, I just want to know what they are. I'm very curious as to how they showed up so quickly and have spread so fast.
Nothing in the last two weeks has changed at all, not his diet, his bathing routine, his environment, not a thing.

Here's hoping you lovely lair ladies will hold the answer!!
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Susanhughes

Lairian
Joined
Dec 7, 2015
Messages
43
Points
19
image.png
Strange. I wish I could help. I've only had my Sphynx for ages months and I don't know much about them. My cat doesn't seem to be bothered by his markings either. His markings come and go. The Vet took pics and is looking into it. Yesterday it was very prominent and not so much today. My markings are like swirls.
 

kitten

Lairian
Joined
Jan 28, 2012
Messages
31
Points
19
My spyhnx has developed dark marks on his belly. He's a black sphynx anyway but these are very black spots. They have literally shown up in the last 2 weeks and continued to spread in a horizontal line across his abdomen. I've read numerous threads on here about similar marks on the skin but I do not believe any of those suggestions apply to Boo.
At first I thought it was a build up of oil so he got 2 extra baths with exfoliating gloves. Apart from him wishing he could claw my eyes out, it did nothing. He's not a very oily sphynx as it is. (We have white sheets on the bed and he never leaves stains on these.) I also read of a members cat getting little burns from a cable box. Boo doesn't sit on anything remotely warm enough for that. He has a little microwave heat pad but it's never burning, sometimes it's barely even hot.
I also read of members saying the spots were from the sun when their sphynx was sunbathing at the window. That is definitely not the case here, it's minus 5 degrees Celsius!!! We don't even see sun in our very limited "summer". Boo has never ever seen the sun.
I had a vet say they were liver spots, which I laughed at...he's 6 months old, not 10 years!! Iv never heard of a kitten getting liver spots nor have I ever seen them on a young sphynx.
The marks are not raised, and do not seem to affect him in any way at all, I just want to know what they are. I'm very curious as to how they showed up so quickly and have spread so fast.
Nothing in the last two weeks has changed at all, not his diet, his bathing routine, his environment, not a thing.

Here's hoping you lovely lair ladies will hold the answer!!
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Check malassezia yeast treatment. -oral
 

suzfoote

Lairian
Joined
Nov 12, 2011
Messages
204
Points
71
My boy has something similar to this and it turned out to be some sort of fungal infection. I got him a shampoo called zymox?? It was a mediated shampoo and it cleared up his belly within a week or so! It would be worth a try

Sent from my SM-G935W8 using Tapatalk
 

Susanhughes

Lairian
Joined
Dec 7, 2015
Messages
43
Points
19
It's not fungal and it's not bacterial. Tested by the Vet. I had thought that already since only a few others have had this and nothing comes up positive. The Vet says next is allergy testing.
I've read that it's hormonal.
I've been giving him a good dose of Omega's and it seems better. Not certain that the Omega's made it better though.
 

bmnicho

Lairian
Joined
Nov 26, 2018
Messages
8
Points
14
Late to the game, but wanted to shared. About a month after rescue & few weeks after spay, Reena went from a cream color to covered in black spots in a matter of days. They didn't phase her at all but the texture of the skin did seem to be a bit drier . After punch biopsies for mast cell and other immune disease (negative) and blood work (a-ok), we were ultimately able to dx malesseziza by rubbing her with a brush and sending that to the lab. Malaseb worked and she's back to cream. Best guess is that the stress of rescue and surgery, and possibly the giardia treatment, put her body into a stressed state and let the dermal infection run away.
Malassezia Dermatitis in Dogs and Cats - Veterinary Medicine at Illinois View attachment 95407
IMG_4100.jpg
 

Naboo75

Lairian
Joined
Nov 15, 2019
Messages
7
Points
14
Late to the game, but wanted to shared. About a month after rescue & few weeks after spay, Reena went from a cream color to covered in black spots in a matter of days. They didn't phase her at all but the texture of the skin did seem to be a bit drier . After punch biopsies for mast cell and other immune disease (negative) and blood work (a-ok), we were ultimately able to dx malesseziza by rubbing her with a brush and sending that to the lab. Malaseb worked and she's back to cream. Best guess is that the stress of rescue and surgery, and possibly the giardia treatment, put her body into a stressed state and let the dermal infection run away.
Malassezia Dermatitis in Dogs and Cats - Veterinary Medicine at Illinois View attachment 95407View attachment 95408

Good evening,
I just saw your post and I have the same problem. My cat has been developing this kind of task for 4 months and no one knows what it can be.
Have you solved your cat's skin problem? I am worried . As you can see, the areas are very targeted... Only on the back thighs.... Thank you very much for your help.
Screenshot_20191116_004116.jpg
 

Yoda mom

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Apr 23, 2012
Messages
26,190
Points
653
@Naboo75 positive vibes sent... did vet check for yeast or bacterial? rule out malasezzia ? any change of litter? some get yeasty skin from certain litters? change of foods?

following closely for updates
 

Naboo75

Lairian
Joined
Nov 15, 2019
Messages
7
Points
14
@Naboo75 positive vibes sent... did vet check for yeast or bacterial? rule out malasezzia ? any change of litter? some get yeasty skin from certain litters? change of foods?

following closely for updates
We will see the vet next week but no change on its alimentation or litter. The cat has always been a little bit of it, but for the past 3 months, it has been a big progress with the marks... I hope to have more informations after my meeting with the vet. Thank you for your answer... I will let you know.
 

bmnicho

Lairian
Joined
Nov 26, 2018
Messages
8
Points
14
Reena has been a-ok for 8 months or so. We did Malaseb shampoo 2x/week for 10 minutes for two weeks and 1/x week for 2 weeks. She wasn't keen on staying wet so there was a lot of petting and sweet talk to keep her patient. We haven't had to use it again and she's back to normal.

The vet told me normally they'd take some hair to do the fungal test but with her he had decided to use a clean toothbrush to rub her enough to get some skin and fuzz to come off in the bristles... he submitted the whole toothbrush to the lab to test and our results came back extremely high in a matter of days.

Best wishes to your kitty- I know how stressful it is to see something like this and have no idea of what it could be.

(Reena today)
1573865531256.jpeg
 
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Urban glow

Lairian
Joined
Dec 22, 2019
Messages
25
Points
34
Check malassezia yeast treatment. -oral

Hi. I have a 10 month old girl and she had Hep B and Liver disease. She started getting these markings on her when she became ill at 8 months old. They are now all over her stomach and legs, it looks awful and it is starting to bother her. Firstly the vets said it was from her liver. Now we are going for more testing now as I am not satisfied with that diagnosis.
ccbb93759ccca228a6a4f7544ba9dd1e.jpg



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Yoda mom

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Apr 23, 2012
Messages
26,190
Points
653
@Urban glow all paws crossed for the upcoming testing
be sure to ask to rule out Malassezia dermatitis that @bmnicho shared her Renee was treated for along with Malaseb shampoo
will be checking for updates on your thread
 

Borinoa

Lairian
Joined
Nov 7, 2021
Messages
12
Points
14
Hi Everyone! My sphynx had the same problem and I actually posted about it when I first got him. He was on Royal Canin Kitten wet and dry food and started developing the same marks. Original thread here... Dark patches of skin on neck and front paws

Fast forward a couple of months I went to a holistic pet food store in town and they said it looks like an allergy to chicken. Now as many of you may be like me, I couldn't believe it. After going to the vets and having testing done, never an allergy test though, I was skeptical. Anyhow, I went a long with it and at first switched to Smalls frozen food, all the different varieties except chicken. Well after a couple of weeks all of the dark pigmentation marks went away. I don't have a clear photo of arm pit free of pigmentation, because I forgot that he had any issues in the first place but here is one where you can kinda see that there is nothing where there used to be.

Life goes on, I move to a new apartment out of NYC and across the river to Astoria. I purchase another sphynx kitten from a different breeder, who currently feeds royal canin kitten wet food. Totally forgetting the issues because I just try to make life easier on myself, I get Royal Canin wet food and slowly switch Odin over to it to prepare for the new arrival, that is coming tomorrow. Guess what? Black spots back! image0 is from April 2022, no black spots, image1 December 2022 Black spots back after royal canin wet food....common denominator either Royal Canin or chicken.... It has now been a week of switching him over to Lotus Pork wet food, per holistic lady at pet food store recommendation and the spots are starting to clear up again. I guess I will have to feed two different foods until the kitten can switch over to Lotus as well. I will try the rabbit and venison wet foods as well. His dry food has always been Taste of the Wild Rocky Mountain Venison and Salmon.

While switching over to Lotus the woman at the store, Karen, but not the kind of Karen we associate with the name now LOL, also recommended to wipe the spots down with a little bit of witch hazel on an organic cotton round pad, so doing that as well.

Long story short, I don't think the spots bother him at all, he does normal grooming, doesn't appear to be itchy or dry by any means. But I think Karen was onto a possible chicken allergy by just looking at the photos because its going away again. Not saying this is the issue with your babies by any means but something to look into and think about if any of the food you feed has chicken in it. Try a limited ingredient food without chicken and see if the issue gets better :) Happy New Year everyone!
 

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Borinoa

Lairian
Joined
Nov 7, 2021
Messages
12
Points
14
Hi Everyone! My sphynx had the same problem and I actually posted about it when I first got him. He was on Royal Canin Kitten wet and dry food and started developing the same marks. Original thread here... Dark patches of skin on neck and front paws

Fast forward a couple of months I went to a holistic pet food store in town and they said it looks like an allergy to chicken. Now as many of you may be like me, I couldn't believe it. After going to the vets and having testing done, never an allergy test though, I was skeptical. Anyhow, I went a long with it and at first switched to Smalls frozen food, all the different varieties except chicken. Well after a couple of weeks all of the dark pigmentation marks went away. I don't have a clear photo of arm pit free of pigmentation, because I forgot that he had any issues in the first place but here is one where you can kinda see that there is nothing where there used to be.

Life goes on, I move to a new apartment out of NYC and across the river to Astoria. I purchase another sphynx kitten from a different breeder, who currently feeds royal canin kitten wet food. Totally forgetting the issues because I just try to make life easier on myself, I get Royal Canin wet food and slowly switch Odin over to it to prepare for the new arrival, that is coming tomorrow. Guess what? Black spots back! image0 is from April 2022, no black spots, image1 December 2022 Black spots back after royal canin wet food....common denominator either Royal Canin or chicken.... It has now been a week of switching him over to Lotus Pork wet food, per holistic lady at pet food store recommendation and the spots are starting to clear up again. I guess I will have to feed two different foods until the kitten can switch over to Lotus as well. I will try the rabbit and venison wet foods as well. His dry food has always been Taste of the Wild Rocky Mountain Venison and Salmon.

While switching over to Lotus the woman at the store, Karen, but not the kind of Karen we associate with the name now LOL, also recommended to wipe the spots down with a little bit of witch hazel on an organic cotton round pad, so doing that as well.

Long story short, I don't think the spots bother him at all, he does normal grooming, doesn't appear to be itchy or dry by any means. But I think Karen was onto a possible chicken allergy by just looking at the photos because its going away again. Not saying this is the issue with your babies by any means but something to look into and think about if any of the food you feed has chicken in it. Try a limited ingredient food without chicken and see if the issue gets better :) Happy New Year everyone!
Found another, better pic, no spots haha
 

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Grizou

Lairian
Joined
Jun 8, 2022
Messages
56
Points
29
Hi Everyone! My sphynx had the same problem and I actually posted about it when I first got him. He was on Royal Canin Kitten wet and dry food and started developing the same marks. Original thread here... Dark patches of skin on neck and front paws

Fast forward a couple of months I went to a holistic pet food store in town and they said it looks like an allergy to chicken. Now as many of you may be like me, I couldn't believe it. After going to the vets and having testing done, never an allergy test though, I was skeptical. Anyhow, I went a long with it and at first switched to Smalls frozen food, all the different varieties except chicken. Well after a couple of weeks all of the dark pigmentation marks went away. I don't have a clear photo of arm pit free of pigmentation, because I forgot that he had any issues in the first place but here is one where you can kinda see that there is nothing where there used to be.

Life goes on, I move to a new apartment out of NYC and across the river to Astoria. I purchase another sphynx kitten from a different breeder, who currently feeds royal canin kitten wet food. Totally forgetting the issues because I just try to make life easier on myself, I get Royal Canin wet food and slowly switch Odin over to it to prepare for the new arrival, that is coming tomorrow. Guess what? Black spots back! image0 is from April 2022, no black spots, image1 December 2022 Black spots back after royal canin wet food....common denominator either Royal Canin or chicken.... It has now been a week of switching him over to Lotus Pork wet food, per holistic lady at pet food store recommendation and the spots are starting to clear up again. I guess I will have to feed two different foods until the kitten can switch over to Lotus as well. I will try the rabbit and venison wet foods as well. His dry food has always been Taste of the Wild Rocky Mountain Venison and Salmon.

While switching over to Lotus the woman at the store, Karen, but not the kind of Karen we associate with the name now LOL, also recommended to wipe the spots down with a little bit of witch hazel on an organic cotton round pad, so doing that as well.

Long story short, I don't think the spots bother him at all, he does normal grooming, doesn't appear to be itchy or dry by any means. But I think Karen was onto a possible chicken allergy by just looking at the photos because its going away again. Not saying this is the issue with your babies by any means but something to look into and think about if any of the food you feed has chicken in it. Try a limited ingredient food without chicken and see if the issue gets better :) Happy New Year everyone!
I tend to believe it's caused by allergies! My cat is allergic to chicken so I gave him duck and turkey. He had less but still on the belly. After the visit to the vet, he's on a limited duck diet now. Absolutely nothing else! It happened with chicken!
 

TobyandGren

Lairian
Joined
Aug 17, 2023
Messages
1
Points
0
Thank you for this. I have a Peterbald that has spots all over. Vet visits, skin scrapings, blood tests, looking under microscopes, etc like you. Same with dermatologist and all negative. Nothing wrong. I was so worried because just as with Sphynx, most vets are even more unfamiliar with the Peterbald breed so they were stumped. When I would see some hairless breeds talking about their cats spots they would lean towards fungal and say a shampoo would clear it up. Or allergies and medication would clear it up. Baths do not clear hers up and all tests were negative for fungal, allergies, etc. so they say pigmentation. She is the only one of all her siblings so I was worried I did something wrong but luckily having health insurance helped me to get everything done to ensure she was healthy. As more and more pop up over the months I still have second thoughts and think something is wrong. The helicopter mama bear worry wart in me. Lol But they are not raised, not irritated, do not bother her, and are also under her belly which is never exposed to the sun so are not sun spots either. She is just my spotted baby sent to me from my Angel baby that truly did have spots (Savannah cat) that had passed away. That’s what I tell myself anyway. :) I tried to attach a photo but I’m unsuccessful.
 

Grizou

Lairian
Joined
Jun 8, 2022
Messages
56
Points
29
My spyhnx has developed dark marks on his belly. He's a black sphynx anyway but these are very black spots. They have literally shown up in the last 2 weeks and continued to spread in a horizontal line across his abdomen. I've read numerous threads on here about similar marks on the skin but I do not believe any of those suggestions apply to Boo.
At first I thought it was a build up of oil so he got 2 extra baths with exfoliating gloves. Apart from him wishing he could claw my eyes out, it did nothing. He's not a very oily sphynx as it is. (We have white sheets on the bed and he never leaves stains on these.) I also read of a members cat getting little burns from a cable box. Boo doesn't sit on anything remotely warm enough for that. He has a little microwave heat pad but it's never burning, sometimes it's barely even hot.
I also read of members saying the spots were from the sun when their sphynx was sunbathing at the window. That is definitely not the case here, it's minus 5 degrees Celsius!!! We don't even see sun in our very limited "summer". Boo has never ever seen the sun.
I had a vet say they were liver spots, which I laughed at...he's 6 months old, not 10 years!! Iv never heard of a kitten getting liver spots nor have I ever seen them on a young sphynx.
The marks are not raised, and do not seem to affect him in any way at all, I just want to know what they are. I'm very curious as to how they showed up so quickly and have spread so fast.
Nothing in the last two weeks has changed at all, not his diet, his bathing routine, his environment, not a thing.

Here's hoping you lovely lair ladies will hold the answer!!
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My sphynx has similar spots and I've been to the vet too. Same results! Cleanning helps the buildup but right! They don't disappear. My vet gave me a prescription and they disappeared but as soon as the meds were done, they come again. This time I'm overlooking them. They have become more brownish to lighter but as soon as something chages it darkens again. I really think it is pigmatation reaction to something like sun, food, stress, tics.... I'm not worrying anymore since lots of "parent" comment on the same. As long as there is no scratching. Let us know if there are other developments.
 

Yoda mom

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Staff member
Joined
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Messages
26,190
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653
@TobyandGren , Hugs n head smooches. My darker boys have normal pigmentation, checked by vet ., they are seniors now and doing great.

I am very sorry your Savannah got angel wings. Remember the love, soo much love.

I have been a bengal momma for over 20 yrs. 3 adoptee nakids , 1 adoptee bengal now. our babies keep us on our toes.
 

SphynxRPurrfect

Lairian
Joined
Sep 18, 2023
Messages
5
Points
4
I posted on here months ago about a bizarre skin condition that appeared on my kittens belly. Here is the original thread for photos of how it started

What are these marks on my Sphynx's skin??

I learned that a fellow member had the same on her sphynx, Toothy's belly but as he was a rescue they figured he wasn't washed very well.

I have had my kitten since 13 weeks and before this started so I know it is not due to being unwashed in his case. Boo has been washed every week and scrubbed with just about every degreaser I could get my hands on but these black marks continued to spread to a large degree. So begun the worry and the vets visits and months of upset for Boo for no reason.

I'd just like to let everyone know of my experience incase anyone else has the same and ends up as worried as me. I put poor Boo through endless vets visits and skin scrapings and tests and there is absolutely nothing wrong with him. These marks never were yeast or any other infection, nor were they burns from the sun or numerous other things people suggested. They are nothing but natural pigmentation and completely healthy skin cells. Iv even to stop bathing him so much as he doesn't need it weekly and I was actually drying out his skin more.

So here is my little monster now 9 months old and an absolute picture of health (with an extra funky pattern!) His marks no longer bother me and I hope if anyone else experiences this they don't need to worry as much as I first did. When he lies on his right side you can't even notice the marks as they are predominantly on his left.
View attachment 45261
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There are no marks on his arms but there are some on his back so they are not just confined to his undercarriage.
If it continues to spread so be it, as least I know he is healthy. Cosmetic issues mean absolutely nothing to me. I love him endlessly.

Here's my wee guy with his big furry brother and sister, this is where they sleep every night. (I've got my own bed back, success!!!)View attachment 45262
Thank you so much for sharing, even after all these years of posting, it has made me feel better knowing that is exactly what my sweet boy Kozmo (Kozzy) has. We just started noticing these spots this past week or two. I have cried feeling like I have not done something or done something wrong for this to have happened. I was going to call the vet tomorrow and haver her take a look, but after finding this forum and reading through a lot of threads I came across this one which is exactly what is going on with my Kozzy who just turned a year old on 9/12/2023. He was also recently neutered just a month or two ago which makes me wonder if it is hormone related? He is a seal tip Sphynx and from the pictures, looks like yours might be as well. I am just wondering if it is common in that particular Sphynx. He is eating normal, acting normal, and going to bathroom normal. The spots are not raised, but clearly coloring in his skin just as show in your pics. Thank you again to all who have shared, because I was just sad and panicked because I love him to pieces. He is my first cat, and I will love him forever. He is just the sweetest guy.
 

SphynxRPurrfect

Lairian
Joined
Sep 18, 2023
Messages
5
Points
4
Thank you so much for sharing, even after all these years of posting, it has made me feel better knowing that is exactly what my sweet boy Kozmo (Kozzy) has. We just started noticing these spots this past week or two. I have cried feeling like I have not done something or done something wrong for this to have happened. I was going to call the vet tomorrow and haver her take a look, but after finding this forum and reading through a lot of threads I came across this one which is exactly what is going on with my Kozzy who just turned a year old on 9/12/2023. He was also recently neutered just a month or two ago which makes me wonder if it is hormone related? He is a seal tip Sphynx and from the pictures, looks like yours might be as well. I am just wondering if it is common in that particular Sphynx. He is eating normal, acting normal, and going to bathroom normal. The spots are not raised, but clearly coloring in his skin just as show in your pics. Thank you again to all who have shared, bec
20230916_143050.jpg
ause I was just sad and panicked because I love him to pieces. He is my first cat, and I will love him forever. He is just the sweetest guy.
20230916_143022.jpg
 

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Donatella87

Lairian
Joined
Aug 21, 2023
Messages
16
Points
4
It looks like yeast. Sphynx cats are prone to yeast from time to time. You will notice said yeast around their toes and sometimes in the folds of their faces. Yeast can be anywhere else on the body. I would recommend some sweater free days and soaks in regular warm temp water every 2 weeks. That should help. Yeast comes and goes depending on environment, diet, and stuff like that.
 

SphynxRPurrfect

Lairian
Joined
Sep 18, 2023
Messages
5
Points
4
It looks like yeast. Sphynx cats are prone to yeast from time to time. You will notice said yeast around their toes and sometimes in the folds of their faces. Yeast can be anywhere else on the body. I would recommend some sweater free days and soaks in regular warm temp water every 2 weeks. That should help. Yeast comes and goes depending on environment, diet, and stuff like that.
Thank you for the info. I will take a look at him. I have not noticed him with any other unusual spots in mentioned areas, but I am a new Sphynx mom, so I am very eager to learn and take the BEST care of him. He is such a sweet boy! Thank you for taking the time to read and respond. Much appreciated.

Kindest Regards,
Amy
 

HauteCuban

Lairian
Joined
Nov 18, 2023
Messages
1
Points
4
My Beaushka a 2 year old Seal Point Bambino Sphynx started showing this same phenomena. It's not raised, not flaky, not itchy or irritated and is perfectly flush with his skin. I too was assured it's just something that happens hence my calling it a phenomena. He is otherwise super healthy and happy. Thanks for sharing this post with others
 
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