On 30 Sep, 22:10, bobblespin wrote:
Richard Evans wrote :





We have six cats, all indoor-only. One, a short haired tortie named
Motley, is very skittish and hard to get a hand on. A couple of weeks
ago I noticed a patch of fur on her back that was not laying smoothly.
It took me a while to get a hold of her, and when I ran my hand down
her back it felt matted, I eventually got her to hold still long
enough to run a flea comb over her and it picked up tufts of hair and
a lot of black crud that looked like flea dander, though no actual
fleas.

It's been a couple of weeks and it's happening again. Last night I ran
a flea comb through her with the same results, but I wasn't able to
hold her still long enough for a close examination.

Arguing against it being fleas:

- None of the others have them.
- I haven't actually seen any on her.
- The hair that's brushed out does not leave any bald spots.
- It's only evident on one spot

In favor:

- Well, I just don't know what else it could be.

Any ideas? I hate to take her to the vet because A: it would
traumatize her and B: I never get out of the vet's office for less
than a hundred bucks.

What my vet does at every examination is shake the fur of the cat
vigorously while on the table, then she sprays water over the table (a
gentle mist with a spray bottle). She then waits 2-3 minutes and if the
specks turn to blood, then you have flea poo. Try that.

Bobble- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Where abouts is the patch that you checked?
( where the fur wouldn't lie down I mean?)

Good Thinking Bobblespin BTW!

The only other thing I can think of that it *might* be is Acne. That
is normally found around the lower jaw in my experience though.

However, I am a poor substitute for a vet. If it doesn't clear up,
best take her to have her checked over, just to be sure of course.
Good Luck,
Sheelagh "o"