Last Updated: 16/12/2025
Causes of Itching in Cats
Is your cat itchy? Find out how to stop your cat scratching and more about fleas ringworm ear mites food allergies as well as remedies for your itchy cat.
Author: Dr Carla Paszkowski BVSc (Hons)
Reading Time: 6 minutes - short read
Persistent or excessive grooming in cats that results in skin damage or hair loss is a sign of underlying discomfort. While itchy skin in cats is a common complaint seen by veterinarians, it is important to recognise that the primary causes differ significantly from those in dogs. Canine itchiness is most often triggered by exposure to environmental allergens, but in cats, the root causes of their itch tends to be quite different.
When to seek veterinary attention:
You should seek veterinary attention if you notice:
- Red, moist areas on their skin. These may be bacterial hotspots which require antibiotics
- Pink, scabbing, or hairless thumbprint or ring-shaped lesions, as this may be ringworm (which is contagious to humans)
- Swellings or discharging areas, as this may indicate an abscess
- Black residue or discharge in the ears, as this can indicate ear mites or a yeast infection
- Inappetence or reduced appetite
- Abnormal toileting such as urinating outside the litter tray
Fleas
Fleas are wingless, insects which bite your cat and feast on their blood. The itchiness caused by fleas is actually due to an allergy to flea saliva (known as flea allergy dermatitis) rather than the movements of the fleas themselves.
Fleas are without a doubt the most common cause of itchiness in cats. In fact, veterinarians have a special saying: 'Itchy cats have fleas until proven otherwise.'
"But I don't see any fleas on my cat!" Many pet owners refuse to believe their cat has fleas, because they simply can't see any. The truth is, you probably never will. Fleas are incredibly tricky. They are experts at hiding among fur, and often require a flea comb to be visualised.
How can you tell if your cat has fleas
Have a look at the skin on your cat's chin. You might not be able to spot fleas even if your cat is infested with them, but what you will see is flea dirt. Flea dirt is the digested blood faeces that fleas leave behind on your cat's skin. Flea dirt looks like small bits of black dirt, and can usually be seen on the tip of your cat's chin. (No, your cat isn't just dirty - it's flea poop!)
To distinguish between 'real dirt' and 'flea dirt', simply dab a damp paper towel onto the dirt. Flea dirt will create a reddish colour on the wet paper, as it is composed of dried blood.
How to get rid of fleas on cats
Are you still dealing with fleas despite using a preventative product? There are a few common reasons why fleas refuse to budge.
1. You haven't done a full flea clean of your house. Unfortunately, treating your cat with a flea treatment is only part of the process. Fleas lay their eggs in the environment, particularly on surfaces like carpet and bedding. Give your house a thorough, arm-workout vacuum, and wash all bedding on a very hot wash (or better yet - throw out and replace any cat bedding).
2. Your cat is getting reinfected by another animal. Always treat every pet in the house, including dogs, and keep an eye out for any wildlife or stray cats that might be dropping fleas in the area!
3. You might be using the wrong product. Some flea prevention products work by interrupting the flea breeding cycle, rather than actually killing live fleas. These products are suitable for preventing flea infestations in a flea-free house, but aren't great if you've got an active flea burden.
For a full guide, see our article How To Treat a Cat for Fleas.
Food Allergies
Some cats are sensitive to particular ingredients in their diet. In fact, food allergies are more common in cats than they are in dogs. A food allergy can manifest in severe itching around the head, neck, mouth, and eyelids, or over the belly, inner legs, and armpits.
What are the most common food allergies in cats?
You might be surprised to hear that the most common food allergies in felines are to proteins such as fish, dairy products, chicken, and beef. Wheat and corn allergies are also occasionally seen.
How are food allergies diagnosed?
To determine if your cat has a food allergy, an elimination trial should be performed. This involves feeding a special diet free from common allergens for 6-8 weeks. If an improvement is seen, you can then introduce a different ingredient each week and test for any reaction. The base diet used during the elimination trial should be either a veterinary hydrolysed diet, or a diet made with a novel protein. A novel protein is a meat your cat hasn't had exposure to before such as venison or rabbit.
Best Diets for Cats with Food Allergies
Ringworm
Despite the name, Ringworm is not actually a 'worm', but a fungus. This fungal infection usually produces red, ring-like lesions with a scabby or bald centre, or thumbprint-shaped scabby lesions. However ringworm can also sometimes present as generalised, dry, scaly skin.
Ringworm is transmissible between pets and humans. In fact, many cats are actually infected by children in the household, who commonly pick up the infection at school or day care.
Ringworm treatment for cats: Ringworm can persist in your home environment for months. Getting rid of it requires extensive sterilisation and cleaning of your home and all bedding.
To clear up the infection on your cat, ringworm requires topical treatments although occasionally oral medications from the vet are required.
For more information, take a look at the symptoms, causes and treatment of Ringworm in Cats.
Ear mites
Ear mites are teeny, tiny parasites that live deep in the ear canal and cause intense itching. They are most commonly seen in kittens or immunocompromised cats. If your cat is scratching at their ears or head, ear mites may be the cause.
Ear mites need to be diagnosed with a proper otoscopic examination by your vet, and they often require treatment with medicated ear drops. Some common flea treatment products can help prevent ear mites, such as Revolution and Revolution Plus, Advocate, or Bravecto and Bravecto Plus.
Environmental or Contact Allergies
While not as common as in dogs, environmental or contact allergies may be the cause of itching in some sensitive cats. Contact allergies in cats may occur to dust, pollens, perfumes, fabrics, cleaning products, or even to certain types of plastic food bowls. Contact allergies may cause an irritation around the mouth as well as feline acne.
Contact allergies are best treated by limiting exposure to the causal allergen - for example, by removing plastic bowls and replacing with ceramic alternatives. If limiting exposure is not possible, your cat may require ongoing treatment from your vet.
Psychogenic Alopecia in Cats
Sometimes the cause of over-grooming is not itchiness at all, but a psychogenic issue. Compulsive over-grooming due to stress can often present as alopecia (hair loss) down the back or over the abdomen. Similar to nail-biting in humans, stressed cats will groom themselves excessively in response to an associated endorphin release. In times of stress, the cat will repeatedly seek out this 'high' in an effort to self-soothe.
Psychogenic Alopecia may require medication in conjunction with some stress relieving changes at home.
How To Decrease Stress in Psychogenic Alopecia Cats
1. Try Feliway. This pheromone-diffusing spray is very effective at reducing stress in anxious cats. Completely odourless to humans, the Feliway wall diffuser can be plugged in and left to disperse feline calming pheromone throughout your home. For more information, take a look at Your Guide to Using Feliway.
2. Provide plenty of perches and hiding places. If there's anything at home causing stress for your kitty such as a child or another pet, it's important that your cat feels they have a safe space to escape to. Why not try a tall cat tree which provides extra high perches and hiding boxes in one.
3. Ensure enough litter trays. This is particularly important for multi-cat households. If your cat doesn't have a toilet all to themselves, they can become stressed and act out by spraying, showing aggression, or over-grooming.
4. Anti-anxiety medication. If no improvement can be seen with non-medicated options, a discussion with the vet about prescription anti-anxiety medication may be required.
There are a few significant causes of itchiness in cats, and you can rule out many of them at home. By giving a reliable flea treatment, considering a diet swap to a hypoallergenic or novel protein diet, and by taking steps to help reduce stress, you can easily rule out some of the most common causes. In any case of persistent itching, ensure you contact your vet and seek proper treatment.
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History
Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space and we update our articles when new information becomes available.
Tue Aug 3 2020
Written by Dr Carla Paszkowski BVSc (Hons)Dr Carla Paszkowski BVSc (Hons)
Veterinarian
Dr. Carla graduated from the University of Queensland in 2013 with a Bachelor of Veterinary Science and worked for a number of years in small animal clinics across South East Queensland. While Carla enjoys most facets of clinical veterinary work, she holds a special passion for feline medicine, pocket pets, and nutrition.
