Skin ulcers in cats can look varied in appearance but are, essentially, defects in the surface layers of a cat’s skin. Like other types of skin conditions in cats, ulcers can occur through a number of different causes, which we’ll explain in more detail later on in this guide.

What does a cat skin ulcer look like? Ulcers often appear to be a crusted wound on your cat’s foot, nose or skin. In other cases, the ulcer can be a red spot on your cat’s skin, which might be inflamed and sore. Ulcers can develop into larger wounds that may open and widen, and deliver a seeping discharge — which then has an increased risk of infection.

How do you know if your cat has an ulcer? Let’s cover common symptoms, potential causes, and likely treatment options for a skin ulcer on a cat.

Skin ulcers can look different depending on a few factors – including how long they have been present on a cat – but the initial signs tend to be those crusted areas. These are most prominent on the feline’s foot, nose or skin.

What may start out looking crusty may progress rapidly, especially if the car has inflicted self-manipulation. What does this mean? Self-manipulation is when a cat licks the area extensively and excessively in an attempt to ‘fix’ the issue themselves (dogs do this, too).

This tends to have the opposite effect and worsens the wound instead, so the cat’s skin ulcer can develop into an extensive lesion. You may see the affected area open, draining a thick, white substance. The area around the skin ulcer on a cat may become irritated and red; the car may also lose hair there, too.

So, a skin ulcer on a cat may look different from one cat to another. Typical symptoms can include:

While it’s thought that the majority of cat skin ulcers are caused by trauma, they can also be linked to certain varieties of disease. When it comes to considering the potential cat skin ulcer causes, the list is long and it will be virtually impossible for you to know what has triggered the issue — unless you physically witness something that has caused your cat trauma or know of an underlying health condition that has skin ulcers as a symptom.

The long, long list of potential causes of skin ulcers in cats includes:

Understanding the cause of a cat’s skin ulcer is the key to prescribing the correct course of treatment. Getting the correct diagnosis may take some time. Typically, diagnosis of skin ulcers in cats requires a review of the cat’s medical history, plus as much as information as the pet parent can provide. 

A pet parent of a cat with a skin ulcer is likely to be asked questions such as:

To help make an accurate diagnosis, the veterinarian may choose to perform a variety of diagnostic tests, including:

Skin biopsy: a portion of the surrounding tissue may be removed to be examined in a laboratory setting.

Cat skin ulcer treatment varies significantly — depending on the underlying cause of the skin condition. Your vet will tailor a treatment plan in line with your cat’s specific condition and overall health.

With skin ulcers, most cats will have their treatment at home; pain medications, anti-inflammatory drugs, antibiotics and antifungal medications are just a few medical options your veterinarian may recommend to your cat with a skin ulceration.

There may be some situations where your cat needs more supportive care. For example, if your cat’s skin ulcers are being caused by a type of feline cancer — which would certainly be one of the worst case scenarios — surgery is likely to be one of the treatment options.

This inevitably means a stay overnight, if not longer, during the treatment. When your cat returns home, he or she will probably have an Elizabethan collar fitted to prevent them from licking, biting or scratching at the site of the ulceration, making the problem worse.

If your cat has a skin ulcer, how long does it take to recover from it?

The prognosis really depends on what caused the feline’s skin to ulcerate. Often, follow-up care with your veterinarian is highly important to ensure the wound is healing and the therapeutic treatments are working as planned.

Be aware that cats with an underlying disease or poor health generally can often develop secondary infection to the ulcer, and should be evaluated for evidence of complications.

Conditions related to skin ulcers can be expensive to treat. To avoid high vet care expenses, secure pet health insurance today. The sooner you insure your pet, the more protection you’ll have from unexpected vet costs.