Advice needed please.
Hi everyone, I’m really worried about my cat and could use some advice.
She’s a 2-year-old spayed female cat. A couple of days ago I noticed red rash-like spots around her lower belly/nipple area. At first I thought it was maybe irritation, but it hasn’t gone away and now I found another wet-looking red spot on her tail and back too.
She keeps licking these areas a lot, and also seems to lick her paws kind of obsessively. I put a cone on her for about 2 days to stop the licking, but it doesn’t help completely because she can still reach her tail a little. Also with the cone on she acts much more lethargic and not playful at all (without it she acts normal).
The weird part is otherwise she seems completely fine: She eats normally, drinking water, using litter box, acting like herself when the cone is off.
The spots look red/raw and a little wet. They don’t seem to be improving. Also, the bald spots are bigger now than a couple of days before.
I have a vet appointment scheduled, but it’s still 9 days away. I’m calling tomorrow to try to get her seen sooner, but I’m stressing and wanted to ask:
Does this look urgent?
Has anyone seen something like this before (allergy, overgrooming, infection, flea allergy)?
Is waiting 9 days risky if she’s otherwise acting normal?
Photos attached. First time ever being a cat dad. I have her for about a year now. Any advice would really help.
I’m in the US. I’m 31. I can afford a vet visit to some non-profits but I’m not sure that I can afford an emergency vet in San Francisco.
Thank you.