u/alternate_world_

TL;DR: Indoor cat with intermittent face/ear/neck itching and overgrooming. Previously had ringworm for about a year but is now testing negative. Littermate unaffected, parasites treated, hydrolyzed diet, no obvious ear infection, and we’ve minimized household allergens. Antihistamines help. Vet suspects environmental allergies.

My 7-year-old indoor cat has recurring itching, mainly around her ears, face, chin and neck, plus general overgrooming of her belly, legs and sides. Her ears can get pink and irritated during flares, but the canals usually look normal on exam.

She did have ringworm for about a year in the past, so naturally that has been a big concern for us. However, she has since had negative ringworm testing, and this current itching pattern has also happened outside of her ringworm episodes. Her littermate sister lives in the exact same environment and is completely unaffected.

We’ve also done ear cytology, which previously found MR coagulase-negative Staph (MR-CoNS), but our vet felt this represented colonization rather than an active infection. She has also had multiple ringworm PCR testing, which has been negative since her previous ringworm infection resolved.

We’ve treated for fleas/ear mites and she’s currently on Revolution. She’s also on Hill’s z/d hydrolyzed food. Ear exams/cytology haven’t shown a clear active infection.

We’ve also tried to reduce environmental triggers as much as possible: frequent vacuuming, weekly bedding washes, unscented detergent, unscented paper litter, regularly cleaned food/water dishes, and keeping the apartment very clean. I’ve even wondered whether cleaning products or allergens being brought in from outside could be triggering her.

Cetirizine, approved by her vet, noticeably reduces the aggressive ear scratching, although she still overgrooms somewhat. Her vet currently suspects environmental allergies/atopy.

Has anyone had a similar cat, especially with itching concentrated around the ears/face/neck? Did you ever identify the trigger, or did you eventually focus on long-term management?