Miss Zombie is having skin issues again. This poor cat really lives up to her name. She had scabs all over, which I assumed was from the fleas. But we got rid of the fleas (haven't seen any in weeks, all carpets are sprayed, and cats and dog get Frontline monthly). Now she's chewed the base of her tail raw. She has done this in the past in other places, and I marinade her in a mane and tail conditioner that takes care of all kinds of medical issues. It's always made her heal up and go back to happy kitty. This time it isn't working. I've applied it several times over the last couple of weeks, including last night and again today. I even put a baby onesie on her to try to prevent her from licking it, but she squirms her way out of it. I may have to give in and call the vet for a medicated solution instead of using an over-the-counter. I just worry that a vet visit will reveal more than I want to know.
Zombie isn't like normal cats. The other cats tolerate her, but she isn't a part of their group. They all cuddle in a big pile and she finds somewhere else to curl up. They all eat together and share the litter boxes without a problem, they don't fight, but it's obvious she's not "in the group" with the other cats. Another odd thing is that Zombie is two or three years old now, and she has never had a heat cycle. She's never once gone in to hormonal changes, no yowling, no attracting the male cats. On the plus side, saves us from having to pay to have her spayed. We got her when she was roughly 4-5 weeks old. She was born in a local barn, her mom disappeared, and she and her litter mates had been hand-raised. She was a tiny little thing, with a huge round belly. We figured she had worms and dewormed her, but the belly never went away. Even now, though she's grown into it more, her tummy is always a little distended and not as soft as the other kitties. Her fur looks different, almost greasy. A sign a previous vet said is a dead giveaway for kidney problems. Of course at this point I can't tell if the greasy looking coat is from the conditioner I've been practically bathing her in, or the fact that she has scabs and bare spots, or if that's how her coat would look if she weren't experiencing a skin condition.
I do plan on giving her a full bath on or around the 18th or 19th. She's due for more flea treatment on the 20th, and I'd like to wait until she's nearly ready for more before potentially washing off what she has on (just in case). That also gives her a day or two to settle down after her bath and make sure she's completely dry before putting the flea stuff on her again.