Food & NutritionMy cat has bumps and scabs on her back. What are affordable options?
I'm sorry to hear that Chevy is having this issue! There are a number of things that could be causing the bumps and scabs, even if she doesn't have any fleas. Allergies would be the most common possibility (either food allergies, or an allergy to something in the environment), but she may also have a bacterial or fungal skin infection, or even skin mites (mange).
There really isn't any kind of over-the-counter supplement that I would expect to help, and I don't generally recommend bathing cats unless it's absolutely necessary since this tends to be quite stressful for everyone involved. But in terms of veterinary care, there should definitely be some middle ground between $1500 worth of diagnostics and doing nothing at all.
For example, something like a steroid injection and antibiotics would be quite inexpensive and in my experience, has a good chance of giving cats like this some relief. Switching to a limited ingredient over-the-counter diet, while it may not be as effective as a prescription diet like Hills z/d or Purina HA, may also be somewhat helpful if a food allergy is involved.
Your vet should be very willing to talk with you about options like this, since it's a reality in our field that $1500 diagnostic tests are not realistic for many pet owners. If they aren't willing to present some other options that are doable for you, I would suggest getting a second opinion from another local vet.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
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