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Why is my cat's nose peeling and how to treat severe fleas?

Updated on September 23, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Male | neutered

Hello! I have a white cat who my family rescued from the shelter. He is deaf and has a sever problem with fleas and worms, and we can't get rid of them no matter what (our other two cats don't seem to have this problem). Today I was petting him and I noticed... Well I'm not sure what it was but it seemed like part of the skin of his nose was peeling off. What is causing this?

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

Andrea M. Brodie, DVM

Answered By Andrea M. Brodie, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on December 22, 2018

Here is a good way of getting rid of fleas:
Unfortunately fleas only hop on the body of your pet when they want to feed, then they hop off again and stay in your pet's environment. So you need to treat all pets in the household as well as the environment (which contains the fleas, their eggs and larvae).
Flea treatment: 
1) Get some flea medication such as a Flea spray or a spot on from a pet shop or your veterinarian and apply monthly 2) get flea powder, put some in your vacuum cleaner bag and vacuum your house and furniture and also non-carpeted areas frequently to remove flea larvae and eggs which live off house dust., Dispose of the bag in the trash outside. Hot-wash all the pet's bedding,
If you do this diligently for a few months you will get rid of the fleas.
Flea products:
Spot-ons and/or chews
Advantage, Advantix
Advantage Multi (Advocate in the UK)
Frontline (ticks as well)
Bravecto spot on (ticks as well) - for cats, in tablet form for dogs
Simparica, Nexgard
Revolution (stronghold in the UK)
Tablets: comfortis (will only kill fleas once)

Collar: Seresto (ticks as well)
House spray: Indorex
You will need to treat all cats and dogs in the household.
As for the peeling nose, I would observe it and should it get raw or bleed or painful or concerning I would take Blu to a veterinarian for an exam.
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