My cat has scabs on nose & chin, sneezing. Contagious or serious?

Hi, and thanks for your question. This sign could be compatible with an upper respiratory tract inflammation/infection or possibly to a rhinitis (inflammatory, allergic, infective). A clinical examination at your local veterinarian is essential to confirm these clinical suspicions and treat appropriately. Antibiotics may be needed. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!

Poor Gizmo! I would definitely recommend having the scabbed-over area on his nose checked by a vet as soon as possible - cats sometimes get skin cancer such as squamous cell carcinoma that can present this way, and the nose is a relatively common place for this to happen. It's also possible that the area is infected, or that the scabs are allergy-related and will not heal unless this underlying problem is treated. Your vet can do some simple tests and may biopsy the area if there is any concern about cancer, and will advise you on what can be done to treat the problem depending on what is found.

It may be the start of a fungal or bacterial infection or growth of some sort. You can try to apply a warm compress to see if it will loosen some of the scabs without hurting her for tonight. You will have to talk to your vet about further testing such as a culture or biopsy and medication to clear it completely though.

This is actually very concerning. I suggest you get her to your vet as soon as possible. I would be very worried that this is skin cancer (like squamous cell carcinoma) because of her coloration (white), the location of the lesions and the duration of the lesions. https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/skin-squamous-cell-carcinoma-in-cats

Hello, thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I'm sorry that Diablo is having this issue. I agree with you that it does not appear to be an injury. My suspicion is SCC and you will need to get her to a vet for an exam. A biopsy of the tissue is needed to get a definitive diagnosis. I have not seen allergies manifest this way but of course it is possible. Autoimmune disease is also possible. Diablo will need an exam and some testing to get this figured out.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Ruby. Was she ever tested for ringworm the past? This can cause crusty lesions and the face is a common site. Typically the veterinarian will pluck hairs and perform a fungal culture. If positive, then medication can be prescribed. If this is not the case, a bacterial infection or mites could be the cause. Either way, she will need to see her veterinarian for an accurate diagnosis. In the meantime, you can place an E-collar on her to prevent any further self trauma. I hope this information helps!

Dark scabby areas on the head and necks of cats are often attributable to a complex known as eosinophilic plaques. Many are allergic in origin, and respond to a change in diet (hypoallergenic diets such as those made with "novel" protein and carbohydrate sources or hydrolyzed diets such as Hill's z/d) and treatment with immunosuppressive drugs. Some studies also point to a tie-in with feline herpes virus. Diagnosis is made via biopsy. These lesions can occur on the lips, inside the mouth, just about anywhere on the head or on the pads of the feet. I've also seen them on the abdomen. Again, it's really important to get a biopsy done, because the appearance can mimic some cancers (squamous cell carcinoma) and also some fungal diseases that are quite serious.