# Rash on human with new kitten?



## ETrescued

My boyfriend just called me all up in arms; he noticed a rash yesterday (covering his stomach) that spread up to his shoulders and back this morning. It's pretty much covering his whole trunk and back now, and starting on his hips. He is now convinced (after some oh-so-reliable google searching) that his new kitten brought in some kind of mite. He has had her for 2 weeks now, and she has had full run of his studio apartment for the past 5 nights since being let out of his large bathroom, where she was kept previously. He has no other animals. We were told at the shelter that she had been treated with frontline/advantage (not sure which). He describes the rash as dot like and irregular, and slightly itchy. He has allergy scratch-tested negative to cats in the past.

I realize it could be a number of things, but does anyone have experience with rashes caused by new cats? I should mention that she was at the shelter for a month before he got her.

Thanks so much in advance.

-BP


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## Tortietudelove

Has she been to the vet? The only rashes, like the one you described, I've encountered with new animals (from previous rescue work) has been due to flea infestation. I've seen very few cats come from shelters that had no fleas. If she was treated with a flea preventative, did they say when she was treated? In my experience the Frontline spray doesn't seem as effective as the topical, since it's so diluted. I've heard that from others, as well, but this was such a horrible year for fleas, at least in this area, that it didn't seem to matter what was used. My point being, though, is that even if they really did treat her, it may not have worked. Also, many flea preventatives require the animal to be bitten before it kills the flea, so that doesn't mean that she couldn't carry fleas on her. Mites are a possibility, but a skin scraping is usually done for that. Can he see if she has "flea dirt" in her coat (the black specks)? That would be a sure way to know that she did have or could still have fleas. If that turns out to be the problem, there are a number of ways to get rid of them, so let him know that you'll help him get through this. He doesn't have to know you have additional help behind you. :wink:


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## KittyMonster

Honestly, a skin rash like this could be caused from anything. It could be anything like a genuine allergy from food or a new product, or contact dermatitis. There is no way of knowing where he got this from... Could be from a million things, and I highly doubt it would have developed after being 2 weeks in close contact with the kitten.


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## raecarrow

Your bf should go to the human vet (aka the doctor). It could be something else. Trunk rashes (that radiate outwards) are usually a sign of some sort of infection/illness like chicken pox or something like that. FYI, most allergic reactions either to fleas, mites, cats, etc. usually appear within minutes or hours (usually no more than a day or two) of contact. If it was a allergy from flea or mites I would expect it to start where there are no/less clothes than the trunk of his body.

Really the only way to tell is to go to the doctor. In the mean time, he could try taking an antihistimine (benadryl, claratin) to see if that helps with his sympthoms.


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## ETrescued

Thanks for all your opinions. I just spoke with him, and he said that the rash does not appear to have spread anymore, but that it still looks the same. Sigh. I definitely agree that it could be ANYTHING, and especially with the kitten having been treated (I imagine it was the spot treatment, but I'm not sure). When I saw her a few weeks ago, I didn't notice any fleas or flea dirt. I will remind him check her tummy again. He is a first time cat owner and doesn't always have the patience that I think he should. Hopefully the rash resolves without issue, but I am definitely going to suggest a visit to the human doc if nothing improves. I did suggest he took benadryl- I forgot to ask if he did. 

Any more thoughts are welcome!


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## Fran

I tend to get rashes like that - sometimes after eating seafood or once in a while after eating certain fruits. Maybe it was a coincidence - allergic food plus slight allergy to the new kitten came together to cause a rash? Or a sudden drop in temperature and humidity can trigger a rash - a 'winter skin' issue. Here at home we've had a quick drop in temperature (30 degrees in one day) and we are all dealing with sudden chapped hands, lips, etc.

I also get rashes across my chest and neck when I have a cold or a fever. In fact, even if I am not particularly sick, just suspicious of it - the arrival of the rash can tell me that I have actually been fighting a mild bug. 

Hope these ideas are helpful, who knows? 

Fran


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## ETrescued

I really appreciate all the responses. I realize that there are SO many causes, and the most peculiar thing to me is that it is pretty isolated to his trunk region... I feel like if it was some type of flea/mite/bed bug bite that it would be on his extremities. He has been dieting the past few weeks and I think has been eating quite a bit of canned seafood (yuck) so maybe that could be contributing to it. I just don't want him to blame the kitty :-(

Does anyone have experience with a cat bringing home some type of bug?! Boyfriend does not report seeing any visible bugs (I know you can see fleas, and I think "bed bugs" too) but I worry that they might be very small. We are both hoping that its just some bizarre somatic manifestation and will be cleared in no time. UGH!

Edited to add that boyfriend is most convinced that they are some type of insect bite because some of them are in rows?! I'll be really curious if anyone has experience with such things.

Also, I am encouraging him to see a doctor because of course that is the only way to REALLY know. But with his work schedule, it is tough. Thankfully he doesn't have any other symptoms, so it doesn't seem urgent.

-BP


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## KittyMonster

Your boyfriend should be going to a doctor or a dermatologist :? There are a lot of rashes that are on the trunk region which could be caused by food allergy, fungal infection, even an autoimmune disorder. He's going to make himself (and you!) crazy going only on speculation. 

I really don't think it's the cat. If it was, he would have gotten the symptoms when he brought her in and not 2 weeks later.


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## ETrescued

Just an update: based on boyfriend's debriefing of his "skin situation" this morning, it sounds like things have not gotten any worse or better. However, he acknowledges that it really *could* be anything and is no longer upset at the cat, haha. I imagine that over the next few days it will hopefully clear... despite my encouragement, he won't go see a doctor. I guess it isn't affecting his life enough then?? MEN!

Thank you for all your stories and suggestions. If he ever does get a definitive diagnosis I will be sure to let you know!

-BP


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## hoofmaiden

Are there shooting pains? Could be shingles.


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## ETrescued

hoofmaiden said:


> Are there shooting pains? Could be shingles.


I had that *exact* thought, especially since he said that there are dots in rows. He denies any other symptoms (cold, fever, pain) except for minor itching. I hope that WHATEVER it was, passes!


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## Jeckel

Hmm. I had a similar rash, that covered my arm, after a day at hte beach. No idea what caused it, but it was lots of little, itchy red bumps that covered my arms. It didn't spread. I took some over the counter allergy medicine and it cleared up. Has he tried that?


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## KittyMonster

Jeckel said:


> Hmm. I had a similar rash, that covered my arm, after a day at hte beach. No idea what caused it, but it was lots of little, itchy red bumps that covered my arms. It didn't spread. I took some over the counter allergy medicine and it cleared up. Has he tried that?


You had swimmer's itch.


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## librarychick

ETrescued said:


> I imagine that over the next few days it will hopefully clear... despite my encouragement, he won't go see a doctor. I guess it isn't affecting his life enough then?? MEN!


Oh...i have GREAT "I won't see the doctor 'cause I'm a MAN" story!

My boyfriend got really ill a few years ago, over 2 years now. He was always throwing up, couldn't stomach eating anything, got really pale/sickly looking, the whole deal. He called in to work for 4-5 days in a row (and he's the kind who never calls in), and i FINALLY took him to the doctor. Well, they said he had a ulcer...which was silly. He had no stomach pain/blood ect.

Well. When he told me he could no longer hold down water I took him to emergency. (What he didn't tell me till later was that his eyesight had gone all wonky...he also lost 30 lbs in 10 days. Yikes.)

Know what he had?

Diabetes. Now, thanks to stupid walk-in-clinic doctor who said he had an ulcer *eye roll* he thinks all the local clinics are useless. ARGH!!!

/vent, lol. I sympathize with your issue, but it really could be something serious. If it doesn't clear up by Monday he need to go to the doctor...like NEEDS to go. JMO...


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