Why does my cat keep scratching scabs into her neck and head?

[LButch]

Two months ago, I adopted an adorable kitten. Pretty soon after I got her, I noticed a few scabs on her neck.  I figured it was because she had fleas, so I gave her a flea treatment.  The scabs got worse. One of them was the size of a nickel.  So, I took her to the vet.  They checked her for fleas and mites. She was clear. So, they gave her an antibiotic shot and a prescription for steroids. She had to take a quarter of a pill twice a day for a week.

As soon as one scab healed, she scratched a new one.  I switched her to a grain free diet and changed cat litter brands. I bought a pheromone plug-in, and now she's wearing a cone.  Now, she has scabs on her ears and the top of her head because they're the only places she can reach.  She's mite/flea free, not consuming grain, wearing a cone, on steroids and STILL scratching herself.  Is she just neurotic?  

[opus88]

Meant to add, good the diet is grain free...but is it a dry food??? These are also full of preservatives that cats can be allergic too, try a canned variety....!!!

[opus88]

These are all symptoms of an allergy, either contact, inhaled or ingested!!! Allergies always manifest on a cats skin. If you are feeding a chicken based food change, it can be one of the biggest culprits
Stop all household cleaners except vinegar, nothing with scents in your home, including sprays and candles, NO fabric softners, including dryer sheets..use dryer balls. Use a chemical free laundry detergent. Do you have new furniture and rugs? These are also full of chemicals...fire retardants are the worst for pets....no I don't say you have to get rid of them, but perhaps a good cleaning wusing water and vinegar only..or plain water even. Rid yr home from as many chemicals, scents possible and try a chicken less diet. Plz stop anymore steroids this at best is only a temporary fix and will lead to long term health problems, the antibiotics were completely unessasary, Vets use these when they don't know what's going on and that is just so wrong...makes me see red. Good luck, keep posting we can get her through this and be a much healthier and happy kitty

[CML2014]

Hi LB,

Did the vet take a skin scraping???? Probably not just giving out those general antibiotics and steroid shots!!!!--UGH!!!

He needs to know what this condition is by viewing the skin under a microscope (which you would think he would know). She may have Scabies or another fungal growth. Steroids for a kitten are really harsh and without knowing what she has how does he know what antibiotic.

He is just lazy and you need to see him again for a skin scrapping and definitive diagnosis before the steroids get a hold of her.

Please let us know what the outcome is. poor baby good idea for the cone, but I think it may need to be a bit larger so the ears and head cannot be reached. Take it off when feeding her .

CML