Cat was home alone for a day; came back to find a wound on the back of the neck – a small hard lump, surface already dry.

If you find a lump or scab on your cat’s neck, take it to a regular pet hospital promptly to determine the specific cause. If the scab resulted from the cat accidentally scratching its neck, treating the topical wound is usually enough – apply an antibacterial spray to the wound and fit an Elizabethan collar.

Second, the cat may have a bacterial skin infection; in that case shave the area, disinfect with iodine, then apply an antibacterial spray such as Chuanglide. Finally, ringworm cannot be ruled out – at home you can first use a Wood’s lamp for a preliminary check, and if it is ringworm, shave the fur and use an antifungal such as Pipute spray and Dasining compound ketoconazole ointment.