cat licking fur off belly

Question
My seven year old male cat is licking the fur off his belly, making the nipples look red and irritated.  What should I do?  Should I use cortisone?

Answer
This is a common way of cats showing allergic skin itching.  Cortisone will help, but it cannot be in a creme form, rather it needs to be systemic in an oral (cyclosporine, prednisolone) or injectable form (DepoMedrol).  Check with your vet to see what they recommend.