Merlin has a thin line down the middle top of his tail where there is hair loss and red-orange waxy deposits in the fur over black spots on the tail. Yes, I have read the FAQ; the questions I have are ones it does not answer. 1. Is this contagious? Could McKyle or us hoomans get it? 2. When I cleaned it with hydrogen peroxide, Merlin squirmed like mad. Does it hurt him or is it more likely he just doesn't enjoy a wet tail? Any other suggestions & advice too, would be good, so we can get rid of this *gross* stuff ASAP! Thanks & H.F.! Rachelle McKyle "Ha, ha- now I'm not the only one that's sick!!" Merlin "What's this crap on my tail? No, not that kinda crap!" [Posted in FML issue 2416]