[Skin lesions and their distribution in the cat: lessons to be drawn]

The specialty of dermatology has the invaluable advantage to provide direct visual access to the organ of interest, which therefore is characterised by a complex and complete semiology. This allows the clinician to efficiently limit the differential diagnosis. However, whereas in most species the focus lies in the assessment of the primary lesion resulting directly from the underlying pathologic process, in cats the assessment of the lesions' localisation and distribution is more important. The goal of this article is to illustrate the importance of considering the lesions' distribution and resulting reactive pattern at least as much as the nature of the lesion itself.