Cat not grooming self

fluffee

TCS Member
Thread starter
Adult Cat
Joined
Nov 24, 2006
Messages
100
Purraise
1
Location
Florida
Ok, it has been awhile since I have been on, but I have to ask if anyone else has ever dealt with this.

Our male Dakota is our "special" kitty. Because of some brain damage from birth(his front and back feet don't talk to one another) and seizures when he was very young, we keep a close eye on him. We have noticed that he is not "cleaning" himself, he made clean his front feet, but nothing else. Tonight we gave him a bath...outside of cleaning his front feet, I did the rest. He is very "clumsey" when trying to clean himself and I am wondering if we are going to have groom him every day because of this odd behavial.

My husband and I have both had cats all our lives and this is the first one either of us has ran into that does not clean themselves. Basicly is he is a healthy cat(eats, drinks poops, knocks hubby's glass over trying to get in it), but we do realize that his time with us is limited because of his "problems"

Just asking if anyone else has ever dealt with this problem
thanks
 

casienjoy

TCS Member
Young Cat
Joined
Mar 23, 2008
Messages
29
Purraise
0
Location
Chicago, IL
My cat Meisje has the same problem. The vet overdid the anaesthesia when she was a kitten and she's been kinda "special" as you put it ever since. I just keep an eye on her and give her a bath when she smells interesting or looks dirty. Other than that, you could try teaching him to clean himself again. Take a damp washcloth and wash him when he should normally wash himself (after eating, after bathroom, etc) and he might catch on.
 

ckblv

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Mar 29, 2005
Messages
9,633
Purraise
3
Location
Las Vegas Nevada
As my Gray One neared the end of her life, she slowly stopped grooming herself. I did it for her.

I just treasured each and every day.
 

lunalover

TCS Member
Adult Cat
Joined
Dec 12, 2008
Messages
123
Purraise
3
Location
Australia
Luna never used to groom herself. I don't know if it was because she was taken away from her mum so early, or because of what the guy before me did to her before I got her, but she just wouldn't really groom herself.

She'd try, but she'd miss, or she'd go to lick her paws but she'd end up licking nothing then wiping her face with a dry paw, or she'd just fall flat on her face, after a while she gave up trying at all.

So I started bathing her, for whatever reason, she starts grooming herself obsessively when she's wet, so I'd give her a bit of a scrub and she'd do the rest. Then I started regularly flicking her with water when she'd jump in the bathtub with me while I was having a shower, and she'd start grooming the places where I flicked water.

Now she grooms herself fairly often. If I think her coat is looking more dull than usual or she smells kinda funny I'll flick her with water and if it doesn't push her to groom herself, I end up just giving her a bit of a wash.
 

abbycats

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Dec 12, 2005
Messages
2,544
Purraise
19
Location
Nebraska
My elderly long haired cat is nearing the end of his life. He always groomed his coat and kept it so nice! He was so proud of his coat. He now is in kidney failure and he looks pretty rough. He really hates me to groom him but I am trying to help him out as best I can without stressing him out.
 

kscatlady

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Jan 13, 2009
Messages
1,847
Purraise
1
Location
Mulvane, Kansas
I got these kittywipes at petco. Like baby wipes for cats, I use them on Cammy once of twice a week (even though she does a good job herself), they make her so silky-soft. Try them, they're pretty cheap.
 

racn1320

TCS Member
Alpha Cat
Joined
Dec 6, 2006
Messages
317
Purraise
19
I have a serious question,how in the world do you give a cat a bath? i wouldnt have any arms left if i tried lol.
 
Top