My kitty is frantic after shaving!

Hello all,

After an almost year-long delay (caused by health and work problems), my little Plucky went for his neutering operation on Tuesday. At the same time, the vet shaved his tail down to the skin (except for a little tuft at the tip) because Plucky, being very virile and all, had a bad case of stud tail...and some blackish, matted fur in his tail.

Plucky is a stray whom I found near death under a bush in front of my house a year ago. He'd been in many fights and had lacerations, eye infections, nose gashes and puncture wounds, but I had him patched up at the vets and have been babying him indoors ever since.

Well, now that he has been fixed...his behavior is unlike any other cat I have ever had. His appetite is fine, more than fine, and he drinks plenty...but he seems truly aghast at his tail being shaved. His tail whips about madly, even when resting, and he runs around the house and acts as if he is about to jump out of his skin! He occasionally "scoots" on the floor, and he has a very, very hard time sitting or doing anything else involving his hindquarters.

The vet said this is a combination on completely emptied anal glands, and irritation from the neutering. They gave me some pain killers for my little boy, but even with those...he seems more upset than any beastie I have ever cared for. The tail itself is normal in color but other parts are light blueish or dark red...maybe because of his constant licking of it.

He isn't crying out, he eats, and he sleeps (once his tail stop spazing out!) but I am still worried about him.

The blueish/redish color doesnt sound normal at all. If you think there is something wrong, which it sounds like there is, take him back to the vet.

Give him some time to get used to being neutered. His hormones need time to regulate. His tail sounds like it will work out eventually. If someone shaved your head while sleeping you'd be angry too.

As for the skin, consult the veterinarian if you're worried about it.

Hi,

regarding the bluisch/red colour.... if the blue areas coincide with his coat pattern (for example in a black and white kitty) this would be normal for a bald cat. Have a look at pictures of sphynx cats on the net to see what I mean. The red areas might be areas where the raser hurt the skin or due to his own licking- could this be?

Has he had problems with his anal glands before?

Sorry, otherwise I can't really tell you what might be the problem with your boy.

regards,

christine

In humans, hair itches as it grows back from a shave. Perhaps he is having a similar issue? Plus he had his anal glands expressed and he was neutered. He's not feeling normal back there right now.

Since bringing my little boy back home on Tuesday, I have kept a very close watch on him; there are in fact no blueish blotches on his tail. The problem is indeed his stud tail; his now nekkid tail is mottled a sort of brownish color, and he has many tiny little black pinhead-sized dots near the base (which is the part he seems to be the most concerned with). It seems his stud tail led to a serious skin infection, and now that his tail is clean shaved...well I can see how my poor Plucky is going nuts with so much direct contact to those sensitive areas, even when he is just lying down and sleeping!

I'm off to the vet today to get some antibiotics to treat the infection. Plucky is the most *insanely* difficult cat to administer pills to that I've ever known, but like it or not he will be taking these. It will clear up his skin and make him that much happier. And I wuvs my widdle guy.