dirty cat

One of my babies, Frodo, has got to be the dirtiest cat I've ever seen. He is the polar opposite of his brother, who is immaculate! They're both solely indoor cats.
Question - Frodo has (seems like) oily skin, and that translates into a yucky tail. That's the thing that accumulates the most dust and dirt, and the skin on it is definitely brown. Thus the hair turns a bit dingy yellow. It doesn't seem to bother him, doesn't itch, or anything. Maybe he's lazy about cleaning himself, or has grossed himself out with the dirty tail thing and won't touch it!

Any suggestions on how to clean the nastiness?

Is Frodo neutered? What you are describing sounds a lot like what breeders call "Stud Tail".

You can get a clean washcloth with warm water and just a tiny, tiny bit of Dawn dishwashing liquid. Make a loose lather on the cloth but you don't need much of it - it shouldn't be really soapy. Wipe his tail with this and then "rinse" with a second, clean wet washcloth. You can repeat this once a week but if the problem persists, you may want to consider having the vet or a professional groomer take care of him.

Frodo was neutered a year and a half ago. It did seem that he had matured a little bit more than his brother before we both got them fixed. So that's weird. But I'll definitely try the Dawn trick and see what happens! Thanks!

You can get tips for helping a cat with greasy hair on my website at www.purrfectpurrsians.net and going to the "Grooming Tips" button. One of my cats gets greasy on his chest, belly and legs. What I use (and what most breeders who also show cats, use) is Goop hand cleaner. Make sure it is Goop though and not that orange hand cleaner paste. You rub the cat down good with Goop (close to the whole can), rinse, rub down with Dawn, rinse, shampoo with regular cat shampoo and then do a final rinse with a couple tablespoons of vinegar in a couple gallons of warm water. The vinegar helps restore the ph balance of the skin so it doesn't dry out and/or get itchy (dermatitis). I suppose you could try this with just his tail. Sounds like a lot but really doesn't take as long as it looks. I can completely wash Jake like this in about 10 minutes. Using the Goop makes them stay grease free a lot longer then if you just use the Dawn or shampoo. If I bathe Jake in just Dawn and his shampoo, he shows signs of getting greasy again in about a week. If I use the Goop with the method I described above, it lasts a couple of months.

Thanks for the Goop idea. We'll definitely try it. My husband and I now call Frodo "Stud" or "Mr. Stud Tail". I think Frodo likes his new title. But the dirt has GOT to go!!

Originally Posted by redhairedgirl

Thanks for the Goop idea. We'll definitely try it. My husband and I now call Frodo "Stud" or "Mr. Stud Tail".

I think Frodo likes his new title. But the dirt has GOT to go!!

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Your welcome!

How about taking him in for the occasional grooming? I took one in and it was great (except for the kitties hating each other afterwards part.) But seriously....he smelled so fresh again (he had been sick with infected anal glands) and got furminated (his undercoat nicely groomed out) and I plan on doing this fairly regularly with him. My other kitty doesn't seem to need it.

This may be a silly question, but are there actual cat groomers out there? Or do some groomers do both cats and dogs? I think having a pro do it would be the best option, but I can't say that Frodo would be thrilled with that idea.

Yes, there are grooming places that regularly cater to cats. Even the one located in the nearest Petsmart has a discount package deal on cat grooming (maybe $40?) -- can't remember but it has a big banner of some kind. I think they trim claws, clean out ears and some other stuff. (Not sure if I am remembering correctly!)