Dirty Kitty

I just adopted my first kitty, Luigi, from the SPCA. He's a really good boy with only one issue: he doesn't seem to clean his butt after he goes to the bathroom. There are always specs of poo, and it's just kind of gross. Is there anything I can do to prompt him to change his behavior, or is he just a dirty cat by nature?? Thanks in advance!

Angela

Hi Angela!

If you put a spray bottle of water on the finest mist setting, and spray his butt with it, he will lick it and eventually learn to just do it.

This is TOTALLY different than spraying them as a "punishment". Don't act mad, and remember the point is to make his rear just a teensy damp. We're not doing an enema here. It's helpful if he doesn't notice you're doing it.

If you plan to use a squirt bottle as punishment (which you really shouldn't) then do not do this.

Also. Are his poopies as hard as they should be? When cats have a healthy GI tract, their bums shouldn't be too messy. If it's honestly dirty, rather than just an uncleaned cat butt, you should have him checked for worms again and give him time to adjust to his foods.

His poops are the same consistency as they've always been. I've had him for a few weeks now. It's not THAT dirty, but it looks as if he should clean himself a little better. I feed him a good brand of kitty food (purina one growth and development - made with real meats) and he's had his shots...so I don't think that either of those are the issue.

Thanks for the quick reply!

Purina One isn't actually that great of a cat food, especially for the price. A cat food that isn't made with real meats would be garbage... what you want is one that has fewer fillers. Your formula:
"Chicken, chicken by-product meal, corn gluten meal, brewers rice, soy flour, animal fat preserved with mixed-tocopherols (form of Vitamin E), fish meal (source of DHA), whole grain corn, poultry by-product meal,non-fat yogurt, wheat gluten, brewers dried yeast, phosphoric acid, caramel color, animal digest, salt" ..(vitamins and such)

There are a number of things that the best cat food would not have. Cats have zero need for grains, especially corn and soy. Also, by-products are just about the nastiest thing on earth (well, aside from animal digest which is also in this food). It is good in that its first ingredient is a main meat... and then it pretty much goes downhill. They've done a whole lot of really good marketing to convince you that its worth paying so much for. It isn't.

You'd be amazed the things you could learn about feline nutrition from this site.

Anyway. He was probably dewormed in the shelter, I hope!

I do hope you can get your boy to clean his rear!