Greasy, Unkempt Coat

[HesSoFluffy]

Hello-

It's been awhile since I've posted, but I must defer to your kitty expertise once again...

My almost 2 yr. old cat, Romeo, has a bit of a greasy/messy coat; mostly on his back & tailbone. He's medium-haired, so he's always been a bit mussy , but some days he seems fluffier, & other times his coat is crunchy looking/greasy/unkempt.

He appears to be grooming, eats well (same Wellness Grain-free wet), plays (although he's been sleeping more since Winter), & while I don't see him drink a lot, the water bowl get low. I switched him from Wellness Kitten dry (sprinkled on wet & a small midnight snack) sometime last year to Rachael Ray Grain-Free, but I feel like it's only been in the last several months I've complained more about his coat not staying clean.

I occasionally wipe him down with All-Natural Pet Wipes from WalMart, & every few months give him a proper bath. I did use Tropiclean Foaming Cleanser the other day to spare him the stress of a bath, which may have left a bit of residue despite wiping it off with a wet cloth, but this was going on before then.

I've read some interesting theories about the protein/fat ratio in food possibly causing this problem, grooming habits due to ailments or age, allergies etc, but not much has changed in his routine.

I'd appreciate your input & suggestions.

Thanks-
Kris

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• HesSoFluffy
• Jan 26, 2016

 

[HesSoFluffy]

I forgot to mention he's an expressly indoor cat.

 

[artiemom]

It might be the change in food?

I noticed when I changed Artie to a high protein, grain free food, his coat because softer and more gorgeous.

Do you brush him? I know my guy hated it at first, but now all I have to say is:"Artie want to be brushed?, Artie, brushy??"  and he comes running.

I use a slicker brush, but he does not have long hair.

 

[HesSoFluffy]

Thanks for the reply ArtieMom

That's a good point about the all "grain-free" diet...I can't say I know how much protein a mouse converts to in catfood.

He was a "semi-feral", as I call him, because he lived outdoors until 5 months but was taken care of by a nice lady. I will say he sure has stinky poop which is of course connected to diet. Another sign of too much protein? vitamins?

I do (try) to brush Romey, & he tolerates it for awhile until he gets mad at the brush I go very, very gently too, & have tried 3 different types of brushes.

 

 

[artiemom]

 
Thanks for the reply ArtieMom

That's a good point about the all "grain-free" diet...I can't say I know how much protein a mouse converts to in catfood.

He was a "semi-feral", as I call him, because he lived outdoors until 5 months but was taken care of by a nice lady. I will say he sure has stinky poop which is of course connected to diet. Another sign of too much protein? vitamins?

I do (try) to brush Romey, & he tolerates it for awhile until he gets mad at the brush I go very, very gently too, & have tried 3 different types of brushes.

 

What I did at first was to give Artie a brush to bite or play with. He was not happy being brushed on the floor, but once I bought a cat tree; he decided to get brushed on the top level.

That is where I brush him.

He jumps right up there for me.

I still give him an extra slicker brush to bite on.

The tail is tuff to do. The belly is no man's land. He is very sensitive there.

I started out with small, increasing increments of time. I started with around his face, head first and then went lower..

I think the grains in the food have something to do with the coat. I am getting to be a believer in high protein, low carb food. 

 

[HesSoFluffy]

I appreciate the tips on getting Romeo more accepting of "The Brush", thanks

It almost seems like it's his saliva that's making his coat greasy sometimes; after he cleans. I jokingly call it "alien spit".

I'm a firm believer eating close to nature is important for humans & animals, but admittedly I haven't been comfy with feeding him raw, uncooked food. It's quite expensive too.

I hope it's not his Nutrish kibble, he loves that stuff! But I don't give more than a Tablespoon or 2 a day-if that.

I'll try to put out more water sources to encourage him to drink, & look into more "raw" brands of canned food.

He's due for a check-up as well, so that will help rule out anything else.