My 14 year old cat never cleans herself, and never has. Why?

vcsl1984

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A lot of people have said, she's just not normal. She is really nervous, but very sweet with me, so affectionate. Basically, it says in most forums, that this is often down to them being taken from their mothers too young. But when we got her, she came with her mother, we had them both from the rescue centre, so she was with her until a few years ago when my mother took her mother (they didn't really get on that well in the end). Her mother is the cleanest cat I have ever seen, she never stops. But with her daughter, her bum always smells, I'm used to it now, her fur is quite nice though, surprisingly.

I was wondering, as she is obsessed with being stroked, like she never lets you stop if you start. Do you think that she thinks I'm cleaning her when I stroke her? I mean she pretty much thinks I'm her mother she never leaves my side. But is this possible, that she smells my hands on her and thinks it is supposed to smell like that?
 

Willowy

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Maybe, if her mother is such a clean freak, she always cleaned her kittens and didn't let them do it for themselves. Although, if your kitty's fur is nice, she probably does groom herself sometimes (maybe at night or when you aren't around). She would be fairly nasty-looking and -smelling if she never cleaned herself. Maybe she just doesn't clean her backside. Is she heavy? Sometimes fat cats can't reach back there. If she needs it, you can help her out with baby wipes.
 
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