Dirty white persian

**Snowhound** · 03-17-2010, 10:55 AM

I have an Orange-eyed (Golden-eyed in USA) ultra-type White Persian male cat and for the love of God, I cannot seem to keep him clean. His eyes constantly weep (which I can keep on top of by daily cleaning) but he has developed a thick brown sludgy coating around his mouth and also along his tail. I asked a vet in the UK about the tail and he said it was probably a fungal infection (of which these cats were prone) and he said little else. I now have him here with me in New Zealand and it hasn't gone away. I have tried bathing him (water comes out dark brown) but he still comes out discoloured. Once tried scraping tail gently but dark brown crusts came off and left raw patches on tail. Please tell me what to do - don't want to hurt him but he looks so awful sometimes. His father was a champion and he is potentially so gorgeous but I can't keep on top of this brown slime on his face and tail. I know these cats are high maintainance but I have seen perfect pure white specimens in shows. Don't want to show mine but what am I doing wrong? Any advice helpful please as love my Yoda so much.

**Karen** · 03-17-2010, 11:31 AM

He definitely needs to be seen by a new vet. Tell the vet everything you heard in the UK. Also, what kind of food does he eat? If it isn't an infection, might it be a food allergy?

**Shady** · 03-17-2010, 04:44 PM

The black residue on the chin and possibly around the mouth is called Persian Dirty Face, I have found nothing that does anything better than washing/cleaning it daily and if it's bad twice daily. It's really kitty acne and can be mild to severe. You might try using porcelain or stainless steel feeding dishes, anything but plastic. Our case is mild and the keeping it clean does the trick. However if it's severe, perhaps more can be done. Take a look @ this site.

http://www.fabcats.org/owners/skin/acne.html

I have persians and two of them have the rust coloured eye discharge, it's mild and I use something I bought online called Angel Eyes, it's a cleaner and then you treat the fur around the stains. It works fabulously, and lasts a long time.

http://www.angelseyesonline.com/

The tail thing sounds like stud tail. It's a greasy, sometimes scabby residue. Not all cats get it..I suspect the severity of your cats stud tail (scabbing after cleaning) is high. You can wash him with a degreasing shampoo, or also recommended is Dawn dishwashing detergent, they use this to clean oil off of birds and other animals after oil spills. It may take a few treatments, once you have the scabbing off you need to keep it clean, and might even need an ointment/antibiotic cream to heal it, then regular bathing constantly after that. I would imagine that's painful. If he's white when you get that under control you can buy cat shampoo's (or use a dog shampoo) that is specifically for white ones.

This site tells you how to clean it up and gives recommendations for keeping it under control. I hope your cat is neutered, non neutered cats have a higher instance of stud tail.

http://www.purrinlot.com/cat-stud-tail.htm

You could also get a good groomer to clean him up the first time, and then you do the maintenance.

I hope this helps, and good luck.

I'd also recommend a new vet.

**Medusa** · 03-17-2010, 06:59 PM

Wow, the things I learn on Pet Talk! I've had no experience w/this sort of thing but I just want to wish you well w/treating your kitty. I do hope that you manage to get everything under control soon. Keep the faythe.

**Catlady711** · 03-17-2010, 08:46 PM

Depending on where on the tail the problem is, I'd be inclined to agree with Stud Tail and using degreasing shampoo.

But I have to wonder if the vet said it was probably a fungal infection, why didn't he prescribe some type of medication to treat it???

**Snowhound** · 03-18-2010, 09:21 AM

Thank you so much all of you for your helpful and encouraging replies. This Persian Dirty Face - feline acne thing confuses me somewhat, as it just looks like thick dark brown grime - I assumed it was because I often feed him wet food as he seems to prefer it to the dry stuff. (Very demanding cat when it comes to food, bless him.) Also feed him chicken and ham (he's mad about ham & bacon!) So is it not just staining - is it an actual skin problem?

Shady, thanks so much for your mention of "stud tail" - sounds like he definitely has it from your description. He's still an entire male and I am intending to get him neutered in the near future, once I pay my exorbitant dental bills (as am getting some very expensive work done on my teeth and it's bleeding me financially dry.) The grime on his tail starts from the base and goes about half way up - a thick greasy coating, almost mud-like but quite hard-set - just awful. And the grime around the corners of the mouth seem similar - washing won't budge it at all. When I can afford it (after the teeth) I will take him to be neutered & ask my vet about the brown slime (he's a very good ,experienced vet.)

Just a bit of information some on this site might be interested in - my black & white cat Annabel came in one evening some months ago after a stroll & I noticed her nose was full of raw & bleeding sores. I thought she had been in a cat fight as she is a feisty little thing but as days went by, the sores got worse & weren't healing at all. I took her to my vet, & believe it or not, he said she was suffering from mosquito bites. He also said she may have some fleas which were later exaccerbating the situation, as we have had a very hot summer here. He gave her a steroid shot & a thorough parasite spray & she has improved no-end. He told me the NZ climate might be lovely for us but can be pretty cruel to our pets. Just thought this might be of interest to some of you, as never knew mosquitoes attacked animals.

Many thanks again to all who replied.

Snowhound

**Shady** · 03-18-2010, 01:14 PM

Originally Posted by Snowhound

Thank you so much all of you for your helpful and encouraging replies. This Persian Dirty Face - feline acne thing confuses me somewhat, as it just looks like thick dark brown grime - I assumed it was because I often feed him wet food as he seems to prefer it to the dry stuff. (Very demanding cat when it comes to food, bless him.) Also feed him chicken and ham (he's mad about ham & bacon!) So is it not just staining - is it an actual skin problem?

Shady, thanks so much for your mention of "stud tail" - sounds like he definitely has it from your description. He's still an entire male and I am intending to get him neutered in the near future, once I pay my exorbitant dental bills (as am getting some very expensive work done on my teeth and it's bleeding me financially dry.) The grime on his tail starts from the base and goes about half way up - a thick greasy coating, almost mud-like but quite hard-set - just awful. And the grime around the corners of the mouth seem similar - washing won't budge it at all. When I can afford it (after the teeth) I will take him to be neutered & ask my vet about the brown slime (he's a very good ,experienced vet.)

Just a bit of information some on this site might be interested in - my black & white cat Annabel came in one evening some months ago after a stroll & I noticed her nose was full of raw & bleeding sores. I thought she had been in a cat fight as she is a feisty little thing but as days went by, the sores got worse & weren't healing at all. I took her to my vet, & believe it or not, he said she was suffering from mosquito bites. He also said she may have some fleas which were later exaccerbating the situation, as we have had a very hot summer here. He gave her a steroid shot & a thorough parasite spray & she has improved no-end. He told me the NZ climate might be lovely for us but can be pretty cruel to our pets. Just thought this might be of interest to some of you, as never knew mosquitoes attacked animals.

Many thanks again to all who replied.

Snowhound

You are quite welcome.

It is as exactly you described. Mine gets a few little brown bumps (as I said mild case at times, sometimes nothing, as long as I keep her lower jaw clean it's under control) that I can take my fingernail and gently scratch them off, however when that happens they havent been there long and havent grown into a cluster and spread..as she's washed constantly, which she's not fond of either. Keep cleaning them, they'll heal and the fur will grow again.

I would say then that the stud tail is so severe because he's intact. I have two males, one black and one silver tabby and they are neutered and there is no evidence whatsoever of stud tail. I would guess that neutering would solve your problem by 90% if not entirely. A good clean up with Dawn dishwashing detergent (or a few) should take care of it on an ongoing basis if it persists.

Here are my two females, one Chinchilla, and the other Shaded Silver.

Kewpie

Tinkerbelle

Good luck with both problems..

They are a lot of work, and a huge commitment, but well worth it.

**Catty1** · 03-18-2010, 02:05 PM

Snowhound, you might see if a local Humane society has vouchers for low-or-no cost spay/neuter. Or Google "free spay neuter" in your area and see what comes up.

I hope all your dental stuff goes well, and you don't have too many owies!

**Snowhound** · 03-19-2010, 07:09 AM

Thanks Shady & Catty for your kind posts. Shady, I will try again to "scrape" the marks off. Don't know if I can get hold of the "Dawn" detergent as haven't heard of it here in New Zealand - but will certainly look out for it.

Your Chinchilla & Shaded Silver Persians are exquisitely beautiful. I had a beautiful Chinnie in the UK but unfortunately had to part with him, as couldn't afford to bring all my cats to New Zealand. Magic was a beautiful Chinchilla but boy was he a nightmare to groom. Your one has very lovely jade green eyes - Magic's were emerald. I do so miss him but know he is in a happy home in England. Hope to get Yoda neutered soon so will keep you posted about the stud tail.

Cheers, Snowhound

**Anikaca77** · 03-22-2010, 01:49 PM

I would say I agree with the acne and stud tail.

My little man Hermes is almost all white and he has skin issues. We tried to bath his tail and he threw a big fit several times so we just try to keep him as clean as well with that area.

He gets these black spots around his mouth and that's the acne our vet said.

Good luck,
Melissa

**kb2yjx** · 03-25-2010, 12:13 PM

Our Raven, a dark chocolate Persian, had idiopathic dermatitis. It looked like she had coffee grinds on her chin. It was AWFUL. Like the suggestions, I GENTLY cleansed her chin, sometimes twice a day. When her chin was wet from the cleansing, with a flea comb, I would comb out the brown stuff. It was a TOUGH battle, but it was won with consistent care. GOOD LUCK!!!