Greasy-haired cats!!! Anyone have any clue????

Jen? Any other groomers / cat-hair experts out there??? My Redfurd is the most handsome boy from the head to the well.. neck!:eek: :rolleyes: I've never seen a cat with such greasy, messy hair! I have even given him one bath!!!:eek: It is really making me paranoid that it is an underlying health problem or something. He was tested and negative for Felv and FIV when I had him neutered .... so should be "ok" there, I should hope!:rolleyes: Any ideas, or am I being a worry wart for nothing? Jen? Should I have him shaved and try to start over? Think maybe he got into something really greasy in his former life, and it just needs to all be cut loose? Remember I did have to cut a hunk of his tail out, it was so tangled and matted with God only knows WHAT!!!:eek:

It might be dietary (rather than a health problem). And it takes a while for a good food to begin working.

Questions...Is he neutered yet? And, was the mat in the tail on the top or underside?

Some cats, unneutered males primarily, can get "stud tail". Glands on the top of the tail, near the base, can make it EXTREMELY greasy.

Your plan of action.
another bath.....in Palmolive or other gentle dish washing soap. A lot of soap, a lot of scrubbing, and a lot of rinsing.

Brush, brush, brush......spreads the natural oils around. Use a wire slicker brush and shoot for once a day.


Feed a good food (may wish to discuss with a vet his particular needs)




OR

Just send him to me and I will do the grooming. :D:D

Quote:

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Originally posted by jenluckenbach
It might be dietary (rather than a health problem). And it takes a while for a good food to begin working.

Questions...Is he neutered yet? And, was the mat in the tail on the top or underside?

Some cats, unneutered males primarily, can get "stud tail". Glands on the top of the tail, near the base, can make it EXTREMELY greasy.

Your plan of action.
another bath.....in Palmolive or other gentle dish washing soap. A lot of soap, a lot of scrubbing, and a lot of rinsing.

Brush, brush, brush......spreads the natural oils around. Use a wire slicker brush and shoot for once a day.


Feed a good food (may wish to discuss with a vet his particular needs)



OR

Just send him to me and I will do the grooming. :D:D

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:rolleyes: :D

Ok... the matted clump was on the top side of his tail. Yes, he is neutered .... just after I brought him home, am using the slicker brush, and did use Dawn dishwashing detergent!!!


So, that only leaves one thing.... I'm packing him up and shipping him to JEN!!!:eek: :D No, I will try better food on him ... just in case!;) Thanks, Jen!

OK, ship him over. I'll fix him up and send him home :D:D:D

Well, then it could have been stud tail that made the bad tail mat. and his body might just need to settle down from hormones and eating the wrong foods.

He might not have a great coat immediately, but he'll shape up, I am certain.

Ya'll are cracking me up! I never saw a greasy cat before.... seen lots of greasy guys, but not cats!

Here are a few pics I took today: It is greasy all over his body! When I brought him home there was some thick black mess clumped on top of his tail .... so hardened that I had to cut a big section of his fur off. I almost think he got into oil or something. I don't know if we can both survive another bath .... we might get a pro to do it, or even have them give him a shave for the summer!

http://www.albumtown.com/data/160743...67_p344502.jpg

http://www.albumtown.com/data/160743...67_p344503.jpg

http://www.albumtown.com/data/160743...67_p344504.jpg

*sigh*:rolleyes:

You can powder him with cornstarch and then brush it through the coat. Puff it on, fluff it through with your hands rubbing back and forth and then brush. It will absorb the grease and won't harm him when he licks.

A shave might help too.

So, I can assume not to wait up for him? :rolleyes: :D

Ragnar,is a bit,on the greasy side,too,although,as Jen suggests,that can be corrected,by a change,in diet.And he has,to be groomed,four times,a year,as he does tend,to be very matted,very easily.Maybe,this is why,he was given up,on.he is much better,than when I found him,on the Porch,last year,and decided,to Cat Nap,the Big Fellow!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...photos1046.jpg

Quote:

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Originally posted by jenluckenbach

So, I can assume not to wait up for him? :rolleyes: :D

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Well, not just yet anyway!;) Let's give him another chance! LOL!
You know ... I did some research and it seems that Maine Coons and Norwegian Forest Cats are very prone to being greasy haired! I already thought Redfurd and Baxter both had alot of Maine Coon in them .... now I'm really thinking that. Then adding what Gary said about Ragnar is just more confirmation! Hmmmm..... :eek: ;)

I'll try the cornstarch idea too .... or maybe I'll just call a local beautician.... can we say, LAZY!!!???:eek: :rolleyes: :D

Noah gets greasy furred occasionally. I find that keeping him on RC Special and frequent brushings and a shave at least once a year keeps his fur nice and clean.

:)

Hmm ... I didn't know it was a Maine Coon "trait" as Mishi has the same greasy look to his fur sometimes. Frequent brushing seems to make it less greasy and I can tell when his kidneys are off cuz he gets more greasy looking. I know I'm not helping, but just letting you know you're not alone with a greasy furred kid.

Maybe his name should be changed to "Crisco" or "Wesson" or something!:D

Seriously, though, I don't really know much about this, but can't having worms also cause something of a greasy-looking fur in cats? I'm thinking of when we first got Angel, and how greasy her coat looked. She had worms, and she was malnourished. Maybe the greasy fur was because of the malnourishment, which can occur due to the worms, etc. I don't really know.


Redfurd looks like he is a handsome fellow, despite the "grease".
:)

Quote:

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Originally posted by Soapets
Maybe his name should be changed to "Crisco" or "Wesson" or something!:D

Seriously, though, I don't really know much about this, but can't having worms also cause something of a greasy-looking fur in cats? I'm thinking of when we first got Angel, and how greasy her coat looked. She had worms, and she was malnourished. Maybe the greasy fur was because of the malnourishment, which can occur due to the worms, etc. I don't really know.


Redfurd looks like he is a handsome fellow, despite the "grease".
:)

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I just dosed him with Strongid dewormer this afternoon too ... thinking along the same lines as you! Going to try everything I can think of! Thanks for all the suggestions!;)

Sounds like something with the diet, what do you feed him?Sonny always get greasy from pettting. He lives with three kids under the age of ten. Thats a lot of sticky little fingers. I never used dish soap in his baths though, I'll keep that in mind.

Just picked up a large bag of the Nutro food ... going to try this on the kitties. Hope to see lots less poop in the near future, and hopefully some healthier fur as well!;)

Kim, I bet it's a breed thing but also dietary. I bet it will get better the longer he stays with you and gets healthier.

I have seen stuff in the pet stores that is an additive to the food that is supposed to really help the condition of a pets skin and fur. Something like that might help him out too. I did find a wonderful site that has lots of meds and vitamins pretty cheap if you want to check that out.
www.vetamerica.com I found a lot of their prices to be cheaper than some of the pet stores and you can get things there that you can't get at other places.

Good luck, and by the way, he is the most gorgeous "greasy" cat I've seen!:D