Dog Community

Senior cat not grooming 100%

Posted : 7/3/2006 1:46:44 PM

My cat Penny who is about 16 years old has recently stopped grooming her entire body - this has coused kinks or dreads to form all over.

My first attempt to get rid of the problem was to comb her......that did not work. 2nd attempt was to take a scissor and VERY carefully snip some of them off......I knew this was going to become a chore for a while so i bought a very gentle buzzer and carefully buzzed off the problem section.

She is my best friend and i only want to best for my love. I do not want to go to the vet b/c i know what they are going to say and i am not down with putting my cat to sleep.....anesthesia scares me and b/c she is so old i figured just let her live the way she has been and that indoors, eating and sleeping....occationaly running around and making lots of interesting noises.

She is a domestic shorthair....so her hair is not that long....plus it is about 90 + degrees out today and since i buzzed some of the problem hair off she has allowed for me to pet her in those areas..

Keep in mind she was not even bothere by the buzzer....perhaps she was releived of the annoying dreads all over her body.

Is this otheoperosis or just an old cat thing?

Norie Kany

Posted : 7/3/2006 4:13:40 PM

My sister just had two of her very old cats (just about your kitty's age) die recently. They did the same thing. Just quit grooming. Her vet actually put one of them on thyroid medication. It helped the kitty's activity level but not the grooming issue. I say as long as the kitty is happy, active enough for an old guy, and eating let him be. Love him as long as you can. My kitty who lived to be over 16 just walked away from the house one day and never came back. He was an indoor/outdoor kitty. We were heartbroken but my Mom said that is what animals do sometimes when it is their time to die. I wish you the best. Oh, I would get a soft brush and help him out with the grooming a bit. Just like a senior woman needs someone to help brush her hair sometimes.

Brian Berry

Posted : 7/3/2006 4:14:04 PM

It doesn't sound like too bad of a problem. If you did take her to the vet, they wouldn't suggest putting her to sleep just because of some hair problems, 16 is old, but she still has years left.

I wouldn't worry about it too much, if she is a short haired cat it shouldnt really be a problem. If she starts getting them all the time and cant groom herself and starts having problems, you should take her to the vet, its the responsible thing to do.

jennie_c_d

Posted : 7/3/2006 4:14:44 PM

When cats stop grooming, it's usually because of a health issue.

She needs a checkup. You might catch something early, and be able to help her. Sixteen is not ancient for a cat, by any means.

Sarah

Posted : 7/3/2006 9:41:25 PM

[

]Thank you all for your replies. This is honestly the very first time i have used blogging for advise.....i know deep down what my cat Penny needs and i am trying to follow it. It is not easy....in the last 3 months i would say her coat has been looking more and more scragely....i've spent some time thinking even searching for answers.....which lands me here!
I think for now i am just going to let her be and live as comfortable as possible....she is old in age but has a very young soul.
I will hold off on the vet for a while....she eats well sleeps well commicates in cat talk well....i am only worried about her coat.
In the areas that are easy for her to reach....they are fine, stellar even!
She looks great.....its only when she walks on by that you try not to laugh and what i did to her hair [

]

Brian Berry

Posted : 7/4/2006 8:57:42 AM

You shouldn't hold off for too long on the vet.

Is your cat overweight? Sometimes as a cat ages and it becomes less active, it gains extra pounds and cant reach as easily, so it doesn't.

Pam

Posted : 7/10/2006 2:20:51 PM

My cat just passed at 21. He was a shorthair that started getting mats everywhere bout 4 years ago. They were were

ainful for him as I think he was very arthritic. Every morning, I pretended to pet him while snipping the mats off. It was the only way. After he died, I cut every last stinking mat off him so he was beuatiful again for burial.

I started giving him fish oil and Favor Tabs vitamins. He loved them. They had taurine which is important.

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