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Cat with Dandruff but won't clean herself?



 
 
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  #1  
Old May 24th 05, 01:55 PM
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Default Cat with Dandruff but won't clean herself?

Hi all,

We recently adopted a cat from the local cat rescuer. We knew she
wasn't a healthy cat - we don't know how old she is, and she has bad
diarrhea unless she takes steroids every day. Funny shaped - she's got
a big pot belly. She also has bad dandruff. However, the woman said
that the vet could not find anything wrong with her, despite the blood
tests they ran. She was so cute - such a lap cat, and so in need of TLC
that we took her.

She is eating and pooping, but generally not very energetic. She LOVES
to be pet, and will get on her back so you can rub her belly for hours
while she coos and purrs (her purr sounds like a bird.) However, her
coat is a mess - patchy fur, heavy dandruff, and we noticed she doesn't
clean herself. What can we do? Is she not cleaning herself because
she's old, or ill, or because her dandruff is so bad she's grossed
out??

Any help you can provide would be greatly appreciated. We want to do
well by our grannycat, and look forward to your advice.

Thanks,

Leslie

  #2  
Old May 24th 05, 03:44 PM
bigbadbarry
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Any help you can provide would be greatly appreciated. We want to do
well by our grannycat, and look forward to your advice.

Thanks,

Leslie


Well check you out! I know very little about extra care...but I'm happy for
you, and your little grandma cat.

A couple of baths, a good lather with a gentle but medicated soap, maybe
even a soft bristled brush to help exfoliate...?

Is there any such thing as cat "Ensure"

The strays I have seen here in Lynchburg, they have swollen bellies...from
eating out of trash cans. Her belly might slowly go down for ya, after a
long period of consistent food.

If you can get her energy level up, I think this would be the grandest
improvment. The good food and new home might just cure her all the way
around....it sounds like she's got all the required TLC.

--
Barry



.... Women and cats are both black at night. - Bosnia ...


  #3  
Old May 24th 05, 09:03 PM
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wrote:

We recently adopted a cat from the local cat rescuer.


Congratulations. Sounds like you havea very special kitty.

a big pot belly. She also has bad dandruff. However, the woman said
that the vet could not find anything wrong with her, despite the blood
tests they ran. She was so cute - such a lap cat, and so in need of TLC
that we took her.


Maynard had dandruff for years. Nothing seemed to make a difference,
and it never seemed to bother him. We tried vairous foods, and he
groomed daily. He just had drier skin, I guess.

She is eating and pooping, but generally not very energetic. She LOVES
to be pet, and will get on her back so you can rub her belly for hours
while she coos and purrs (her purr sounds like a bird.) However, her
coat is a mess - patchy fur, heavy dandruff, and we noticed she doesn't
clean herself. What can we do? Is she not cleaning herself because
she's old, or ill, or because her dandruff is so bad she's grossed
out??


You might try some of teh Royal Canin foods. I don't mean to sound like
a vendor as I am not associated with them. Just very happy with their
foods. They make several varieties designed for specific issues. I know
they have one for hair and coat, one for sensitive stomachs, and if
she's older, you might want to mix one of those with their senior food
(for 15+). It has glucosamine.

They should have samples of most of them at the cat shows - you can do
some online searching for cat shows, then contact the vendor
coordination to see see if one of their reps will be there. Or you can
go to their website and ask them to send you a couple samples.

  #4  
Old May 25th 05, 02:57 AM
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Is it possible that because of her large belly that she has difficulty
cleaning herself in certain areas. I have a black long-haired domestic
and she is quite a big girl. As a result, she cannot reach certain
areas and will often get matted if I don't keep up with her daily
combing....

  #5  
Old May 25th 05, 03:31 AM
Mary
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wrote in message
oups.com...
Is it possible that because of her large belly that she has difficulty
cleaning herself in certain areas. I have a black long-haired domestic
and she is quite a big girl. As a result, she cannot reach certain
areas and will often get matted if I don't keep up with her daily
combing....


Which brings me to this: there are wet-wipe type things sold just for
grooming cats. Not the regular wet-wipes that have icky stuff your
cat should not ingest. I wanted to recommend that the OP, if he/she
is not wild about the idea of a bath and all the trauma involved for
most cats, go to Petsmart or mailorder from one of the pet supply
places these wipes to maybe help the cat, who sounds old and
kind of disinclined to groom. It is just a "bandaid" for now by might
make you and kitty feel better.


  #6  
Old May 25th 05, 12:07 PM
Wendy
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"Mary" wrote in message
...

wrote in message
oups.com...
Is it possible that because of her large belly that she has difficulty
cleaning herself in certain areas. I have a black long-haired domestic
and she is quite a big girl. As a result, she cannot reach certain
areas and will often get matted if I don't keep up with her daily
combing....


Which brings me to this: there are wet-wipe type things sold just for
grooming cats. Not the regular wet-wipes that have icky stuff your
cat should not ingest. I wanted to recommend that the OP, if he/she
is not wild about the idea of a bath and all the trauma involved for
most cats, go to Petsmart or mailorder from one of the pet supply
places these wipes to maybe help the cat, who sounds old and
kind of disinclined to groom. It is just a "bandaid" for now by might
make you and kitty feel better.



I tried those wipes on my old girl, Tigger, and her fur just clumped up. Do
you have a specific brand that you have found works?

I have to "rake" the underfur regularly and then comb her out. She was a
clean fanatic in her youth but just stopped grooming except certain spots
she can't stand leaving dirty when her arthritis started acting up a few
years ago. I have a feeling that she's not going to be with me much longer
so I'll gladly take care of the grooming duties.

W


  #7  
Old May 25th 05, 04:22 PM
Mary
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"Wendy" wrote in message
...



I tried those wipes on my old girl, Tigger, and her fur just clumped up.

Do
you have a specific brand that you have found works?


I don't recall the brand--I used them on my girl Gnarly when she was
older and lost interest in grooming. She had medium-length very fine
fur that never snarled, but it got dusty and flaky.


I have to "rake" the underfur regularly and then comb her out. She was a
clean fanatic in her youth but just stopped grooming except certain spots
she can't stand leaving dirty when her arthritis started acting up a few
years ago. I have a feeling that she's not going to be with me much longer
so I'll gladly take care of the grooming duties.


I wish I could help. My aunts used to use this weird "dry shampoo" in
between
shampoos (I never did as I have always shampooed every day, when you're
showering anyway, why not?) that they worked in then combed out. It was
maybe cornstarch based? I think it helped to control oil? I wonder if there
isn't
something like that which would work on cats? Understanding that anything we
put on the cat's coat would have to be safe for her to ingest.


  #8  
Old May 25th 05, 08:01 PM
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Mary wrote:

I wish I could help. My aunts used to use this weird "dry shampoo" in
between
shampoos (I never did as I have always shampooed every day, when you're
showering anyway, why not?) that they worked in then combed out. It was
maybe cornstarch based? I think it helped to control oil? I wonder if there
isn't
something like that which would work on cats? Understanding that anything we
put on the cat's coat would have to be safe for her to ingest.


There *is* something like this for cats now.

Back when Jay Jay was having diarrhea, the store people showed it to
me. I had just gotten his pantaloons shaved, so I didn't need it right
away, but it was something to keep in mind. It was at Petco, but I'm
sure other stores would carry it. They had that plus the pet wipes, and
a kind of grooming glove that you pet the cat with, so it doesn't snag
like a brush.

  #10  
Old May 25th 05, 11:28 PM
Mary
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wrote in message
oups.com...



There *is* something like this for cats now.

Back when Jay Jay was having diarrhea, the store people showed it to
me. I had just gotten his pantaloons shaved, so I didn't need it right
away, but it was something to keep in mind. It was at Petco, but I'm
sure other stores would carry it. They had that plus the pet wipes, and
a kind of grooming glove that you pet the cat with, so it doesn't snag
like a brush.


Excellent. I hope the OP can find it.


 




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