Cat Wings or Hair Tightly Wrapped Around It Self

[samantha b]

Samantha is now 15yrs old. She was a rescue kitty. I was told the "runt of the litter" and had not been expected to live.

Has anyone seen and or know why this happens to cats.

Her hair on the back by her tail, on both sides grows in a clump. The are six clumps on one side and five on the other side.

Twice I've cut them off (with the help of my sister in law)    about 3/4 of the way down, careful not to let too close to her skin.

It is not just matted hair from rolling in the grass. She's an indoor cat but does have a patio to sleep on.

If you have ever seen electric wiring it is similar to that. Like a bunch of hair twisted around and around till it's very tight.

After cutting off a clump, I have tried to separate the hairs and it's almost impossible because it's wound so tight.

 

[red top rescue]

That could be because she has a lot of oil secretion in that area.  Just as human hair will tangle and knot when it is dirty, ct hair will also.  If you would wash the area with a gentle degreasing dish soap like Dawn and then rinse it very well to get all the soap out, and then comb it preferably with a metal tooth comb, that may prevent further tangling.  Another thing that help with degreasing that hair is to massage a little corn starch into it and let it stay in overnight, and then comb out with a metal comb with round teeth -- if her hair is short yuo can even use a flea comb.  The corn starch will have soaked up the excess oil and will form little balls that you can comb out.  It works like a dry shampoo but it is edible so it is fine if they lick it.  You can get a good comb for under $4 on Amazon.  Your local pet store might have one too.  The teeth need to be round so as to go through the coat nicely.

 

[samantha b]

hhheeemmmm, that is the best answer I've had yet. Not even the two vets I asked knew what might have caused this.

Actually, I have a talked to a vet, he sold me a $70 FURminator which did not seem to help. He is coming over Tues. afternoon and

said he will PROVE it will do the job. We shall see

If he can't fix it, I'm thinking of bringing in a Pro. Groomer to see if they might be able to fix it.

What you said, could very well do the trick.

The problem is my skin is softer than Samanthas teeth

She actually has never had a bath, does her own grooming because she is very independent and I am afraid of her

When Samantha was a kitten, I picked her up to cuddle her. She did not enjoy my holding her, she meowed and promptly

snapped her head around and sank her teeth into the lobe of my hear  Boy was I not liking that

Thanks for your help, will try the corn starch and then a Proff. Groomer

Signed,

Samanthas ScardyCat Owner

 

[red top rescue]

OK, if bathing is out of the question, then just do the corn starch.  Get a comb with wide round teeth because she is matted.  What happens is that the undercoat shed by letting go of the skin, but it gets trapped under the outer coat, especially if it is an area the cat cannot reach to groom herself easily.  It is a very common condition we call Stud Tail in the males because they have extra oil glands at the base of their tails and when they are mature and not neutered, the oil secretions are strong.   Most people I knew show showed longhair males used the corn starch technique frequently just to keep the oil down, because otherwise some cats would develop a thin spot or even hairless spot i that area. 

The Furminator is good for maintenance but it is NOT good for pulling out mats.  It has cutting teeth in the end that will actually work out some of the mat, but in this case I would use the corn starch and the end of a comb.  Someone recommended DHS Shampoo which they got at a local drug store and is for dandruff.  It has zinc in it which should help the irritated skin if she actually has an infection and flakes and oozing under the mat.

BTW $70 is a lot to pay for a Furminator.  (Google it and see the choices.)  True, they come in different sizes for different types of animals and different types of coats.  They are great for shedding out an undercoat after winter, but I still follow one sweep of Furminator with one sweep of the comb described to catch the fur that is loosened.  With the very shorthaired coats, I just use a flea comb to shed out that winter undercoat. 

Once you get this spot degreased and detangled, you can probably keep it in check just using the corn starch and comb.  Just one or two sweeps of the comb should do it.

 

[samantha b]

Red Top, you are so right about the price of the FURminator.

The problem I had was the Vet loaned me his because he was out of the ones on the wall.

Also, he HAD told me they were $50 but when I took back his pro Furminator the new ones were more expensive.

I was just ill at ease about telling him I could get them cheaper online

OK, one box of corn starch and one metal comb with rounded teeth going on my shopping list

Thanks very much Red Top, I'm sure, even if Samantha does not care, I will be happier when this is over

 

[red top rescue]

Hey, it's only money, and if he doesnt charge you to come over and show you how the Furminator works, you are ahead of the game.  If yuo can get the problem solved before Tuesday, you are even more ahead of the game.  Do be careful, though, because she MAY have an infection under the mat, so tease the hair into untangling, don't just pull on it.  It takes patience, yours and hers.

 

[samantha b]

I know Red Top......the only thing I pull on Samantha is her...........TAIL  Actually, she does turn and look at me when I pull her tail very gently.

She does prefer when I gently squeeze her ears and also gently, put a finger in her ear and slowly twist it back and forth to brake up the ear wax.

When I have done that enough, she lets me know by shaking her head back and forth very quickly. Then she gives me the other ear

 

[samantha b]

Well, I got my answer.

The Vet. came over and removed Samanthas' WINGS

Turns out I, the rotten cat owner , gave Samantha too many treats. I simply could not refuse those cat eyes

She ate her regular Iams adult cat food but enjoyed eating treats better. I had a large variety of them and she

asked for them all the time and I could not refuse her.

As a result, she got really big and could not clean her back by the tail. The hair, that I thought was growing out

like wings was really just matted hair.

The Vet. held her down and used the FurMinator, a comb that removes the undercoat of cat hair.

She did hisssssssss at him but she was fine when he finished.

She now looks like my old Samantha, but is smooth and pretty again

I need to use the FurMinator at least once a week to keep the undercoat clean.

 

[red top rescue]

And if she is that fat, it is time to put her on a slow reducing diet.  Cats should not lose weight too fast, but if they are too fat to clean their backside, they need to lose weight.  She needs a healthy WET FOOD diet that is mostly MEAT (not vegetable) protein, moderate fat, and very LOW carbohydrates.  I'll PM you some reading material about cat diets.

 

[samantha b]

Something that just struck me.....

After the Vet. removed Samanthas' WINGS and excess undercoat/fur/hair

she looked to me like she has lost several pounds and is not really all that fat, although the Vet. did mention again 

that she was overweight.

When I went to the Vets. store/shop, I pointed out the nutrietion on the bag and that wheat/rice/etc. are carbs.

I don't remember what he really said but I do know he told me that HILLS diet kibble was the best for a cat to lose weight.

Several people said, and I've read several articles about cats should not have kibble but should have a wet food or raw diet.

Samantha will not even consider a wet food. Not even treats. Years ago, I tried to give her 3-5 different can foods and she

turned her nose up at every one of them....

Dry is all she will eat.

I will be looking into the freeze dried treats that are supposed to be healthier.

As for the cats needing was to help with their urine, Samantha gets plenty of water.

I know cats prefer moving water for some reason so for the past several years I've been putting

her on the side of the bathroom sink and cupping my hands under the was and she really drinks a that way.

Sometimes she get lazy and sits down making me bring to water to her chin

When she lifts her head and glances around without lapping anymore water, I know she is done and it's time to put

her down so she can go out on the patio and sniff all the smells coming off the ocean

She pees SEVERAL times a day so I know she is getting plenty of water.

It's just the carbs that bother me