Dirty female cat bum after squating in litter, YUCK!

[crashdummie]

I love my cat and would deal with any problem that arose from her. Lately, she has a dirty bum all the time after using the cat box. She is 20lbs and is alittle hard for her to clean herself I guess. But this is so disgusting, not only does it smell bad but it gets all over the house! It's not poo, it's the pee that sticks to her fur and has cat litter stuck to it aswell. She will jump on the couch sometimes and then leave her "mark" on the couch.

I need to do something, there must be a way around this nastiness. I just can't think of one and need some advice. Use different litter? Maybe the sawdust disposable litter type might not stick as much? Can I use something so she dosen't squat her butt right in the litter?

Thank you

 

[miss mew]

Welcome to TCS!

We have 2 long haired kitties and sometimes have this problem too. I'm not sure about changing the litter...maybe there is a better one that won't stick (I'm guessing a non clumping type).

We just keep their rear end hair trimmed short and it seems to help

 

[ligwa]

I have one long furred girl that I have to keep clipped. I do take her to the groomers for it because I'm too much of a chicken to do it myself. It's well worth the money, I can tell you that.

Also, get a clumping litter that's not too dusty. Those two things will change your life.

 

[Willowy]

Crystal-type litter won't stick to her bum. . .but some cats don't like it. If you do decide to switch to a different litter, make sure you offer it side-by-side with her old litter until she's used to it. Switching litter suddenly can cause litterbox avoidance.

 

[rosiemac]

Cats are known for being clean, so it can't be fun for her either to have that on her

Is she can't manage to clean herself she needs to lose a little weight, but only do this through advice from your vet on how much to feed her.

 

[ducman69]

Even for a female Maine Coon, one of the largest domestic cat breeds, 20lbs would generally be over the ideal weight. For a regular domestic short hair female, 20lbs is most likely obese (average for a DSH female is around 8-10lbs). Consult your vet or check online for how to measure your cat's approximate body shape.

Obesity is extremely hard on a cat's heart, much more so than obesity in humans. It can also hurt their limbs from the extra impact from jumping, which may result in the squatting w/ all weight down while doing potty, and if they can't clear their booties well by inflexibility due to excess fat it can be a serious health issue for them as they need the enzymes in their saliva to keep their privates healthy. But you're not alone, the overwhelming majority of domestic cats are overweight today.

So number one focus first and foremost should be a diet and exercise change IMO. If your kitty is on an all-you-can-eat dry food buffet plan, that is an easy fix just switch to scheduled feeding. If already on scheduled feeding, that's still easy as you just decrease the amount being fed. Many also have great luck increasing the wet food to dry food ratio, since wet food is mostly water and usually lower carbohydrates so kitty still feels satiated while losing weight. Da Bird with feather and mouse attachments are my cat's favorite for exercise, and it really gets them panting up a storm.

Just be careful not to go TOO fast on the diet. Ideal is about 1-2% of their body weight per week. So around 1-1.5lbs a month would be great. And when kitty is back to idea weight they should have more energy, be cleaner, smell better, and be extra loving since they feel great!

If for some reason that still doesn't solve the issue, my two have great success w/ Swheat Scoop multicat natural litter, which is made from wheat and is biodegradable and flushable.

Best of luck, I'm rootin' for ya!

 

[catwomanchick]

i can relate to this, smells terrible!