Help!

[BamBamDHimmie]

Someone help please... How to determine if my has allergy. There are spaces in between his furr (not bald) but it's the first time I've seen them. I was away for a week and he had to stay with my fiance. She said that she might have give my a cat a bowl of tuna (Century / premium in Water) is it dangerous for him? How can treat food allergies incase? Thanks for all your responses..

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi and welcome to TCS! I honestly can't say I can see what you are trying to point out. Do you brush him regularly? Maybe that is all that he needs. Unless I am missing something, that doesn't seem to denote any kind of allergy to me.

 

[Caspers Human]

No, tuna isn't bad for cats but it's not particularly good for them, either. If you give your cat a spoonful of tuna, every once in a while, there should be no problems, unless your cat is KNOWN to have allergies or sensitivities to tuna. If you notice that your cat is showing symptoms of allergies or sensitivity to tuna, stop letting the cat eat tuna.

Our cats get tuna, maybe, once per month. Probably less. I don't go around counting, if you know what I mean.
When we, humans, have tuna we save a spoonful of the juice and meaty bits from the bottom of the cat and give it to the cats in bowls. They go nutso for it! However, I suspect that, if we fed it to them more often, they wouldn't care, anymore.

If you feed tuna as a "Special Treat" you should have no problems. If you feed tuna to your cat every day, that's where problems start.

A cat's fur often clumps up like that. It's usually because the fur has become dirty or oily. The dirt and oil makes the hairs stick together.

Our eldest cat, Casper, the white cat in my avatar, sometimes gets clumpy fur. He has always been a good groomer but he's getting old, about 13 years. His bones are probably getting a little creaky and it slows down his grooming. This is to be expected.

Our younger cat, Elliot, the tiger cat, is only about two years old. Elliot isn't quite as good a groomer as Casper but he does the basics. He is a properly tidy cat. But, since he was an outdoor cat when we brought him in and adopted him, I guess he never picked up the habit as an all-indoor cat might. Anyhow, Elliot's fur gets clumpy, on occasion, too.

Brushing your cat's fur on a regular basis will likely help keep their fur from getting clumpy. Neither of our cats are keen to be brushed. Elliot will tolerate it for a minute but Casper will run the other way as soon as we pick up a brush. However, both cats like petting and attention. That's almost as good.

Elliot is a little love bug! He wants petting and attention, virtually all the time. His fur stays nice and soft!

Casper likes to snuggle, too but he's getting to be an old "stick in the mud." When he decides he doesn't want you to pet him, anymore, he just gets up a leaves.

If you like, you can try some pre-packaged wet wipes, made especially for cats. You can get them at most pet stores.
We keep a package on hand for those times when the cats get into stuff. You know... When the cat goes behind the sofa and comes out with cobwebs all over.

Yes, your cat does seem to have clumpy fur but, since he has longer fur than our cats, that's more likely but, still totally normal, in most cases.

Some "Kitty Wipes" or even just a damp wash cloth will help. Lots of brushing the fur or even just petting will also help.

If your cat starts showing signs of matted fur, or gets bald spots (like you mentioned) that would be a time to call your vet.

If it keeps happening, despite your efforts to wipe and brush his fur, you might want to look into his diet or have him checked for allergies.

If it's just a patch of clumpy fur and cleaning or brushing makes it better, you've probably got nothing to worry about.

P.S.: In the bottom picture, it looks like the "mane" are on your cat's chest looks a bit scraggly. That's probably because the mane is the hardest place for a cat to groom. It's just as hard for a cat to groom his chest as it is for you to put your elbow up to your ear!

Spoiler

I bet you tried putting your elbow in your ear! Didn't you?

 

[BamBamDHimmie]

Hi and welcome to TCS! I honestly can't say I can see what you are trying to point out. Do you brush him regularly? Maybe that is all that he needs. Unless I am missing something, that doesn't seem to denote any kind of allergy to me.

Thank you. Yes I do brush him daily. Twice a month bath. I worry about the canned tuna. Thanks again. Or maybe he's growing his fur?? Can they still grow the fur even if they reach 2yrs??

 

[FeebysOwner]

Thank you. Yes I do brush him daily. Twice a month bath. I worry about the canned tuna. Thanks again. Or maybe he's growing his fur?? Can they still grow the fur even if they reach 2yrs??

I am not saying that it can't be the tuna, but the odds are small. Why do you bathe him? Unless he goes outside and gets dirty, or is a show-cat, baths are really not necessary, or even a good idea. Besides, if it is the tuna, it won't continue to happen once your cat is not given tuna.

Cats grow new fur all the time - they shed the old. It may not be the same as you think when you think of a dog, but then dogs don't groom themselves like cats do, and the hair growth cycles are entirely different.

 

[BamBamDHimmie]

I am not saying that it can't be the tuna, but the odds are small. Why do you bathe him? Unless he goes outside and gets dirty, or is a show-cat, baths are really not necessary, or even a good idea. Besides, if it is the tuna, it won't continue to happen once your cat is not given tuna.

Cats grow new fur all the time - they shed the old. It may not be the same as you think when you think of a dog, but then dogs don't groom themselves like cats do, and the hair growth cycles are entirely different.

Thank you so much for the response. This is very helpful. No he's not a show cat and he doesn't go outside. Maybe just the shedding.. But I learned so much from you. First time to own a cat. Thanks again.

 

[FeebysOwner]

First time to own a cat.

Maybe this can be some help?
First Time Cat Owner's Guide - TheCatSite

 

[silent meowlook]

Be sure to keep him out of the sun.

 

[inkysmom]

That's funny my dog has lived with 2 to 4 cats his whole life. Probably 8 different cats in total. He totally grooms himself just like a cat does especially when he's get muddy or dusty at the dog park after rilly and wrestling with other dogs. He'd come home and give himself a full bath just like the cats do! Probably from having so many cat siblings!