Poop Matted in Fur [Stray Cat]

[a&as mommy]

Earlier this year a momma cat left her three kittens here and we've been feeding them since and working daily to tame them. Two of them [one is black with a long tail, the other gray with a stumpy tail] are too afraid still to pet them but they do come close to us, we feed them, they have a cat house etc.

The third [tabby, longer hair, no tail], however, has let me tame him a lot more - to the point where I would pick him up and carry him around and pet him etc. He loved the attention!

Well the other day I noticed that his butt had some poop on it [runnyish] and so I didn't hold him because when I tried to wipe it off he went a bit crazy considering he's still not 100% tame etc.

These cats, being semi-feral, come and go during the day etc and usually sleep in our shed at night or in their cat house.

Well he was gone for a couple of days and I was starting to get worried but he came back tonight and he has a big hardened clump of what appears to be poop under his butt in the fur. I wrapped a towel around my hand and tried to gently break it off but he yowled and didn't like it and after that wouldn't let me pet him anymore tonight.

He's eating and drinking normally but it's a pretty big sized clump and I'm not sure what to do about it. He's not tame enough to catch and take to the vet at this point even if I did have the money [I'm sure some of you remember my post about my cat Andy who had to recently go to the vet a couple of times - I still owe my randmother money for that].

Could this be anything else besides matted poop in his fur or what can I do to help relieve him of this!?

 

[persi & alley]

Originally Posted by A&As Mommy

Earlier this year a momma cat left her three kittens here and we've been feeding them since and working daily to tame them. Two of them [one is black with a long tail, the other gray with a stumpy tail] are too afraid still to pet them but they do come close to us, we feed them, they have a cat house etc.

The third [tabby, longer hair, no tail], however, has let me tame him a lot more - to the point where I would pick him up and carry him around and pet him etc. He loved the attention!

Well the other day I noticed that his butt had some poop on it [runnyish] and so I didn't hold him because when I tried to wipe it off he went a bit crazy considering he's still not 100% tame etc.

These cats, being semi-feral, come and go during the day etc and usually sleep in our shed at night or in their cat house.

Well he was gone for a couple of days and I was starting to get worried but he came back tonight and he has a big hardened clump of what appears to be poop under his butt in the fur. I wrapped a towel around my hand and tried to gently break it off but he yowled and didn't like it and after that wouldn't let me pet him anymore tonight.

He's eating and drinking normally but it's a pretty big sized clump and I'm not sure what to do about it. He's not tame enough to catch and take to the vet at this point even if I did have the money [I'm sure some of you remember my post about my cat Andy who had to recently go to the vet a couple of times - I still owe my randmother money for that].

Could this be anything else besides matted poop in his fur or what can I do to help relieve him of this!?

That's he basic equation. I never have to give my shorthaired cat any attention to this problem. And Persi at 3 years of age has grown such long and flowing hair has it big time now. It must be tended to every day and I do, every day. Simply comb it out before it gets to the point where you cannot no longer comb it out.

Before getting Persi, I had nine shorthaired (all female) cats. DW says she wanted a male Persian. She delegated me with full authority on taking care of the situation. Would I do it again? In a minute. I love long cat hair. I am not allergic to it, and it does not freak me out to take care of it.

But your problem is different, being a feral or semi. Even Persi will get highly annoyed when I approach his behind for a good combing out. When he reaches the anger point, I back off and let him cool down and then just start right in again. My whole point here is just to tell you how much easier it is in the end (pun) if you can manage to do it every day.

 

[strange_wings]

If you can safely do it you may have to just snip some of it off. That will require you holding the poopy fur so that you know what you're cutting, though. Otherwise just hope he takes care of it himself.

The basic problem is probably some soft stools. He may not be able to eat whatever you're feeding him or it could just be from parasites.

 

[mzjazz2u]

You have a bit of a problem because these cats are feral. (I've been told by people here there is no such thing as a semi feral but rather feral and strays.) One of my Persians sometimes get poop hung up in their fur by their butt. It's usually either when they have either the runs or constipation. It doesn't happen often but when it does.... whew! The female that is prone to it, I keep the area around her butt trimmed a bit. Some people like to take their cats to a groomer or vet for a sanitary shave (just around the butt). You're problem is going to be catching so you can either trim or have someone do a sanitary shave. But those are probably the best options.

To soften up what is already there, you may have to wrap his lower half in a very, very wet towel and just hang on tight for 20 minutes or so. Or soak his butt in a utility sink or tub. But I'm guessing this may not be an option.

 

[nekomania]

You may just have to be rough with him and give him a good bottom soaking.

I had a problem like this once with a stray cat that wandered into the house in the winter when I still lived at home. He was such a sweet thing that I was sure he had to have been somebodies pet, but he had poop matted into his fur.

What I did was I had my mom hold his front end with a towel over him, and I arm hugged his lower end so he couldn't kick with his back legs on the bathroom counter and used one hand to hold out the fur (gently!) and the other to snip as close to the skin or as close to the end of the mat as I could.

It was rough, time consuming work and I felt awful because he made such horrible noises, but about an hour afterwards he came back to my room to visit, eat, and probably thank me for removing that awful mass.

Soo..I guess what I am saying is, you may have to wrestle with him, but in the end it will be worth it because if the mat is too big I dont think kitty can take care of it on his own. I would wear gloves too in case he is carrying parasites you dont want to be handling his stool with bare hands.

Try wrapping his upper half in a towel and setting his bum in warm water for a little while first, and if that doesn't work do the clipping.


Edit - if you can from now on it will be a great relief to you and to the cat ( though he may not agree ) to keep his butt fur trimmed down from now on.