[sarahj1986]

Hi all

My cat is now 18 years old. He's got quite long fluffy hair and recently he's been struggling to groom himself round by his tail and bum region. His fur gets quite matted, I also don't think he's cleaning himself properly after going to the toilet so it now smells. He's been to the vets several times to get the matted fur out and I myself several times have managed to wipe his bum clean. When he last went to the vet they said he probably had arthritis And that's why he struggles. It's now got quite.bad again. I do try to brush it and cut away any mats but I went away for 2 weeks so it didn't get done so now he's in a mess again. I am going to take him to the vets again but it's clear he's struggling to groom himself, I don't know what to do about it long term (I know he's 18 but could still have afew years) he's still quite active, no issues with eating or any other movement. I just wanted any advice or if anybody else has had issues with this kind of thing.

[orangebird]

There's not much you can do. The main problem is that your cats tongue wears as it gets older so it can't 'brush' your cats hair like it used to. A good brush and some baby wipes is the way forward. And a pair of scissors for when the knots are just too bad.

[StressMonkey]

Buy a good pair of clippers - the cordless Wahl's would do (about £40) and regularly trim the hair from the bum & base of tail (and more if need be)

This is the worst time of year for long haired cat coats. The spring coat is moulting and they can get into a real mess - I'm grooming Layla twice every day at the moment for twice as long & she is still getting matts They tease out easy but still. What helps her - but will probably be unfeasable for you - is a bath.

[CLA29]

Is it ok to use baby wipes? I'm struggling with my cat's grooming. He had half his tongue removed so he just sort of gobs on his legs and it stays wet and then he's pulling it out

[stud u like]

Take him to the nearest feline beautician and have him clipped to a manageable length.

This has to be done fairly regularly.

[Normandie]

I wouldn't use baby wipes because where he can lick himself he'll be ingesting whatever chemicals are on the wipes - but other people may have different opinions / experience with this. Have you asked the vet what you could be using to wipe him? One thought though: if he is pulling at his fur, there's an outside chance he's in some discomfort and that's why he's pulling as opposed to inability to groom efficiently. Has he been treated for fleas, worms, etc recently?

However, for grooming, my Maine Coons have awful coats and they shed a lot and the undercoat becomes matted each spring. If I use a Furminator (I've got the large cat, long haired coat version) it really helps - including the round the bum and armpits areas. Okay, you have to persuade the cat to enjoy the grooming but if they don't take to it willingly immediately, with perseverence they acquiesce.

The furminators don't get matted areas out of coats - they prevent them forming in the first place. There's a bit of a knack to using them to get full benefit but I've reduced matting and even better for the cat, reduced furballs at both ends!

Amazon usually have the best prices but I expect they're available on Ebay too.

[SupernovaNebula]

Originally Posted by CLA29

Is it ok to use baby wipes? I'm struggling with my cat's grooming. He had half his tongue removed so he just sort of gobs on his legs and it stays wet and then he's pulling it out

You can buy animal pet wipes. I bought some from Pets at Home to use on our kitten. They're probably better than baby ones.