diaorrhea in fur

IMPORTANT: If your cat is in any distress or discomfort, please consult your own vet as your first priority.
Post Reply
randall
VIP Cat Chatter!
Posts: 86
Joined: Sun Jul 12, 2015 2:00 pm

diaorrhea in fur

Post by randall »

Hello,

Is it ok for a cat's health for them to clean their fur of the remnants of an episode of diaorrhea?

Sorry to present such a gross problem but my beautiful cat had to take a trip to the vet today, and was so upset being transported that she had an episode of diarrhea en route, in the box. Not much room to move around in there, so of course she ended up with excrement on her hind quarters and tail. At the office, I wiped away as much as I could, and then again, using water, when we were finally back home. But she was in no mood to be handled, so I let her go before she was fully clean.

She has slept outdoors for a few hours but now she is back in the house. I can still see the stains on her fur, and she smells a bit. She's be licking and pulling out small clumps of hair from her tail. I haven't got a bathtub, and my sink is really not optimal -- besides, I've never tried to bathe this cat and I doubt she'd take kindly to it. (I rescued her from outdoors).

I just hate upsetting her even more today with another bout of wrestling with her down with wet cloths. For what it's worth, one of the shots she received today was a long-lasting antibiotic. Can I let her be? Or could she get sick cleaning herself?

Thanks!
User avatar
catslave16
VIP Cat Chatter!
Posts: 136
Joined: Fri Jun 03, 2016 1:51 am
No. of cats in household: 1
Location: Suffolk

Re: diaorrhea in fur

Post by catslave16 »

Poor distressed kitty, poor distressed you! I wouldn't try bathing her, but I'd gently wipe her backside with a soft damp cloth, just give the area a swipe whenever you can but don't hold her down if that is likely to upset her. Good luck.
shazxx50
VIP Cat Chatter!
Posts: 85
Joined: Mon May 09, 2016 6:33 pm
No. of cats in household: 1
Location: Bedfordshire

Re: diaorrhea in fur

Post by shazxx50 »

When my fluffy long haired maine coon was poorly she had mega colon, and was given endless enemas and lactose, she would end up will mess on her tail and back end, i also used wet cloths and also unperfumed baby wipes, i also cut the fur, towards the end of her life( she went to the rainbow bridge begining of june) the vet had shaved her( she was impressed with thst look)!!!
randall
VIP Cat Chatter!
Posts: 86
Joined: Sun Jul 12, 2015 2:00 pm

Re: diaorrhea in fur

Post by randall »

Thanks for the good advice. If I can find some unperfumed wipes, I'll switch to those. But good to know she is not likely to get sick grooming herself. I'll try to help her along without freaking her out. Fortunately she has not got long hair, so hoping it will shake itself out soon.

She's sleeping now... (here she is by the way)
Photo on 6-4-16 at 10.20 PM #2 copy - Version 3.jpg
Photo on 6-4-16 at 10.20 PM #2 copy - Version 3.jpg (55.71 KiB) Viewed 3405 times
User avatar
lilynmitz
VIP Cat Chatter!
Posts: 1090
Joined: Thu Mar 13, 2014 2:41 pm
No. of cats in household: 2

Re: diaorrhea in fur

Post by lilynmitz »

This sometimes happens to Elsie, and I just use a bit of kitchen towel in warm water. Wait till she's relaxed and walking about, or when she's eating and scritch the base of her spine until her tail goes up, and sneak in a surreptitious wipe, or even a quick snip to get some of the long fur away from her bottom.
issiandarchie+68
VIP Cat Chatter!
Posts: 249
Joined: Mon May 02, 2016 10:45 am

Re: diaorrhea in fur

Post by issiandarchie+68 »

Hi Randall, my big grey cat suffers from bowel problems and sometimes has 'dirty bum syndrome', occasionally too gross for him to clean himself. Over the years, with him and my other cats, I have found the most effective and least distressing way to clean their fur is to take a large, very soft, men's tissue, crumple it a little as you would a cloth and pour good quality olive oil, if it's good enough for you to swallow, it won't do her any harm, into the tissue. Swiftly wipe the offending area, it will be a little greasy, then take another soft tissue and swiftly but gently, wipe over. Mess will be easily removed, there will be no fibres for cat to ingest and it will be a much easier task for your wee lass to clean herself. Then just flush tissue away. The oil and absorbent soft tissue will prevent her skin from becoming raw and sore from wiping and an added bonus, as when you put a slick of olive on comb when grooming, is very soft, shiny, clean fur the next day. A bit like leave in conditioner really. Another trick when cleaning her back end is to slide your left forearm under and behind her front legs and gently lift, makes it easier to clean her bum, gently stops her bolting off but won't intimidate her. She's a lovely looking cat, very sweet little lady, reminds of my beloved Cody.

Issi
Last edited by issiandarchie+68 on Fri Jul 08, 2016 1:35 pm, edited 2 times in total.
issiandarchie+68
VIP Cat Chatter!
Posts: 249
Joined: Mon May 02, 2016 10:45 am

Re: diaorrhea in fur

Post by issiandarchie+68 »

P.S. Although baby wipes can be unperfumed and are excellent for getting 'cat stains' out of carpets, they still have chemicals in them, can be a bit harsh on cats skin. I wouldn't use them.. they make my nether regions a bit sore!

Issi
User avatar
Lilith
VIP Cat Chatter!
Posts: 3600
Joined: Sat Dec 20, 2014 8:00 pm
No. of cats in household: 1
Location: West Yorks

Re: diaorrhea in fur

Post by Lilith »

That's a good tip about the olive oil, Issi, I'll remember that. When I bred Siamese one of my girls was so big with kittens that she couldn't reach to clean herself so I'd swab her backside gently with cottonwool and warm water if the need arose - but cottonwool has fibres of course. I was told, though, to massage her nipples with olive oil, so as to have them supple and ready for the kittens. My then husband couldn't believe his eyes.

'Why are you doing that?'

Straightfaced I replied - 'Stretch marks.'

He believed me, bless him :lol:

Hope your girl is more comfortable now, Randall, all the best :)
issiandarchie+68
VIP Cat Chatter!
Posts: 249
Joined: Mon May 02, 2016 10:45 am

Re: diaorrhea in fur

Post by issiandarchie+68 »

That's so funny Lilith, you should have said to hubby 'says here I have to try it out on humans first, get your shirt off!'.. or maybe not :). I have used olive oil on rescue cats with dandruff at base of spine, just a little on forefinger, as if I am gently saying hello, and also, as in the case of one rescue cat I had, a big, round completely bald patch, until healthy fur grew back. It looks a bit odd doesn't it? as if they have just stepped out of shower but sinks in very quickly...and no stretch marks :)

Issi
randall
VIP Cat Chatter!
Posts: 86
Joined: Sun Jul 12, 2015 2:00 pm

Re: diaorrhea in fur

Post by randall »

Thank you for all the added replies! One thing I've got plenty of is olive oil, since we live in an olive oil producing garden.

She's looking and feeling much more normal. Huge appetite, wants to go outside again to sit under the apricot tree, friendly - but still wary of being caught. I'm sure I can get her all cleaned up by the end of the weekend, however.

I'm off this morning to buy her a new carrier box. The soft-sided canvas one I'd been using is now too dirty to be thoroughly cleaned. Miuccia does not have a persistent diarrhea problem. Just happens sometimes when we make trips to the vet, because it can take an hour or more to get there, and being inside any carrier upsets her terribly. I try not to feed her before a vet appointment (because sometimes she will vomit too), but this time it didn't work.

Next trip to the vet, in the new carrier box, I'm going to line the bottom with plenty of absorbent paper fowling. Might help if she has another accident. All tips welcome.
User avatar
Kay
VIP Cat Chatter!
Posts: 1961
Joined: Thu Mar 13, 2014 2:50 pm
No. of cats in household: 1
Location: West Wales

Re: diaorrhea in fur

Post by Kay »

I use an old towel in a carrier for vet visits, and always take a packet of wipes, a bin bag for the towel if it gets dirtied, and a spare towel to replace the dirty one

another alternative if you're driving is to set up a second carrier so you could just pop the cat from a dirtied one to a clean one

can you buy Feliway? they do a spray which you use on the carrier before putting the cat inside - it worked a treat on my serial pooper
issiandarchie+68
VIP Cat Chatter!
Posts: 249
Joined: Mon May 02, 2016 10:45 am

Re: diaorrhea in fur

Post by issiandarchie+68 »

I can sympathise with Miuccia, I get nervous when visiting the Vet and it's not me he's examining! Although I hasten to add, I have yet to mess up the bottom of my carrier! Thank goodness for Tena Lady. :) My Gandhi has megacolon. I was told by original Vet on diagnosis, that after 'washout' he would need an operation to remove part of his bowel. Fortunately, Vet was willing to try alternative treatments and 7yrs later, my boy is still with us, heading for his 12th birthday. My new Vet says he resists such operations unless completely necessary, seen too many cats suffer dreadful diarrhoea after about 2yrs and fade away. Gandhi gets a dose of lactulose 5 days a week and a Dorwest Herb ginger/ rhubarb/ peppermint/ valerian tablet. Small tablet, easily administered, prevents him gifting side effect lactulose scented bum burps. Being a big muscly 7kg cat, he sometimes needs a little assistance cleaning up his nether regions though. Incidentally, puppy training pads excellent when cut to shape, for bottom of carrier. Do you live in the sun? Lucky you if so. Brexit has pulled the rug on our dreams of a life in Spain :( xx
User avatar
Crewella
VIP Cat Chatter!
Posts: 3605
Joined: Thu Mar 13, 2014 9:59 pm
No. of cats in household: 6
Location: Hertfordshire

Re: diaorrhea in fur

Post by Crewella »

I do the same as Kay and always take a plastic bag and a spare towel to swop in if they have an 'accident'. If I know a cat is likely to mess the carrier I have sometimes used a puppy pad on top of the towel that I can just whip out quickly. Paddington ALWAYS poos on the way to the vets, and I'm lucky that the vet nurses are lovely and quite used to me handing him over all covered in poo and cleaning him up for the vet!
User avatar
catslave16
VIP Cat Chatter!
Posts: 136
Joined: Fri Jun 03, 2016 1:51 am
No. of cats in household: 1
Location: Suffolk

Re: diaorrhea in fur

Post by catslave16 »

Randall, I hope The problem gets solved. Love the photo - Miuccia has the sweetest little face.
Post Reply