Stiff patch of fur on cat

travel_freak

Hello,

I wonder if anyone has some advice about our cat.

Over the last week or so we've noticed she has a patch of fur near her back/pelvis which is really stiff to touch - not like it's matted but like it's almost glued/stuck together. It seems sensitive to touch as cat winces when we do so - but having said that she did fracture her pelvis in an accident a year or so ago and she has always been sensitive about being touched/rubbed there ever since.

Pls does anyone know what the problem might be and what we could do about it at home - or at least try - before having to take her to the vets? Apart from this she seems her normal self.

I'm just wondering if she has walked/brushed against something with some kind of chemical/glue in it whilst out on her rambles - we have neighbours who are doing building work and lots of houses nearby have recently succumbed to a trader in the area offering a spray plastering service so I just wonder if she has brushed up against one of these and something has stuck to her coat?

Many thanks for any advice.

Regards,

Tortieshell

Hi my cat had the same thing from what it sounds like, she had 2 "tufts" of hair that felt like it had been glued but wouldnt let me touch it too much - then again she is a tortie and doesnt like to be "messed with!"

She seemed fine as normal but the tufts bothered me and in the end I bit the bullet and cut them off!

That was a few months ago now and the hair has regrown back as good as new.

She spends 50% of her time outdoors in the woods behind our house so I figured she came unstuck against something (sorry no pun intended!)

sandy2_2

Is she trying to clean the area herself at all, do the patches of fur smell of anything eg creosote

If she was mine, I'd gently have a look around the patches to see if there are any scabs from a bite or scratch which may be starting an abscess (that might be causing the tendernes) and cats tends to get bites around their tail areas. If nothing there I'd try wiping/washing the fur with a sponge with a mild baby soap, id that didn't make a difference I'd gently start snipping away at the patches with some nail scissors

Tortieshell

sandy2 wrote: »

Is she trying to clean the area herself at all, do the patches of fur smell of anything eg creosote

If she was mine, I'd gently have a look around the patches to see if there are any scabs from a bite or scratch which may be starting an abscess (that might be causing the tendernes) and cats tends to get bites around their tail areas. If nothing there I'd try wiping/washing the fur with a sponge with a mild baby soap, id that didn't make a difference I'd gently start snipping away at the patches with some nail scissors

Sorry I should have put that in my post!
Yes thats good advice before you start snipping away! Check the cat over carefully and the skin under the tufts before gently cutting little bits of hair at a time.

travel_freak

Hi Tortoiseshell and sandy2,

Many thanks for your helpful replies.

I'll try to examine underneath the patch and see what I can see. I don't think there's any way she'd let me wash it - she's not a tortoiseshell but she doesn't like to be messed with either!!

I'll try to have a little snip of the patch and see what happens - will have to enlist some helpers though for this as I know from experience she will struggle like hell - to be honest that's one of the reasons I'm reluctant to take her to the vets as it's always such a nightmare getting her into the carrying basket - she has the strength of an ox! Then we get non-stop miaowing and thrashign about all the way there, followed by sulks for several days afterwards!

Thanks again,

Regards,

Tortieshell

You're very welcome, it made me laugh reading your last post because my tortie sounds just like your cat - I was debating whether to take her to the vets for a few days but she fights with me when I try and put her in her basket, meowing all the way there ... and back!

Good Luck !

sandy2_2

If my cats need attending to, I wait until they're snuggled down next to me having a smooth then start snipping or playing with their hair.... The only way I could get liquid medicine into my old cat was wait until he was asleep, sneak up on him with the dose in a syringe then squeeze it in the gap between his teeth at the side of his mouth

the_devil_made_me_do_it

Becareful with scissors, cats have very thin skin and it can get nipped quite easily. Might be better to shave the area with hair clippers if the cat will tolerate that. You don't have to go close to the skin to do that.