I need advice on my elderly cats hygiene!

[chocciechip]

I have a 19 year old cat who looks skinny and frail but just keeps going. We recently moved house, and since then have given him a litter tray (previously he went on the garden). He also has unfettered access to new garden via cat flap, but he prefers the tray. We felt this would be kinder to him in his old age both with the move and his frailty.

He is filthy to the point I can barely bring myself to touch him. He poos a lot, pees and pops over the side of his very large tray (tray is completely changed 2-3 times a day) and has on occasion stepped in his poo and tracked it over our carpet and furniture. This mess is a very big deal to me because I have two small DCs as well, one of whom is just 3mo!

He has a deluxe bed near the fire, but we have to constantly tip this up because of cat litter settling on the cushion. Sometimes the bed smells of poo too. It gets washed.

In addition to this, the litter tray seems to have affected his hygiene too. He doesn't wash at all anymore - hasn't for years - and hadn't in the old house either. But he was never as filthy as he is now.

I've bought cat wipes and a pet shampoo that foam up but doesn't need rinsing. Plus normal grooming brushes. This definitely helps around his back (but I still never feel he's properly cleaned up) but he won't let me go near his stomach. He goes crazy - and the thought of being scratched and shredded by those poo-ey nails really turns my stomach. I do give it a go though but DH and I feel it is really traumatising him. When I pick him up I can feel he is gritty with dirt underneath (not dramatically so, but his fur is coarser). And his white tummy is brownish.

It's all that blasted litter tray.

I would love to dunk him in a bath but he has never ever been bathed like that, plus his age and frailty. Even using the wipes and foam means I have to make sure he can go straight to his fireside bed because he gets very cold.

I need advice on what else I can do.

This cat is my first 'baby' but his filthy habits really revolt me and that makes me sad. Also, I am worried my children will get sick.

[MrsJackAubrey]

that sounds horrible for you and for the cat. The only thing I can say is that cats like to be clean don't they?? so maybe he's unhappy about it too. If it was me, I'd probably take him to the vets and see what they said about having him pts but I'm probably nowhere near as kind as you are.

[girliefriend]

I would have to bath him, I couldn't cope with cat poo and that level of grubbiness. A warm bath, wear marigolds, get your dh to help.

I would also speak to the vet about his general health and the fact that he is pooing so much.

As he is 19yo and sounds like he is not coping terribly well (and you are def not) I would also be wondering about whether the time was coming to pts but I would discuss with a vet first.

[WildBillfemale]

I have a very elderly cat 18 plus who after several visits to the vets in recent weeks I'v justthis afternoon had to make the heartbreaking appt' with the vet to pts (cancer) tomorrow.

I have been researching non stop in the last week on teh internet and the one thing that was clear is that when an elderly pet stops grooming it's a sign there are health problems so a visit to the vet is in order.

I got the vet to clip knots off here and there on various visits and clip claws.
At the weekend I ran a few inches of warm water in the sink and washed his pooy paws clean which he appreciated. I wipe his bum clean with a dampened bit of kitchen towel.

I'd get your cat to the vet for a health check first as lack of grooming and litterbox problems can be signs of a health problem not just old age.

[sugarplumfairy28]

Please please get your cat to the vet. We watched our 16 yo moggie do the exact same thing, and progressively get worse. We put it down to old age, and then it set in something could be seriously wrong. When we finally plucked up the courage to take her, she was diagnosed with end stage bowel cancer and we had to say goodbye. I feel so awful we didn't catch on sooner and prolonged it.

[Cutleryhands]

It isnt the litter tray. Many, many cats suffer with arthritis. This means they can no longer groom themselves, get in and out of litter trays, crouch to pee and poo. He needs to see a vet for a health check and assessment for either arthritis or other medical issue. People put all of this down to "old age", but if it is arthritis it can be managed with pain relief to help the old man out.

[Cutleryhands]

Plus the gritty feeling, brown fur may be fleas. Vet, again :)