Is she overweight? Fat cats often can not clean themselves properly because they simply can navigate around the extra weight. If that's the case, taking the extra weight off of her gradually should restore her ability to groom properly.

Laurie

No, she's very small, 4 or 5 pounds. She was very skinny when we brought her home. She isn't over weight now, either. She just doesn't seem to know now to completely groom her body. I see her do a knee or something now and then, but her fur is not clean. It has a greasy feel along her back. Also, I can see skin cells near her tail, which I assume have migrated there from us petting her. Have tried to use small "touch" when I clean her with wipes, to try to mimic her tongue when she cleans but she doesn't seem to get the idea. I can't think of what I can do to help her learn.

Will she let u brush her? That wouldn't teach her to do it but sure would help her out. I got a brush made for cats called PetZoom that let's u click it to expel the fur it collects.

With matted hair, its prolly best to cut it but with tangled parts, start at the end of the tangle and work slowly towards the body, like u would with ur own long hair...from bottom up. My cat loved to be groomed. Id click the brush to make noise and he'd come running :)

Also ask vet next time u visit or just give em a call and ask.

Bonnie

Maybe she is like the Persian cats. I have been told you have to brush them regularly because the fur is so thick grooming themselves doesn't work.

I do brush her, she seems to like the Fuller brush with boar bristles, which is too fine to get thru my own hair. I need a fine tooth comb, which I don't have, to get the knots out. She does wash her face, ears and front legs. But she seems to forget she has the whole rest of her body to wash. I think she may have been taken from her mommie too soon, and didn't learn the complete grooming pro cedure. I'm just trying to get out of the baby wipe detail, she doesn't like that. bites me every time. :) Thanks for the suggestions, I'll ask the vet.

I really do understand your concern that she won't do it herself. I wonder if she has some sort of physical limitations that cause her to not be able to reach those certain parts of her body. Talking to your vet is prolly the best thing.

In the meantime, all cats need brushing. I used to use the kind you have and altho it feels good to them, it doesn't do much. This is the one I was talking about. It will work like a fine tooth comb but the advantage is, the bristles are flexible so it won't pull as badly.

Unfortunately, it comes in a two pk so it's $12 but maybe you can find one similiar cheaper at a pet store. My cat loved it so much.

Here's a link to Walmart where they sell the Pet Zoom brush that I'd referred to:

http://www.walmart.com/msharbor/ip/As-Seen-on-TV-Pet-Zoom-Grooming-Brush-2-Pack-Cats-Dogs/14291317

Here's also a link to a Utube video to see how it works. It shows it on a dog at first but towards the end, it shows cats:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZuBjVs18NM

Best of luck with kitty !!
Bonnie

Thanks Brit for the links and info. The Fuller brush gets a lot of fur off her. And she likes it, so that's a plus. I also just got her a mitt at Walmart that has rubber bristles, really takes a lot of fur off with that one. She acts like she likes it, then bites me! Too funny! But I will continue with it, she sheds like crazy with that thick fur and we're in Arizona, so the temps are up in the 80's already. She's a honey, so she's worth the work. Can't figure why she was given up. I have one of the ones that the bristles go into the brush, but they are too hard. I'll use the ones I have. Thanks so much! :)

Hmmm. Interesting. Maybe removed too young, maybe just a personalityquirk (some people are slobs, some are neat freaks).

What if you put a smear of butter or something interesting on her hind legs or somewhere she doesn't usually groom. That might tell you if there's some physical limitation. Maybe something would click for her about the need to be licking/grooming down there.

Or maybe not! Just thought it might make an interesting experiment.

Another thought - when my old girl got too old to bathe herself (she died at age 22) I sometimes gave her a cleaning by massaging and wiping her all over with a warm wet washcloth, then rub with a dry towel. Can use dry pet shampoo prior to the wet washcloth. She LOVED it. Often it would trigger her into do some extensive licking and grooming of herself (those places she could reach).

Do it in a warm room (with space heater for her her to sit in front of to dry off, if its cold). Once she got used to it and decided she liked it, I could get the washcloth (and my cat) quite wet, and my cat clean and fluffy. Anyway, it's possible this might help trigger some long-forgotten memory of Mama Cat and get your cat to take on some of the responsibility for keeping herself clean. Who knows! The rough texture of the washcloth is like Mama Cat's tongue!

My cat is 7 years old, got him 4 months ago. He was skinny, greasy and stressed out. He did NOT bathe at all....ever.

As he began to eat more, he bathed more. He bathes after eating.

We're pretty sure his previous owners gave him baths, he hated. He bathes before sleeping, seems to relax him, after eating.....he bathes a LOT now, making up for lost time. So now we have to contend with hoarking fur balls.

We use a lint brush on him. He thinks it's "mom" licking him. The brush does look like a cats tongue. Just a thought. We also have a wide toothed brush & flea comb to get the thick long hair untangled.

Sounds like your making progress. Just wanted you to know my cat didn't used to bathe and now he does. It's possible for him to change.....

Thanks Nicole, for the encouragement. She was skinny, dirty and very scared. She's taken a long time to feel comfortable. Now and then, she skitters off, scared of something. But her grooming hasn't really improved. Face and front legs, mostly. I'll try a lint roller, too. Have tried to mimic a cats tongue when I clean her with the baby wipes. Short strokes, and move on after about 5 "licks" in the same spot. I'll keep helping her out, maybe I should try it when she's in her bed, where SHE usually does her grooming. Maybe she'll make the connection. Thanks, it's nice to be able to talk to cat lovers who understand. :)

carolssis.....the lint brush is 2 sided, I purchased it at Dollar Tree.

My cat "was" frightened, hiding under the bed and still has seperation anxiety if he wakes up at night & he isn't in "our" bed....he starts walking around crying. I call him & it's a big reunion. :0) He's such a baby! :0) He also won't eat food if a stranger(cat sitter when we're on vacation) feeds him.

When we go outside and re-enter the house, he runs off until he hears our voice....afraid it's not us coming back in.

Edited to say: He weighed about 6lbs when we got him.....10lb 11oz now! Vet says he's @ a good weight. He likes Meow Mix salmon/crab wet food, pink label on cup.....it's "his" kitty crack that got him to eat. Greenie kitty treats hairball formula are also a BIG hit!

Here is a link that might be useful: The lint brush looks like this....

This post was edited by nicole__ on Wed, Apr 30, 14 at 21:49

Nicole, thanks for the link and the dollar tree idea. Cheap is good. Mine has separation anxiety too. Was hanging clothes on the patio, cat is on kitchen counter and can't see me, so she starts to meow. Too funny, she could have moved over and looked out the window and seen me. Poor kitty. She's always in whatever room I'm in. Always. But at least, she feels safe around somebody. Thanks again. :)