By Deborah Hansen
February 28, 2020
When a matted, greasy, dandruff–filled cat comes in for grooming, often times we are so focused on solving the coat issues we forget about the skin. Matting and pelting are only symptoms of a bigger problem.
The many common skin problems groomers see in felines that result in matting issues are stud tail and dirty skin. The service is as easy as a bubble bath!
Not a literal bubble bath, soaking in a tub with a glass of your favorite beverage, but a cat bath. Stud tail and dirty skin are very easy problems to control when cats are on a four– to six–week bathing schedule.
Stud tail develops when the sebum that the supracaudal gland secretes becomes thick. typically the supracaudal gland, which is located at the base of the tail, secretes an oily substance that is intended to keep the coat shiny. When this oil becomes thick, it clogs the skin pores and hair follicles. Sebaceous cysts then develop. These cysts are essentially blackheads on the tail of the feline. Symptoms typically appear as a greasy and matted coat, bald patches at the base of the tail and/or a waxy substance that covers the skin and coat.
Typically stud tail begins at the base of the tail. If the cat is not professionally groomed, the affected area will spread up the back and down the tail. Stud tail in cats appears in altered and unaltered males and females. simply put, any cat can get stud tail and numerous do.
Advertisements
A few things can be done to keep stud tail under control. the most essential step is a water bath with a high–quality degreasing product. often times, I will apply the degreasing product in the bath, on a damp coat, and spend ten minutes massaging it into the skin over the affected area. then I follow up with two full shampooing cycles. depending on the severity of the case, these cats will need a water bath every four to six weeks to keep the over production of the thick sebum under control.
Another thing that can help with excess oil production is adding an absorbing powder, like corn starch, to the affected area. I typically take a pinch and work it down to the skin with my fingers. It works great on light–colored cats. It also works for owners who want to spread out bathing appointments. best results are obtained when the powder is applied every few days.
While shaving may seem like the best option for stud tail, it will only get rid of the matting. The skin will remain discolored with a waxy feeling that can only be improved with regular bathing.
Another issue we often falsely assume is a skin issue is a cat that is dirty. dirty cats feel very greasy. Unlike in stud tail, a greasy coat from dirty skin is much more uniform in the way the grease travels across the cat’s body. They also exhibit what appears to be dandruff. On dirty cats, the white flakes you observe are the dead skin cells that have naturally sloughed off and are being trapped by dead coat, then glued into place by the skin’s naturally occurring oils and saliva. dirty cats also tend to have an abundance of dead coat and grease. Pelting will occur if professional grooming is not sought.
The only service for a cat with dirty skin presenting with what appears to be dandruff, grease and dead coat, is a water bath with a high–quality degreasing product. If there is matting, a lion cut is typically the best course of action before the bath. When a cat has dead skin stuck in the coat, multiple shampooings will be needed. The great news is that when these cats get on a four– to six–week bath schedule, typically everything will resolve. The white flakes, dead coat (shedding) and greasy feeling will no longer be observable. The owners will be pleased because the kitty does not smell and less hair is being left around the home.
Just a bubble bath every four to six weeks will resolve these issues and so much more. It sounds so simple, yet when we tell a client our plan to resolve their problem, we are often met with resistance. let us analyze why cat owners are so resistant to committing to something that may improve the overall functioning and cleanliness of their home.
For some owners, the physical act of getting the cat to the grooming appointment can be very stressful and overwhelming. While locating the cat can be a challenge, the owner then has to get the cat into the car, then drive the cat to you while listening to all of the cat’s protesting which adds extra tension on the owner’s day. The owner may even have wounds from that morning’s events.
When you mention you want to see the cat, not only again but in four weeks, it may seem like an overwhelming feat for the owner. This is the ideal time to speak with the owner about crate usage, and suggestions to train their cat to see the crate as a safe and unwinding place.
The remainder of the owners either do not believe a bathing schedule will work, or think the expense will not outweigh the benefits. Thnull
Leave a Reply