# My cat seems to have chronic stinky bum :[



## SoftAesthetics (Apr 26, 2010)

My cat seems to have chronic stinky bum - and it's totally her fault. :/

My boyfriend and I just adopted our new kitty about a week and a half ago. She's about a year and a half to two years old, was found as a stray, but was already spayed, suggesting of course that she was probably owned previously, part of which is making this problem so odd.

I've owned cats my entire life, but have never had this problem - Ilia virtually refuses to clean her butt. She cleans often, but just not there!

My boyfriend and I gave her a bath the day after we got her, guessing that maybe it was just because she had been at the shelter and was just neglecting herself. ...Next day, stinky-butt again after she used the potty. We gave her some time to deal with it, the whole afternoon, but no luck. So, we gave her a quicky bath, just her rear, all the while trying to enforce how she was being a "good girl", and "clean clean clean!"

It's now been a week and a half later and we have the same problem every day! We've tried using damp cloths and showing her how to clean, assuming that she was probably removed from her mother too soon.

Another issue, is that although we don't mind keeping our cat clean, we don't want it to become a habit. Due to the nature and frequency of the issue, Ilia seems to becoming compliant and enjoying the baths, which is all well and good if a cat likes bathing - but she needs to learn to do it herself!

So frustrating...she is the sweetest most relaxed cat, and otherwise does absolutely nothing wrong.

Oh...and as far as has her stools go, they've been totally normal. She's been eating a healthy amount and drinking as well, loves to play and is in good health - just doesn't clean!

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to go about training or reinforcing when she cleans? We've tried a treat or two when she actually cleans of her own accord, but so far, no luck with that either. We are most interested in training, because we don't want her to become reliant on the idea that we'll just give her a bath when she stinks.

Please please please - we need help! D:


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## mimitabby (Apr 20, 2010)

If your cat is already 2 1/2 years old and doesn't clean her bum, she's not going to start now.
This is not her problem, it's yours. It bothers you, not her. A lot of us end up doing hygiene for our pets at various ages, some because they are kittens, some because they are old and stiff, some because they are incontinent. and there are a lot of cats that either don't care or can't smell it.

The only thing I can think of is to smear her butt with something that tastes good (ewww) and maybe that will help her learn? But really, i think you just have to clean her butt!

good luck.


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## SoftAesthetics (Apr 26, 2010)

I wouldn't be so disturbed by it if say, the cat was older and did have some kind of continence issue, then that would definitely be my problem when I adopted it. However, I don't want to worry about whether or not my cat is going to leave poo-stains (yes, there is sometimes 'crusties') on my couch when I'm at work. 

So, considering I can't be around at her bidding whenever she poos to wipe her butt, I reeeeally need to figure something out.

I really do think it's some kind of training issue, because Ilia has even done the open-mouthed, tongue out, "Eww I smell something bad" face when licking her flanks and just lies down, so she definitely knows where it's coming from but just doesn't act. After doing this, she often keeps her butt off the floor, but I know I can't rely on that. :/ We really need some pro training tips!


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## nanook (Jun 12, 2005)

I don't know of any training for this issue but I have a couple of suggestions.
1) are you sure it's just poop or could she have an anal gland issue. Quite common and requires a vet (they can teach you how too) to express her anal glands periodically. If that's the problem, it is extremely stinky and she will leave little yucky spots around.
2) Is she overweight? Overweight cats can not reach their bottoms well enough to clean them properly. 
3) Is she long or medium haired? Poop gets caught up in the fur and it can be hard for them to get it all. Having a groomer periodically shave a little potty patch will solve the problem.
4) Is she slightly constipated? Diet change and/or some Laxitone will take care of that.
Cats are extremely clean animals so, if your kitty is not cleaning herself properly, it's more likely one of the above than a behavioral thing. You'll need to do a little detective work to figure it out.
Good luck!


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## SoftAesthetics (Apr 26, 2010)

Hmmm....

At first we were thinking it was the change in diet, as of course the food she got at the shelter was not nearly as full-fledged and possibly rich as the food we have bought her (nothing with grains or corn, etc. after much research in the past and successful cat raising, haha). The only time her stool was a little loose or soft was the first one or two days we had her, understandably, due to the stress of her relocation/adaptation.Since then, that's been okay...but that brings up a good theory about it maybe being something to do with her anal glands - do you (or anyone) have any information about the specific symptoms are? I've tried looking it up on Google, but I just keep getting information about what it _is_, not really how it can be recognized.


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## Heidi n Q (Nov 22, 2006)

I think with anal gland issues you are either going to see obvious signs such as butt-scooting, difficulty with litterbox elimination and drip/drops of stinky liquid or subtle signs like persistent odor and/or drip/drops of stinky liquid.


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## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

Anal gland secretions smell like poop and skunk mixed together. If you're just smelling poop, then it's probably not an anal gland issue. But I don't have any recommendations for training, it's just something you can't teach to a cat.


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## nanook (Jun 12, 2005)

> Anal gland secretions smell like poop and skunk mixed together.


That's it! I've been trying to figure out how to describe that awful smell. You nailed it!


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## hoofmaiden (Sep 28, 2009)

What is she eating? This is a dietary issue. Cats are fastidious animals and, honestly, aren't going to want to lick a filthy butt. The key is for the kitty to not HAVE a filthy butt in the first place. :wink: 

Are you feeding canned or dry? What brand?


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## SoftAesthetics (Apr 26, 2010)

Hmm, I don't think it's an anal gland issue then...definitely just poo. :/ Haha


The food we've got her is dry food, Spot's Stew, the chicken kind.
http://shop.halopets.com/Dry-Cat-Food-I ... hicken-3lb

I know the she was on Purina at the shelter, and even they were trying to get her off of it. (They said they only gave it to them if they were finicky, often strays, as it's basically the junk food of cat foods, hah.)


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## hoofmaiden (Sep 28, 2009)

Well, dry food is not recommended. See the sticky at the top of the Health and Nutrition forum for all the many reasons why.

I recommend that you switch ASAP to a grain-free canned food, such as EVO 95% meat formulae: http://www.evopet.com/products/default.asp?id=1664

or Wellness CORE: http://www.wellnesspetfood.com/product- ... cat&pid=16

And consider going to a raw diet in future. Come see us on the raw forum (sub-forum of health/nutrition) if you want more info on that.

Cats are obligate carnivores and need meat--not grains--and they also need to get most of their moisture from their food. Alll sorts of problems can result when these basic needs are not adhered to.


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## faithless (Dec 4, 2009)

Raw diet would certainly make the problem easier to live with. Harder and smaller stool, odorless in comparison, and only half as frequent as kibble poo.


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