Cat Fur Odor?

Question

My cat is quite overweight and can't clean herself properly. I have her on IAMs weight loss food now but she really stinks! I have bathed her on several occassions w/shampoo that is supposed to deodorize to no avail. Is there anything I can use to neutralize this HORRIBLE urinie ordor smell in her fur? Tomato juice maybe? Any suggestions? She is HEALTHY, seemingly happy, chases strings, meows, even jumps (miraculously) but is FAT and STINKY! Please help me because you can smell her a foot away!!

Answer 1

I might be way off base, but I stumbled upon your question and thought I should chirp in.

Overweight cats are prone to develop diabetes, just like people. When the diabetes becomes more pronounced, the cats can pass ketones in their urine that smell particularly potent. I'm not certain of the protein and carb percentages in the Iams weight loss food, but if it is high in protein and low in carbs (think human atkins diet), it can cause your cat to pass ketones in her urine and thus produced more odorous urine. It may be that she, because of her obesity, has always urinated on herself or had difficulty grooming it off, but the presence of the ketones suddenly made it more obvious to you.

I should warn you against any particularly scented or perfumed shampoos that might cover the stinky-cat-smell, only because those sorts of additives might cause your baby girl a slew of other problems, particularly over-grooming due to the perfumes. It might be time to cut your losses and have a groomer shave her down - even if she's a short-haired cat. It would get rid of some of the hair that's been saturated in smells and make it easier for you to clean her up. It's a lame idea, but all I've got.

Either way, it might be a good idea to run her into your vet and make sure she hasn't got a problem with her urine, causing secondary stinky-kitty-syndrome. You're definitely right to get some weight off her - it'll not only help with her grooming, but will help her avoid a mess of other potential problems. Good luck with your baby.

Answer 2

Well, first of all, don't panic. There is a solution to your problem. If you go to petsmart or any other pet supply store, you can find a special cat fur shampoo treatment and if your cat is long haired then you might want to get her conditioned as well. Then, you might want to change her food brand. Try purina indoor formula or try a special brand that is not IAMs. IAMS is quite expensive and does not have the right nutrients that your cat needs. You could even let her eat regular cat food, but buy a special food bowl that portions out your cats food. It's sold in any pet supply store and is mainly used for weight loss. Do not bathe your cat in tomato juice. That's not going to work except on a special skunk treatment but lets not discuss that. Make sure that your cat gets plenty of exercise in her daily playtime. It is important that your cat gets the exercise she needs to stimulate her hunting skills.
I hope that my advice worked. Merry Christmas!

Answer 3

First of all, call your vet. Smell could be a sign of infection somewhere. Just give them a call and ask over the phone. If you can, take your cat in and get a good examination to make sure that's all that's going on is a fat cat.

Answer 4

In some breeds of cats and dogs, as well as in over-weight animals, a fungus can grow in the folds of the skin.
You should have your kitty checked out by the vet for a skin fungus. She make need treatment. If this is the problem, the vet may give your cat a topical cream and some antibiotics.

Answer 5

You may need to have her fur clipped until she is at a weight that allows her to clean herself. Is she loosing any weight on the iams? or still maintaining the same unhealthy weight?

Answer 6

A lot of times my cats will lick their fur if I put a cat nip spray on them. Give that a try.