Cats are very hygienic, they wash themselves for several hours a day by licking themselves, so if your cat no longer washes, it is vital to understand why and above all to know how to act. In this article, I explain everything to solve this problem.
Cat that no longer grooms: The causes and their solutions
If your cat stops cleaning itself, it’s for one of the following reasons. For each one, I explain how to recognize it, and especially how to react. This way you can keep it clean.
He is too fat
If your cat is obese, he will neglect certain areas, such as his neck or the top of his belly, he probably does not appreciate being dirty but unfortunately, apart from moving his body, he does not have the ability to self-clean.
So if you have a big cat, reduce its rations, do not cut too much food either, but make sure that it has normal portions so that it can lose its stock of fat which prevents it from cleaning itself and which will cause many health problems when he is old.
Also promote exercise with games and ideally a food puzzle , forcing him to move around to get his food. The more he exercises, the more he will lose weight.
He suffers
Cats tend to hide their disease and it is not necessarily visible from the outside, but if your cat is in pain, he may stop bathing, and at the same time he will become lethargic and even sometimes refuse to eat.
You can tell if he is sick or injured if he refuses to be touched at least on one part of his body. He may even become aggressive.
In this case, and especially if your cat is over 10 years old, go to the veterinarian so that he can find the solution and get your cat back on its feet.
He is too old
When a cat becomes old, it necessarily becomes less agile and tends to neglect itself more in terms of health. For example, it will no longer be able to lick its paw and use it to wash its back. But this is not inevitable.
If as a last resort the veterinarian can prescribe something to relieve these joints, you can give your cat olive oil to relieve them and ensure that he can rest them as much as possible by giving him a litter box not closed and by placing his personal corner in a very easily accessible space.
Special osteoarthritis croquettes will also be very effective in keeping his joints in the best possible condition so that he can wash properly again thanks to better agility.
He is stressed
A stressed cat will forget certain basic rules such as washing and focusing all its attention on these vital needs, like when we stress ourselves. So if your cat is afraid of something or bored, stress is bound to be in him.
To avoid stress, make sure that he has his personal corner and that he feels safe there, if he is constantly disturbed or is afraid of something in particular, make sure that no longer disturb him and let him be totally at peace.
If he is bored, you can play with him and take him some cat toys, if you are often away, a second cat will relieve him of the boredom.
It is too cold
Cats, when they clean themselves, will cool off slightly, so if yours is really cold, it will stop cleaning. Keep it warm during the day when kept indoors. It will no longer need to retain maximum heat. If, for example, you see him curled up all day, no doubt he is too cold.
Because of the hairballs
The tongue is effective for cleaning the cat because it catches the hair better, but if he does not have catnip to purge himself, then he will stop washing himself so as not to accumulate hair in his organism. If he does not have access to the outside, giving him something to purge will prevent him from accumulating hair.
Mouth problems
If you see red gums or drool in your cat, he has a dental problem that will cause him to stop bathing because of the pain. He will also stop eating crunchy foods and cold water. In this case, if nothing is resolved quickly, take him to the vet before the situation worsens.
How to make it clean while waiting?
To make it clean immediately, all you have to do is apply the following solutions, depending on how dirty your feline is.
If your cat is lightly soiled, there is no need to go to any trouble to wash it thoroughly, knowing that it hates it, apply baking soda instead and brush it once you have applied the baking soda well. It’s a simple solution that removes both dirt and odors.
If your cat is very dirty, washing it will be more difficult, here is how to wash a cat thoroughly:
- Create a calm environment: Make the environment as calm as possible so that the cat feels as good as possible while cleaning.
- Create a feeling of security: The more the cat feels safe, the easier the cleaning will be because it will not be aggressive.
- Caring for the wash: Go easy, and apply a cat shampoo. Never soak your cat with water and use little.
- Take care of the rinse: Again, rinse it with lukewarm water and with a low pressure jet so that it can remain calm.
- Take care of the drying: By going gently, without friction to gently remove all the water.
- Reward him: With something he likes so he associates washing with something totally safe.
- Bonus: Calming pheromones will help him stay calm while you bathe him.
Cat that no longer washes: The final word
Cats are very clean animals by nature, so if yours isn’t bathing at all, it’s vital to find the cause. Once this has been found, all that remains is to apply the solution adapted to the problem.