File :-(, x, )
Anonymous
sup /an/, I've got a cat problem.

Now I'm not really a cat person, and have never owned cats in my life, until I moved in with my boyfriend. He has four very well mannered cats, but there's an issue with one of them. His name is Tater and he REFUSES to clean himself.

Even in the picture you can see how his fur is kind of greasy. He will not ever clean himself. He will clean one of the other cats on a regular basis, but never himself. So his coat is pretty gross. He's a super friendly and cuddly cat, but no one ever wants to pet him because he's pretty much disgusting.

My boyfriend and I aren't sure what the best course of action is. Should we give him regular baths, or is their any way we can encourage him to start washing?

TLDR: My cat won't wash himself and is completely gross, what should I do.
>> Anonymous
Call a local groomer that is well reputed in the area and ask for some advice/tips. It may set you back about 20-40 but if they can handle him that cat will probably get cleaned up nicely.
>> Anonymous
>>234831

He's a pretty easygoing cat, so that might work, I'll look into it.
>> Anonymous
Put some honey on his fur, or food or whatever (nothing poisonous, durr) and he'll get so pissed he'll start licking it off. This is how we got one of our orphaned kittens to start cleaning herself. If not well, take him to the vet, your cat is dumb as a cup o dirt.
>> Anonymous
>>235124
I agree with the honey thing. Or just anything yummy he might like to lick off, like tuna juice.

Or you might just wanna try to splash a little water on him, then he will lick himself to dry himself off. This method is more likey to irritate him tho.
>> Anonymous
>>235128
honey too much sugar isn't it?
tuna juice? if he don't clean it it would be bigger problem.
Milk? is it ok?
>> Anonymous
We had a cat like this. It was the runt of the litter and was abandoned by it's ma. We always assumed it didn't lick itself because it never picked up on that behaviour.
>> Anonymous
>>235272
That seems to be a likely cause for the problem. I've heard of orphaned or abandoned kittens failing to learn to lick themselves before. I wonder if it's too late for a grown up cat to learn it, though.
>> Anonymous
Pour water all over it. Or, pour it over parts is needs cleaning, i.e. dump water on his paws, then his chest area, etc, he'll prolly lick it off.
>> Anonymous
That's one fucking greasy cat.

>>235280

is right - after you give him his first bath, or get him wet, it should spur him into cleaning himself, at least for a few days. Or you might just need to invest in some dry shampoo and cat wipes for Bad Hygiene Cat.
>> Anonymous
>>235265

Adult cats are lactose intolerant. Milk may give him diarrhea.
>> Anonymous
>>235430
my cat always pukes it up... and my dod will just keep giving it to her because she begs so much for it and is so cute doing it.
>> Anonymous
>>235441

Tell your dad to give the cat soy/rice milk or cream instead. It really isn't rocket science.
>> Anonymous
cover it with crisco.
its delicious.
>> Anonymous
rub lighter fluid into his fur.
>> Anonymous
>>234830
I am more interested in "Who Would Jesus Bomb?"
>> Anonymous
Jesus would bomb em all, and let god sort em out
>> LaBambaMan
>>235818
>> Anonymous
Somebody on the SA forums got their cat to start grooming by wiping it with a wet rag to simulate what a mother cat would do. It was a kitten at this point, so you may end up having th bathe yours.
>> te-kun !Tkuncv4dfQ
>>235430
how about low lactose milk? In my country we find those things in the market...
>> Anonymous
>>236042

Something without any lactose is preferable because the cat does not produce lactase and cannot digest lactose.

Milk products for lactose intolerant people are available at many supermarkets.

But I don't think milk stuff is the best thing to put on a cat. Might make him smellier even if he licks it off. :P
>> Anonymous
     File :-(, x)
Get a nice brush that's suitable for medium to long haired animals, and go at him roughly with it twice a day. Press down hard with the brush and hold him still while going everywhere, even if he hates it. I'm not saying on top of his genitals, but the area around them. Eventually he'll get sick of you cleaning him and start doing it himself, or you'll get out all his dead hair and reduce the grease enough for him to realise washing isn't so bad.

Picture extremely related- I have almost this exact one for my two cats. The hook bits are GENIUS when the little buggers start shedding hair all over the place.
>> Anonymous
Perhaps anon would explain to me why its a problem if a cat doesn't clean itself? Dogs typically get baths twice or thrice a year. Surely washing a cat every three months isn't too bad? I imagine it would be a nice tradeoff for not having to clean up hairballs.
>> Anonymous
>>236335

Believe it or not, Cats get extremely greasy and dirty without their constant preening.
>> Anonymous
>>236338
More so than dogs?
>> Anonymous
>>236335
Try to understand that some people don't like living in filth. If someone wanted an animal as dirty as a dog they would choose one. Cats should be clean, otherwise you'd never want to hold one in your lap.
>> Anonymous
>>236342
Must be why no one ever pets dogs.
>> Anonymous
I usually don't pet dogs because it makes my hand feel and smell disgusting afterward and I have to wash them several times to get rid of it. :(

Cats are always clean, unless it's old and senile and can't clean itself.

Pet stores sell pet wipes you can use to clean your cat.