Gizmo needs to learn to CLEAN HIMSELF!!! He came upstairs this morning with a big, stinky, nasty clump of poop stuck to the hair under his butt. Like I want him sitting anywhere with that on there! YUCK! I took him in the bathroom with the intent of using disposable gloves to help him, but couldn't get it off. Dh and I have even trimmed the hair in the past. I wasn't going to attempt that alone, so I turned the faucet on and stuck his backside in. BOY, he didn't like that! lol Anyway, now he's banished to the downstairs bathroom until he gets anything I missed off and can change his attitude (yes, this cat has an attitude!). Is this normal? Was he taken from his mother too early and didn't learn to groom properly (we got him at 4 months and weren't the first owners--he was from a kitty farm)? Should dh and I just trim him regularly? Anyone else have this problem??? Our other cat never does this. He's 10 months old now. Will he eventually get it? ARGH!!! I did a quick wipe down of the bathroom, but I'd better go give it a thorough cleaning now before one of these 3yo girls go in there. Thanx for listening to my vent. Any advise would be great.

By Trina~moderator on Tuesday, February 10, 2004 - 11:06 am:

ROFL! BTDT many times! Cats with long fur tend to have this problem, no matter what the age. We affectionately call them "cling ons". LOL! I just take a tissue and get all I can and leave the rest up to the cat. Trimming their bum fur shorter is helpful but not an easy task. You're not alone!

By Colette on Tuesday, February 10, 2004 - 11:22 am:

eeeeeeeeeeeeeewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!!!! Glad mine are both short hair.

By Jclark222 on Tuesday, February 10, 2004 - 11:38 am:

Mine are both long hair and I have a constant poop on the butt problem. I do shave alot of the hair around it. It really helps. If my husband it's home I take them to the Groomer and she helps me. I take the dog to her so she usally does it for free. Got to love them.

By Andi on Tuesday, February 10, 2004 - 12:02 pm:

I have 3 cats, 2 short hair and 1 long hair. We have the same problem with the long haired cat. Every Spring I take her to the groomer and have them shave her hair like a short hair cat. She hates to be brused so she gets matted on her underside and God forbid I try to cut the hair around her butt...watch out!

By Vicki on Tuesday, February 10, 2004 - 12:23 pm:

Ok, someone could have mentioned THAT before I got this Maine Coon cat!! LOL

By Trina~moderator on Tuesday, February 10, 2004 - 02:33 pm:

LOL, Vicki! We thought we'd leave that as a surprise. *EG* Seriously though, it's really not a big deal. I have three long haired cats and it only happens once in awhile. They're still worth it! *S*

By Cat on Tuesday, February 10, 2004 - 02:37 pm:

ROFL, Vicki! Like Trina said, it only happens once in a while. I didn't even think about it when you were looking at getting one. How's your little one doing, btw?

He's still in the bathroom downstairs. I'm going to go check on him and see how he (and his little attitude!) is. Cats. Gotta love 'em. (sounds like our kids at times, huh? )

By Cat on Tuesday, February 10, 2004 - 02:40 pm:

Well he knocked the trash can over (no biggie) and knocked the bath rug/mat off the edge of the tub and was sleeping on it. He came over to me and rubbed against me as if to say "No hard feelings." I guess he's over himself. Oh, and he smells MUCH better! lol

By Vicki on Tuesday, February 10, 2004 - 02:42 pm:

Thanks for asking! She is doing great. She is doing much better with our Yorkie too. She is getting herself into trouble, so I think she feels all at home now!! LOL

By Dawnk777 on Tuesday, February 10, 2004 - 02:43 pm:

Ewww! Poor kitty. Fortunately that doesn't happen to my dog too often. I think just once we had to wipe her off a little more.

Her bad habit in the summer is to roll in poop! Yuck! She goes right into the bathtub and she knows it, too.

By Cat on Tuesday, February 10, 2004 - 02:51 pm:

EW, Dawn! My mom had a toy poodle that would find dead worms and nasty stuff like that to roll in. He would STINK!!! He liked to do that just as soon as they'd let him out after a bath, too. Crazy dog! lol He died about 1 1/2 years ago of heart failure (he was 11). She has a little Yorkie puppy now (about 9 months old). He has seperation anxiety when she goes anywhere for more that about 30 minutes. Animals really are like kids!

By Annie2 on Tuesday, February 10, 2004 - 03:20 pm:

When this happens to our dog we know it's time to give her a "sanitary cut", as the groomer refers to it!

By Sue3 on Tuesday, February 10, 2004 - 06:43 pm:

ROFL ! I am glad that we have Barn Cats ! LOL !

By Cheekymama on Friday, February 13, 2004 - 12:47 am:

Ever heard of the word "dingleberry"? That's what that is!

Main Entry: din·gle·ber·ry
Pronunciation: 'di[ng]-g&l-"ber-E
Function: noun
Etymology: origin unknown
: a piece of dried fecal matter clinging to the hair around the anus