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Cats/fur clumping on my 4 year old tabby
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Question
Good evening! I hope you had an enjoyable Thanksgiving. My question is ... my 4 yr tabby has a spot on the posterior side of her back where the fur has clumped and is hard as a rock. I cut it out once and combed it out as best I could, but it quickly returned and is larger. She has since developed three more smaller clumps. My sis-in-law yesterday suggested a correlation between f. leukemia and this condition, which I did not believe, nor could I find any on-line substantiation of such. She is strictly an indoor kitty anyway. She's a good weight and very healthy. She is a very skiddish young lady, and the last time I cut out the large on, it was traumatic, so I do not want to make another attempt for fear of hurting her. The thought of giving her a bath brings about laughter from my kids and conjures visions of me having to wear one of those suits police wear to train their dogs to attack. Any ideas on why her fur is clumping and what I can do about it?
Cheryl,
I am assuming she is a longhaired cat and what you are seeing is the dead hair matting while she is shedding out her coat. In the northern hemisphere, our cats have shed 3 times this year, February, July, and now!!!!!!!!!!!
I would comb her out every day. If the skin feels peculiar, you may want to take her to your vet to see if anything untoward is happening to her!
It just sounds to me as if she is matting as she sheds out her coat. If her hair is really long you may want to have her clipped down.
Please let me know what you find.
Seasonal regards... Norm.
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Answers by Expert:
Norman Auspitz
Expertise
I can answer most non-veterinary questions about cats. My particular expertise is pedigree cats, breeding and showing. However, I am versed in feline behavior, cat breeds and their characteristics, general feline husbandry, and the like.
Experience
I judged for the Canadian Cat Association from 1975 until 1982. I am currently an approved allbreed judge for the Cat Fanciers'' Association (the world''s largets cat registry), and have been judging for them since 1991. I have been breeding pedigreed cats since 1971 and have been exhibiting pedigreed cats in shows since 1970. I obtained my first pedigreed cat in 1970 and have never looked back. In 1971, I obtained my first Abyssinian which has become my primary breed. In addition, I have bred Manx and Persians. Currently, besides the Abyssinians, I am also breeding Maine Coons.
Organizations
Cat Fanciers'' Association, inc. (CFA) and the Manx, Maine Coon, and Abyssinian breed councils. I am currently Abyssinian breed council secretary.
Publications
Cat Fancy Magazine, The Abyssinian Chapter in The Cat Fanciers'' Association Complete Cat Book, and Articles for various editions of The Cat Fanciers'' Association Yearbook
Education/Credentials
I received a B.S. from Drexel University in 1968, a M.Math from University of Waterloo, in 1970, a Ph.D. from University of Waterloo in 1975, and a MBA from McMaster University in 1980. I received my approved allbreed judging status in the Cat Fanciers'' Association in 1999.
Awards and Honors
We have produced a number of Cat Fanciers'' Association (CFA) National winning Abyssinian and Maine Coons. We have produced a number of Abyssinian and Maine Coon Distinguished Merit females (an award for a top producing cat), including the first Distinguished Merit Abyssinian in the red (sorrel) color. I am the CFA Abyssinian breed council secretary and belong and/or hold office in a number of cat clubs. I am also a member of the CFA Judges Association.
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