How do you clean poop out of a long hair cat’s fur?

For most of us, one of the most satisfying things as a cat parent is that cats naturally like to be clean. They groom themselves and don’t pee and poop everywhere. They prefer to do their business in the litter box only and even after that they hide it under the litter. But sometimes, cats, due to certain reasons, poop and don’t groom themselves. This results in a mess that you need to clean. Pretty hard? I know. There are many ways to clean poop from your cat’s fur and these methods are way too easy to be followed. Further, you should also know the reason why your cat is doing this and you need to help your cat as well.

So, here’s what you need to know about cleaning the poop out of your furry fellow:

Cleaning poop from the fur of your cat is a bit tricky. Whether you can comb it out in dry form and then give the cat a nice bath. Or you can clean it with soap and then remove all the poop using a rag. In either case, you have to dispose of the rag, towels, and tissues right away. You also have to sterilize the tub and comb you were using. There are many reasons why the poop can stick in your cat’s fur. So it’s important to eradicate the cause also.

First things first. Let’s know how to clean the poop from cat’s fur and then we’ll discuss the causes of why your cat doesn’t groom herself anymore.

How do you clean the poop from cat’s fur

Cleaning the poop from the cat’s fur is even more difficult and time taking if your cat’s hair is long. Here are some simple ways through which you can clean your cat.

Cleaning without water

The easy way to remove poop from your cat’s fur is to clean it when it’s dry. You have to make sure that the fur is dry as well. Follow these steps and voila, you have cleaned your cat!

  • Sprinkle powder on your cat’s fur and make sure that the entire area from which poop is to be cleaned is dry.
  • Also, check whether the poop stuck in is dry or not.
  • Now simply comb the fur using a fine comb. Make sure to remove all the debris.
  • Finally, clean your cat with a dry rag or a brush.
  • Clear all the debris and sterilize the area where you did the cleaning. Dispose of the debris as soon as possible because the cat’s poop can cause infections. Don’t forget to sterilize the comb.
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This method is convenient when your cat has silky fur and all the poop has dried out. It would be difficult to comb out the debris dry when the fur is rough and tangled.

Cleaning with water

If you aren’t satisfied with the dry method to clean your cat, you should try giving your cat a soapy bath. For this you have to:

  • Line the tub with a paper towel first. Then pat your cat and gently put it on the tub.
  • Now put lukewarm water on your cat and start cleaning the wet debris with a rag.
  • Once you remove all the poop, give your cat a nice soapy bath.
  • You can also comb the fur to make sure all the poop has washed away.
  • Dispose of the paper towels and rags quickly. Sterilize the tub and comb.

Before doing this method, make sure your cat is calm and she doesn’t freak out. You can do this when it’s sleepy or completely relaxed.

Why your cat isn’t grooming itself?

Cats naturally clean themselves even if they have long hair fur. If the poop sticks on the cat’s fur and it doesn’t groom itself then there is some medical problem underlying.

Your cat might be suffering from pain that doesn’t allow it to groom. Arthritis is also one of the reasons why cats find it difficult to groom themselves. Diabetes also hinders the cat’s grooming habit.

Besides these medical reasons, the litter boxes can also be a reason. Maybe the litter box is too small or too full that the cat doesn’t like to poop there.

So, clean your cat and then see why it’s not grooming itself. You have to treat the underlying problem to make sure your cat starts grooming itself once again.

How to prevent poop from sticking on your cat’s fur?

Although you can wash clean your cat, poop sticking on the cat’s fur can be a sign of any medical problem. Your cat is also not happy with this habit so you have to treat the problem for good.

Here are some of the things you can do to ease your cat:

Look what your cat is eating– it’s possible that some food might be causing diarrhea in your cat. That results in frequent stools and your cat can’t run to the litter box again and again. This results in poop sticking on the fur. So, change your cat’s diet. Add healthy food in your cat’s diet and don’t give it any human food.

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Trim the fur– maybe your cat is willing to groom itself but those long hair doesn’t allow her to do that. It’s good to call a vet and ask him to trim your cat’s fur. Trimmed fur would also be easy for you to clean.

Call a vet– if you feel like your cat is sick and it’s unable to groom itself then it’s wise to call your cat’s vet. He can analyze what’s wrong with the cat. Your cat might be suffering from joint pain, muscular pain, and even arthritis. These illnesses restrict the movements and your cat can’t groom itself easily. So, the vet will diagnose the illness and will start the treatment. It’s possible that the cat starts grooming itself again once she feels better.

Add more litter boxes– It might be possible that the litter boxes are too full and your cat isn’t comfortable using one. This can result in poop sticking on the fur. To eradicate this cause, you can add more litter boxes so that your cat can poop on the one that’s empty. Cats find it easier to use a litter box that isn’t full so that they can use it without any hesitation. If you have two cats then put three litter boxes. The number of litter boxes should be one more than the number of cats you have. Another way is to stack two or three litter boxes so that the litter goes in the bottom one and the upper one remains empty.

The Takeaway

If your cat has long hair fur and the poop gets stuck then there are some easy ways you can clean it off. You can either comb it out dry or give your cat a warm bath and remove it. Cats groom themselves but if the poop is sticking continuously then you have to resolve the underlying cause. Your cat might be having any medical condition or the litter box is not good enough. Resolve the actual cause and your cat will start grooming herself the way she used to do.

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Nadine Oraby

My name is Nadine; I am a passionate writer and a pet lover. People usually call me by the nickname “Joy” because they think that I am a positive and joyful person who is a child at heart. My love for animals triggered me to create this blog. Articles are written by vets, pet experts, and me. Thanks for visiting. Your friend, Nadine!

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