Stinking Cats

The best advantage of owning a cat is the animal's low maintenance aspect. All you need to do is to clean out the litterbox once a day. That's all (other than the affection of course). However, there are those rare times when your cat, the normally groom crazy animal, develop skin issues which result in the feline smelling bad.

No grooming

If your cat suddenly begins to smell bad, then it is time to take it to the veterinarian. There could be many causes as to why a cat could develop odors like infection, fur issues, mouth issues, old age, and illness. Some such problems could be corrected, and this means you must give your furball some extra care.  Illness is the most frequent cause of your cat smelling bad. It could be possible that the disease makes the cat too tired to groom itself. There is also the possibility that the illness itself could make the animal smelly. Examine the cat for other tell-tale signs. The animal could have lost weight, and its eating has become erratic.

Infection and mouth issues

Infection is another reason for a cat to smell bad. An infection can hide for long under the thick fur. The fur may hide wounds or injuries. You should check the feline carefully searching for tender spots. Do check its body for fleas. A flea bite could turn into a scaly sore which may smell bad. In case your cat suffers from an infection, the animal most likely needs an antibiotic issued by any licensed vet. It will help to clear the infection.

The cat may smell due to tooth or mouth issues as well. This is particularly applicable for older cats which have bad breath. This affects their saliva quality. It means when the older cat grooms itself, the bad odor of the saliva from its mouth transfers to the thick coat, making the animal a bad smelling one. If you have multiple cats, and the affected cat grooms its companions, the other cats will also smell bad. You must examine the mouth of your cat and determine whether its bad breath is the cause. Bad breath is generally due to decay of a tooth or could be a chronic illness sign like kidney failure. This issue entails a visit to the veterinarian for either a tooth being extracted and subsequently being cleaned or assists the kitty in coping with kidney function loss. If tooth decay was the problem, change the normal cat food and go upmarket to buy quality cat food. It is crucial to make sure that the cat either gets treats or dry cat food every day. This dry food assists in cleaning the mouth and the teeth. The more expensive cat foods contain reduced amounts of sugar and additives which cause tooth decay.