Cats · coat care
Why has my cat stopped grooming itself?
A cat that used to be immaculate and now has a greasy back, a clumped rump or a dull, spiky coat has not become lazy. Grooming is hard physical work for a cat, and when something hurts it is one of the first habits to go. Here is what usually lies behind it, what to tell the vet, and how a groomer helps in the meantime.
How cats groom
A cat stops grooming where it hurts to reach, so the back half goes first
Self-grooming asks a lot of a cat's body. It twists its neck round to the flank, raises a hind leg high to reach the belly, curls almost double to clean under the tail and uses its teeth to work out knots. Each move needs a flexible spine, comfortable hips and a mouth that does not hurt. When any part fails, the cat keeps washing the places it can still reach easily, its face, chest and front legs, and quietly gives up on the rest.
International Cat Care notes that cats become less flexible with age and often struggle with their usual routine, and that matting tends to appear over the lower spine and the hindquarters. That is the map to check. A greasy strip along the back, flaky skin over the hips, clumps above the tail and a soiled rear are what the coat looks like when the cat can no longer get there. Cornell's Feline Health Center adds that older cats can benefit from more hands-on help as their self-grooming fades.
- A greasy or separated strip of coat along the spine
- Flakes, clumps or mats over the hips and above the tail
- A soiled or matted rear end
- Claws that catch on carpet or stay out
- A cat that still washes its face but nothing behind the shoulders
The usual causes
Arthritis, weight and dental pain explain most cats that stop grooming
Arthritis is far more common than it looks. Cornell's Feline Health Center reports that X-rays showed degenerative joint disease in 90 percent of cats over 12 in one study, and another study suggested about 20 percent of cats a year old or more are already arthritic. Cornell says joint pain can leave a cat unable to groom itself thoroughly, and the other signs are just as quiet: trouble getting in and out of the litter box, avoiding stairs, napping in warm spots and hiding more.
Weight works with the joints and against the reach. Cornell notes that overweight cats get degenerative joint disease more often, because the extra pounds load the joints, and a heavy body simply cannot fold far enough to wash the lower back. The mouth is the third suspect. International Cat Care lists reduced grooming among the signs of dental disease, along with drooling, pawing at the mouth and difficulty eating, and says as many as 85 percent of cats aged three and over are thought to have some form of it.
Cats hide pain well, which International Cat Care stresses for teeth and joints alike, so a cat can look content while its grooming slips. Other illness can do the same, and International Cat Care's guide to senior cats lists changes in grooming behavior among the reasons to see the vet. That is why the table below ends every row with the vet: the clues at home point the conversation, but only an examination says which cause, or which combination, you are dealing with.
| Likely cause | Clues at home | Who sorts it out |
|---|---|---|
| Stiff or painful joints | Hesitates at stairs, the sofa or the litter box; naps more in warm spots | Your vet |
| Extra weight | Greasy lower back, soiled rear, no visible waist | Your vet |
| Sore mouth | Drooling, pawing at the face, bad breath, difficulty eating | Your vet |
| Other illness | Weight loss, hiding, a change in appetite | Your vet, soon |
Vet first
How fast it changed tells you how soon to call the vet
Cornell's Feline Health Center is direct about this: a sudden lack of grooming may signal a health problem. A coat that goes from glossy to greasy over a few weeks, in a cat of any age, deserves a prompt appointment. A slow fade over a year in a 15-year-old is still worth raising, though at a routine visit rather than an urgent one. Either way, a groomer cannot tell you which joint or tooth is the problem; the vet can.
Go in with observations rather than a guess. Note which areas have stopped being washed, whether the cat still jumps to its usual spots, how it eats, and whether the litter box has changed. If the vet finds arthritis or dental disease, ask what the cat can comfortably manage on a grooming table, whether any area should be left alone, and whether a bath is fine. Gloucester publishes a list of local and emergency veterinary offices if you need a practice nearby.
- Which parts of the coat the cat has stopped washing
- Whether it still jumps up to its usual places
- How it eats: slowly, messily or dropping food
- Any change at the litter box, or more time spent hiding
While the vet works
A groomer keeps the coat from becoming a second problem while the cause is treated
An unwashed coat does not stay neutral. Grease builds up, the rear end gets soiled, and on a long or medium coat the hair over the hips felts into mats that pull on skin that is already sore. That part we can help with. At Dogtown's cat studio, a quiet space at 210 Eastern Ave away from the dog floors, our cat behavior specialists assess the coat and the cat's temperament first, then choose the lightest service that does the job.
For many of these cats that is Minimal Trims, $45: trimming and partial shaving with no bath, so the soiled rear and any mats over the hips come off in a short, dry visit. A Full Bath, $95, with water, nails and a brush-out, suits a greasy coat once the vet is happy for the cat to be bathed. The Full Service, $120, adds shaving for a coat that has matted across the body. Nail clipping alone is $20, useful for older claws that no longer retract cleanly.
Tell us what the vet found when you book, online, in the Dogtown app or on 978 491-5922. Our groomers work at the cat's pace with minimal restraint, which matters more than ever for a sore cat. If a cat cannot be groomed safely on the day, we stop and refer you back to your vet. Cat appointments run Monday to Saturday inside our opening hours, so a short visit can usually be fitted around a vet appointment the same week.
At home
Between visits, do the reaching your cat can no longer do
Home care for a cat that has stopped grooming is short and frequent, never long and thorough. International Cat Care recommends a soft brush and a fine comb for older cats, teasing mats apart rather than cutting them, and wiping the eyes, ears and back end with moist cotton pads when the cat cannot keep them clean itself. Work where the cat is already lying, and stop while it is still relaxed.
Winter makes this harder on Cape Ann. From October to April, wood stoves and forced hot air dry the indoor air, and a coat the cat is not cleaning fills with static. A short session every day or two through the heating season keeps the job small, and it gives you a regular look at the skin, the weight and the claws, all things your vet will want to hear about.
- 01
Start at the shoulders, where the cat still washes, so the session begins somewhere familiar
- 02
Brush down the spine and over the hips with a soft brush, a few strokes at a time
- 03
Use the fine comb on the britches and above the tail, teasing any knot apart with your fingers
- 04
Wipe under the tail with a damp cotton pad and pat the area dry
- 05
Check the claws once a week and book a $20 clip if they are long
- 06
Make the litter box easy to step into and keep it close to where the cat sleeps
At Dogtown
Help for a cat that has stopped grooming
Dry tidies, baths and full grooms in a quiet room on Eastern Ave, matched to what the vet has found.
Asked and answered
Questions people ask about this
Short, complete answers you can act on today. More in the full FAQ.
My cat is only five and has stopped grooming. Can it be arthritis or teeth?
Will a groom hurt a cat with arthritis?
Should I bathe my cat at home now that it has stopped washing?
Why does my cat smell since it stopped grooming?
How often should a cat that cannot groom itself see a groomer?
More questions? Read the full FAQ
Sources
- Cornell Feline Health Center: loving care for older cats
- Cornell Feline Health Center: is your cat slowing down?
- International Cat Care: special considerations for senior cats
- International Cat Care: dental disease in cats
- Gloucester: local and emergency veterinary offices
Rules and dates change. We re-check every beach, licensing and ordinance page each spring and fall; the source above is the current word.
Keep reading
Next step
Help with the parts your cat can no longer reach.
Book Minimal Trims ($45), a Full Bath ($95), the Full Service ($120) or nails ($20) at our quiet Gloucester cat studio, with no evaluation visit first.
- 01Free evaluationWeekdays 6:30 – 9:30 AM
- 02Book a dayOnline, in the app or by phone
- 03Play, rest, repeatReport card at pick-up
