Do you own a cat that smells so bad? Cats are typically noted for being tidy. The majority are meticulous self-groomers, which keeps them clean and odor-free. However, occasionally you might notice if your cat smells unpleasant. While some cat odors are harmless or simple to treat, others may indicate a health issue.
What makes cats so stinky?
Finding the source of the smell is the best way to learn why your cat stinks. Is your cat merely odorous in its head or face region? a back end? Do you detect an odor throughout the entire coat or just in one area? The first step in solving the issue regarding your stinky cat is to ask these questions: Your chances of successfully assisting your cat will increase after you identify the source of the odor.
Causes of cat odors
There are numerous possible causes of unpleasant odors in cats. Once you've located the smell, you may be able to locate its source. Frequently, your cat will need to visit the vet. It's still crucial to get in touch with your vet, even if you are unsure of the smell's origin.
1 - Mouth Smells
The mouth of a healthy cat doesn't smell, but a lot may be wrong for that to change. Unpleasant cat odors are most frequently caused by dental disease. The development of plaque and tartar on the teeth, irritated gums that are separating from the supporting tissues, and loosened teeth all contribute to poor breath. Food gets stuck in unusual gum pockets while it rots there, and the unsanitary environment can encourage the growth of bacterial illnesses that give off unpleasant odors. Additionally, oral tumors, trauma to the oral tissues, and foreign objects becoming trapped in the mouth can all cause unpleasant odors to appear.
Systemic illnesses can occasionally result in breath that smells strange. The most notable symptom of renal illness is a mouth odour that resembles urine or ammonia. Diabetes mellitus can emit a sweet or "fruity" odour, or when a cat's condition has gotten worse, a nail polish-like odour. Cats with severe liver illnesses or intestinal obstructions may have foul-smelling breath.
2 - Body Smells
Bad body odor may be a sign of a skin condition; however, it's uncommon in cats while becoming typical in dogs. Although bacterial yeast infections on the skin and ears can occur in cats, they are typically not as offensive as they are in dogs. A weird odor may also be present in cats with autoimmune disease; however, this symptom is less common in cats than in dogs.
3 - Ear Smells
The majority of feline ear infections come with unpleasant odors. If a cat has an allergy or another disease that changes the environment for the ear in a way that encourages the growth of yeast, musty-smelling yeast infections can occasionally occur. Depending on the particular type of bacteria involved, bacterial infections may have no apparent underlying cause or be linked to allergies, polyps, tumors, foreign bodies, etc. They typically smell foul or mildly sweet.
Cats with ear mite infestations frequently have a dark substance in their ears that resembles coffee grounds and may also have an unpleasant smell.
4 - Back Part of the Cat Smells
Unless they've just exited the cat litter box, healthy cats are such meticulous self-groomers that you seldom ever smell urine or feces coming from their behinds. However, this could change if cats are unable to groom themselves normally, which is often caused by arthritis, obesity, or a systemic disease.
If you notice an exceptionally potent urine odor coming from the cat's hind end, an infection of the urinary tract may be to blame. Cats with diarrhea, especially long-haired cats, might store farces in the fur surrounding their hind end.
On both sides of the anus, cats have two anal glands that secrete a fishy or musty-smelling substance. Pet parents are hardly conscious that these glands even exist under normal conditions, but if your cat is terrified or agitated, he or she may expel their contents. Even though the stench can be overpowering, as long as it only occurs occasionally, it tends to be normal. More enduring odors may be the result of infections, tumors, and other diseases that impair the anal glands' functionality.
5 - Urinary Smells
If there's a problem, cat urine's strong ammonia-like odor might become even more overpowering. Urine that has urinary tract infections may smell particularly foul. Due to incontinence or an inability to control urination, your cat may have an unpleasant urine or pee odor. It's crucial to visit the vet to identify the cause when your cat stinks like urine.
How to Get Rid of Cats' Bad Smells
Make time to see your veterinarian if you can't immediately determine the benign source of your cat's odor. Cats occasionally smell for perfectly obvious and fairly commonplace reasons, such as after eating a can of extremely stinky cat food or strolling outdoors and investigating the garbage. The doctor should be ready to tell exactly where the stench originates from and what has to be performed next in order to treat it after taking a thorough medical history and performing a physical examination.
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