I have a new boy in foster (est. age between 4-7 years) and he was neutered sometime between the 11th and when I picked him up on the 16th, but I’m not sure when.
I’ve had some stinky toms before but he is particularly potent and very upset at the presence of my boys (neutered and completely unfazed by him) which I am under the assumption is due to his stray tomcat instincts and the fact he had an abscess that had burst so he’s clearly been a fighter (he’s being treated for this he’s doing amazing).
Is there any way I can help him flush out the rest of that pesky, stinky man hormone so he can 1) chill out and 2) stop stinking :)?
(Added the picture because he’s so sweet!)
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Is a bath not an option? Dawn dish soap is great for odors, also. Arm and Hammer makes a dry shampoo.
I think the implication is that he's spraying.
If he's spraying, he's marking his territory. If that's the case they make marking deterrent but I found that doesn't do much. Getting a black light and scrubbing his marking spots is about the only solution I've come up with when dealing with this. Hopefully when his hormones die down, so will his territorial drive.
He’s not spraying, he was just VERY stinky. Bathing was not an option. He has since gotten a lot better smell-wise, and some extra water in his food is helping with the last of his peepee smell
Stinky boy gets the girls, lol! Now that that isn't an option, he should start smelling better.
Time will help as without his trouble puffs he's going to run out of the hormones.. Diet is also a factor. But a bath or cat safe baby wipes should help.
A bath? Alternatively they sell odor reducing wipes
The most smell comes from the anal glands that empty into the anus and coat the stool as it comes out.
There are pumpkin/pumpkin seed power supplements that help reduce the smell by bulking up stools so they push the older, stinkier smell of the pre-neuter gland contents faster and help keep the stuff from building up.
In this guy’s case? I would mix the reccomended dose of the pumpkin fiber with 1/4 tsp of activated charcoal and a tablespoon of water, then add both with either 2 tablespoons of wet food or churu tube. Whatever gets it into his tummy. The activated charcoal will help speed up cleaning the funk from his bum. And the extra water will prevent it from making him constipated.
Also, the Tomcat funk is probably clinging to his bum, and paws. So, use a plain washcloth, and swish it in a quart of warm water to which you’ve added one drop of Dawn washing liquid. Wring the cloth out until just damp. Then gently rub his paws, getting between the pads. Re-soak/wring out the cloth between each paw. And repeat the process for his behind- being gentle around any recent surgical spots. You may want to gently go over his bum a few times. Then repeat the process using just water. Repeat daily as the stink reduces. Washing his bedding and keeping a towel tucked over his favorite sleeping spots will help reduce any lingering smells.
Poor baby, is he on antibiotics? Looks like an abscess. He is probably in pain so I wouldn’t do a bath.
It was absolutely an abscess that had burst. I picked him up from the vets so they’d given me everything he needed for his treatment, he’s doing amazingly 🥰
Do nothing (other than keep taking care of him medically of course). It takes about a week for a neutered male cat’s stink to go away and you’re halfway there already. Although it doesn’t hurt to have a water fountain and extra bowls of water so that he drinks a lot of water.
I did opt for extra water in his food (he was crated for a little while unless supervised, now he has access to the fountain 24/7) which helped!
The thought of giving a feral a bath terrifies me. I’ve bathed one cat in my life and it was my domesticated cat that had known me for years and it was still a terrible experience for everyone involved. I was trying to help her as she had diarrhea and in the bath she kept producing this horrendous smell and I think liqui-pooping. 🤢 The memory is thankfully a little foggy.
I would not bathed a fresh indoor cat for aromatic purposes. Dude has gone through enough.
Does he like being petted? If so, using a wipe with lunkwarm water over and over will help a bit. But realistically? He just have to wash himself and air out what is left of troublearoma.
Make sure nothing is infected.
There is shampoo that comes in a spray and you wipe down the cat with it on paper towels.
Spraying get a wet dry vacuum from bissel with pet scent fluid, try to figure out where and why he sprays.
My cat will take towels down in the bathroom and mark them but nowhere else.
AWWW... He is a cutie!! Thank you for helping him have a better life!! I don't think there's much you can do to make the stink go away faster. It's something you two will have to ride out together! Lol! TY for saving a life though!! Tom cats always end up being the sweetest most loving cats!! I love them!!
He is amazing! Such a love bug and has the loudest purrs! Hates the other cats still but is doing better with them for the most part.
Accesses smell are you certain it is healing the way it should be. There are wipes at pet stores for cats. Used them on a cat who had Hotspot from fleas & sprayed by skunk. He was on the same flea medication for all that time & it failed. We were given a sample by the vet. Edit: he should have been given antibiotics even if they drained it. Ask if they were administered during surgery.
Bath not yet. He's been through enough right now. You haven't earned enough trust yet
If you do not have a pheromone diffuser I would suggest putting one in the house. And as somebody else suggested if you cannot give him a bath at least try wiping him down with unscented baby wipes. Good luck and thank you for being a foster parent you guys are awesome 🐾🐾😻🙏🫶
What’s on his head?
Probably where the access burst 💥
He had an abscess that burst, he was on meds at the time (I picked him up from the vets). It’s now just a scab that’s significantly smaller than it was and he’s doing great!
That’s great news!
Definitely do a bath. Maybe with a baking soda rinse. Nothing too chemical for the baby..