Cat's Oily Tail Finally Clean & No Recurrence!

My little furball first showed signs of an oily tail, which I didn't think much of. However, as time went on, I noticed him frequently licking and scratching at his tail. Upon closer inspection, I discovered the situation was far more severe than I initially thought. The base of his fur was riddled with tiny black spots and dandruff, and several boils had formed, resembling blackheads and acne on a human face.

I was told by a friend at the pet store that a male cat with an excessively oily tail might need a tail amputation. But my cat is already 7 years old, and the risk of surgery is quite high. Therefore, I decided to act quickly to control the situation before it worsened significantly.

Initially, I started by washing my cat's tail with pet shampoo, doing so every few days. I then carefully squeezed out the white pus from the boils and applied a layer of erythromycin ointment to help with the inflammation. After about ten days of observation, the dandruff and blackheads on his tail seemed to decrease slightly, but the boils began to become inflamed, ooze pus, and form scabs, showing no signs of improvement.

Finally, I consulted a veterinarian. He advised against squeezing the boils without proper hygiene, as it could easily lead to infection. Following his guidance, I continued to clean and treat my cat's tail at home for about two weeks, and to my relief, his tail improved by about 70%! The process was surprisingly straightforward!

Cleaning Steps:

1. Shaving: Rinse your cat's tail with hydrogen peroxide, then wash it clean with saline solution, and dry it with a hairdryer. If there are no signs of inflammation or boils, you can simply wash it with pet shampoo or chlorhexidine and dry it with a hairdryer.

2. Medication Application: Disinfect the area with iodine, spray with a skin spray, and apply a thin layer of Fusen (zinc oxide ointment). For areas with bumps, apply a thicker layer. Repeat this twice a day.

Ps: Avoid using erythromycin ointment on open wounds or areas with obvious infection, as it may slow down the healing process by inhibiting the growth of granulation tissue. If there are red bumps without pus, you can use erythromycin ointment. However, if the pus is squeezed out, it's not recommended to continue using it.

3. Antibiotics: Administer oral Assuda (cefadroxil tablets) to help with inflammation and control infection. Take once daily.

4. Elizabethan Collar: After applying the medication, place an Elizabethan collar on your cat for a while to prevent him from scratching. Remove it once he stops trying to scratch.

5. Vitamin Supplementation: Adding vitamin B to your cat's diet can enhance skin resistance and promote healing.

After the scabs and boils have healed, you can stop using hydrogen peroxide and switch to chlorhexidine for cleaning, followed by a skin spray. Once the fur grows back, your cat will be as clean and fresh as ever.

Generally, an oily tail in male cats is related to their mating cycle. Therefore, it's important to keep an eye on your cat during his estrous period. If you notice his tail becoming oily, wash it more frequently to prevent the condition from worsening. This will help keep the situation under control.