Dog ate chocolate?

 ask a vet

Licking at private parts.

Species: Cat
Breed: Maine Coon
Age: 2-5 years
I have a Indoor Male Maine Coon Cat 3 years 9mnths old, Eats 4 times a day Raw food diet 6am & Midnight and Wellness Canned 12noon and 6PM, He is eating and playing normally but over the last week we have noticed him cleaning his private parts more, my husband noticed when he used the litter box this morning that the fecal matter was dry and had some blood on it. Should he be seen? Trying to avoid taking him in.


Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

Hi there Rebecca!

Maine Coons are wonderful cats but they often can have problems with their beautifully long coats.

From what you have described, most likely he is overgrooming himself to try to get rid of the fecal matter that is stuck to him. From experience this can be very difficult to get rid of!

In our practice I find we almost always have to shave the area to clean it properly. You may want to phone your vet clinic and see if they could have the technician staff shave Thunder. This way you can save money by not having to have a physical exam with the doctor.

I have found that bathing just makes matters worse. Plus, if we leave it too long, often the skin underneath gets infected and this is very uncomfortable.

Whenever a cat is grooming in this area I get a little bit concerned about urinary tract disease which can be serious, but most likely this is simply because of the poop issue.

I hope he does ok!

Dr. Marie.


Do you have a pet website? Interested in learning more about SEO for Wix?

Check out our dog age calculator and cat age calculator.

Want to receive pet coupons, vet advice and info on new pet products in your inbox?

* indicates required

We'll only send you great stuff, never spam. Unsubscribe any time.

Disclaimer: Although Dr. Marie is a qualified veterinarian, the information found on this site is not meant to replace the advice of your own veterinarian. AskAVetQuestion.com and Dr. Marie do not accept any responsibility for any loss, damage, injury, death, or disease which may arise from reliance on information contained on this site. Do not use information found on this site for diagnosing or treating your pet. Anything you read here is for information only.

Search for similar questions:

ask a vet

Popular questions...

Dog drinks every 20 minutes. I have a 10 year old chihuahua and she is drinking alot of water...she is eating... (20196 views)

Pink growths on chest of dog. Sometime in the past 4 weeks my dog has developed small string like pink growths on... (18107 views)

Vomiting and diarrhea every two weeks. I adopted my yorkiepoo from a local shelter in 12/2012. From that time until a few... (13970 views)

Fearful Sheltie. my dog is very nervous of new people and places. she is very nervous and can't focus... (11797 views)

Swollen neck on cat. My cat was been experiencing avswollen upper neck and underneath chin. It has... (30311 views)

Red lump between dog's toes. Hello I noticed that Sam has a big red swellen bump between second and third... (96131 views)

Vacuolar hepatopathy. Hi Dr. Marie I am following up with you regarding Oreo's elevated bile acid... (23381 views)

Dog's face is swollen. my dog's face is swollen, her muzzle is swollen on both sides and very firm/hard... (133370 views)

Cat hair loss. My cat has some blood above both er of her eyes and it looks like the fur fell out.... (58628 views)

Dog losing chunks of fur. My dog has been loseing chunks of fur on his face only then next day the skin turns... (12100 views)

See all questions...

Dr. MarieDr. Marie is a veterinarian who practices in a busy animal hospital in Ottawa, Ontario. She created Ask A Vet Question as a resource for good, accurate veterinary advice online. Dr. Marie treats dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, and rats. She has been a vet since 1999.

Is an online vet visit just as good as a trip to your veterinarian? No! But, many times, asking an online veterinarian a question can help save you money. While Dr. Marie can't officially diagnose your pet or prescribe medications, she can often advise you on whether a vet visit is necessary. You can also ask Dr. Marie for a second opinion on your pet's condition.