Awful Cat Odor

by Jason
(Kansas City KS USA)

I brush my cat every other day, but during the spring, she gets really bad matted fur so I have to work harder to get them out. Well, the other day, I noticed her cat hair getting bad and when I started petting her, my cat started hissing and scratching me. Then, quite suddenly, there was an awful smell.

Well, I didn’t pay much attention to the cat odor until I started to brush her and she really started hissing and growling and then there it was again. It made my stomach churn! What would that cat smell be from? My cat was spayed well over a year ago.


Dear Jason,

Without smelling the cat odor myself, I really cannot say for sure what the cause of the smell may be. The odor could be the result of a feline infection, possibly under your cat’s skin or under any matted fur. Another possibility would be that your cat’s anal sacs discharge when she is upset. In any event, your cat should be examined by a veterinarian to determine the cause and treat any infections or anal sac issues.

I would also like to briefly address a concern about your cat’s hair. If you aren’t doing so already, I would strongly recommend using a FURminator in the future for preventing matted cat hair. Matted fur can become quite painful for a cat, and can create the perfect breeding ground for bacteria and infections.

Best wishes,
Dr. Neely