How to treat?

Question
Our male cat is 3 yrs old.  Over the course of the last several months we've noticed a dark dirty-looking area on his tail where it joins with his body (he had beautiful long white fur). Despite regular shampoos the area has increased half-way down the length of his tail and he has begun to shed tuffs of hair on his back flank area.  The head and neck area looks fine but the rest of him is looking oily and unkept.  We are short on funds due to husband being out of a job. What could this possibly be (fur mites?) and how can we treat this before taking him to the vet?

Answer
Hi Donna.  Sarcoptic mites as well as other less common mites (collectively called mange) do infect cats, so that's a possibility.  The base of the tail is also where you'll find "flea dirt" - flea feces that look like small particles of dirt close to the skin.  Fleas can be treated with Advantage or Frontline - these are the ONLY over-the-counter flea treatments I advocate.  There are many others on the market that aren't safe.  Mites AND fleas can both be treated with Revolution, which is available through vets only.  For suspected mites, the treatment should be applied once and then repeated in two weeks (rather than after one month as for fleas).

However, from your description, I'm thinking it's likely your kitty's got a case of stud tail.  It occurs mostly in unneutered males but is also seen in neutered males and females as well.  This is very similar to acne.  It's caused by overactive oil glands toward the base of the tail area.  It causes greasy fur, black waxy buildup and fur loss.  In serious cases, infection of blocked pores can occur.

Usually the best treatment for stud tail is to use a scrub with benzoyl peroxide on the area (like Oxy).  I suggest to use it once, and then swab the area with a mild skin toner (I prefer Neutrogena facial toner) once a day until the condition clears.  You can use the scrub once a week if needed.  However, don't use this treatment if there is any scabbing or broken skin.  Open wounds like this are NOT consistent with stud tail, and this treatment will sting and could worsen the condition if you are not dealing with stud tail.

If you don't begin seeing improvement within a couple weeks, or if the condition worsens, it's off to the vet you go.

Best wishes!

Jessica