Animal Welfare Professionals

My cat is 17. I’ve had him two years, and he’s recently developed a black, flaky coating on the skin of his tail. It coats most of the fur on his tail.

He doesn’t seem bothered by it much. His vet had no idea, but gave me medicated wipes; those didn’t seem to help. My fiancée bathed him, which helped a lot, but now the problem has resurfaced and doesn’t seem to be slowing down.

 

Can anyone tell me what’s going on, and/or how to help him?

#cats
#skincare
#PetHealthandNutrition

Did your vet. suggest eczema/feline acne-and wiping/washing off the area regularly? Allergies if you are giving her something new, or newly developed allergies? Lack of grooming-arthritis? Or if she is eating less she may be grooming less.

WEB MD has pictures of FELINE ACNE that may help. I  (google) typed in black discharge on cats tail.

There were several references to "STUD TAIL" which may be quite helpful if you research that topic. You may want to confer with your vet. FIRST before following any suggestions-she may have ruled these out already with good reason.

Thank you for caring and working towards an answer!

#PetHealthandNutrition

It sounds like your cat might have a condition often referred to as stud tail (feline tail gland hyperplasia), which can happen in both neutered and intact cats-especially in older cats. This is caused by overactive sebaceous (oil) glands along the tail, leading to a black, flaky, or waxy buildup on the fur and skin.

Here are a few ways to help manage it:

1. Gentle, regular cleaning – Bathing helps, but you might also use a cat-safe degreasing shampoo once or twice a week. Avoid human shampoos, as they can cause dryness or irritation.

2. Medicated wipes or chlorhexidine solution – If the wipes from your vet didn't work, switching to a chlorhexidine-based pet cleanser or mousse can sometimes help break down the oil buildup.

3. Check for secondary infections – Yeast or bacteria can develop in the oily buildup, requiring a vet-prescribed topical or oral treatment.

4. Diet and grooming support – Adding omega-3 fatty acids to the diet can support skin health, and regular brushing helps prevent buildup.

For great pet nutrition and products , chewy has an excellent selection. Learn about starting an account here, its easy.

If the problem keeps recurring despite these steps, I'd suggest asking your vet to run a skin scraping or culture to rule out mites, fungal infections, or other underlying skin conditions.

------------------------------
enzo Dirienzo
csr
Enzo Dirienzo
ON
------------------------------

I wonder if it's an allergy, possibly even seasonal. My thought would be, since the bath helped so much, to get some waterless bath products for pets like the foam or cleansing wipes for sensitive skin. This would allow you to clean it daily (or every other day to avoid drying out the skin) while avoiding the stress of a full bath.

I hope you find something that helps! 

------------------------------
Brandi Washburn
Executive Director
Bigglesworth Sanctuary
VA
------------------------------