My unneutered cat has an oily spot at his tail base. What is it?

Stud tail is commonly seen in intact male cats but can also be seen in neutered males and females. It results in skin disease at the base of the tail. Symptoms and Types: Greasy (sometimes matted) hair at the base of the tail Missing hair at the base of the tail Blackheads (comedones) on the skin at the base of the tail Waxy substance on the skin and hair at the base of the tail Skin infection at the base of the tail A foul odor the condition often does not resolve although in some cases neutering your cat can solve the issue.

This sounds like a condition called "stud tail", quite common in cats and is believed to be an hormonal imbalance causing the skin to secrete oily substance that manifest itself as black dot, mainly in the tail but not only (the chin is also a common area). there is no effective treatment for this and the condition is not dangerous and usually does not bother the cat, some special shampoos can help in some cases (such as sebocalm for example).

Supracaudal gland hyperplasia or stud tail primarily affects tom cats that are not neutered, however it can sometimes affect females and neutered toms as well. It is caused by an excess amount of male hormones which encourage the production of sebum, an oily or waxy substance, by the supracaudal gland at the base of the tail. Your vet will examine the fur and base of the tail to rule out masses and parasite or bacterial infection. Stud tail is usually treated with antiseborrheic shampoos, which should be used regularly to keep the area clean. If infection is present your kitty needs a course of antibiotics.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. From your description, it sounds as though he is dealing with a condition called seborrheic dermatitis. In this condition, there is excessive sebum (the greasy stuff) that accumulates on the skin and hair, leading to inflammation / hair loss. I would recommend having a veterinarian take a look at him so that the most appropriate diagnostic testing and treatment recommendations can be made. I would recommend using a shampoo that contains Benzoyl Peroxide (such as Dermabenz) and bathe him twice weekly until this resolves. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is possibly due to allergies. It really comes down to figuring out what is causing him allergies so that they can be treated or the specific allergen avoided. A secondary infection is likely and also needs to be addressed. Even if you have not being able to see fleas, this could still be flea dirt but I agree that it is less likely. There are many things that can cause allergies though in most cases they can be broken down into 3 big categories: flea, food and environmental allergies. Allergies are usually worked up in a stepwise fashion starting with flea allergies as this is the easiest and cheapest to take care of. If not on a flea preventative, then it would be a good idea to get started on one. If already on one then it would be a good idea to change to something else (there are many new products out in the market). If not improved in 1-3 months then it is time to move on and check for food allergies by switching to a novel diet (new protein and new carbohydrate). If that does not seem to be the issue then you are left out having to check for environmental allergies which require blood and/or skin tests. Allergies can be very frustrating to deal with at first but so rewarding at the end when we are able to treat them effectively!

Dog actually have a scent gland in that location on the tail that we can see develop some problems in intact male dogs secondary to testosterone. This is most commonly called "stud tail" since it only seems to occur in intact male dogs. It sometimes does not cause a problem, but the area can become greasy and a bacterial skin infection can develop. Anytime there is hair loss in the area, we recommend having your vet evaluate it. They may recommend antibiotics or may recommend a medicated shampoo or wipe for the area to prevent infection. Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

If Jagger goes outdoors he may be developing abscesses at the base of his tail that are rupturing and healing - abscesses most often form after a cat bite. He may also have a dermatological condition like allergies, fleas, or 'stud tail' that is causing bacterial infections at the base of his tail. I would recommend making an appointment with your veterinarian to have these sores examined. He may need antibiotics.