Poor Blip
The vet says that the fur is coming out because it is old fur that she is not grooming entirely adequately because of her arthritis (the patch is on the right hand side, which is her affected side). He has given Blip a Metacam jab and some Metacam suspension for her arthritis (it is now licensed for use in cats in this form, apparently: I have to give it with or after food once a day).
But also... he expressed her anal glands and what came out was like a huge dollop of brown toothpaste. He said he had rarely seen it so built-up and thick
. It really hurt poor Blip while he was doing it and it took three goes to get it all out.
I have to take her back in three weeks to have her anal glands checked again and to discuss how she is getting on with cleaning etc.
I feel terrible. Not as terrible as Blip obviously, but she must have been in discomfort for some time with so much gunk in her anal glands
On the plus side, her weight has remained absolutely steady and he did give me a good tip: to keep her water supply in a different room from her food. Apparently this encourages cats to drink more (in the wild they would not drink from a water source near their kill as it might be contaminated) and I pass it on.