Scooting

[boscibo]

Twice now I have seen Bo, my 12 year old neutered male, scooting his bum across the floor after using the litterbox. I will call the vet on Monday, but until then any ideas what could be causing it? he has thick fur, but it doesn't look particularly messy back there.

I have thought about parasites, but Bo never goes outdoors.

[Vermontcat]

I was thinking worms since I had a friend who adopted a barn cat who always did that and did have a case of worms. But since you said he never goes outside I don't think so.
Do you think you could call your vet to see what they think? Of course a Saturday night on a holiday weekend it is doubtful you could reach a vet by phone unless it was an emergency.

[boscibo]

I haven't called a vet yet - it doesn't seem like an emergency. My boyfriend says it might be clogged anal sacs. I'll take him to the vet on Monday to make sure. My animals never get sick or hurt except on holidays or weekends.

[neko1]

Sounds like his anal glands need to be expressed. This is more common in dogs than in cats, but it can happen in cats. It's not a dire emergency, but it needs to be dealt with so the anal glands do not become impacted.

[Barbara]

I remember one day Filou had another kind of parasites that is more common in rabbits but cats can get it too (and of course I forgot the name because I never heard it before and never after -comes from raw meat). He got antibiotics and recovered in no time. As long as scooting is the only symptom I think there is no need to disturb the vet's weekend but you should go to see him beginning this week.

[boscibo]

It was his anal glands. Whew, I have never had an anal gland problem with my cats, but the dogs have them expressed before.

The vet said try more fiber in his diet, so I'll give that a whirl.

[Cataholic]

Boscibo- what are you going to do, give him a bran muffin? Or, maybe a metamucil bar? What about some prunes? He he he..I am glad Bo is ok, and it was as simple as anal glands. I am just unsure how to 'up' a cat's fiber intake..what did the vet say? Will Bo be more susceptible to this in the future?

[boscibo]

Believe it or not, the vet told me to give him a teaspoon of canned pumpkin a day. Then maybe work it up to a tablespoon. Bo eats a lot of weird stuff, so I think I'll try that. If he won't eat it, she said I could also switch him over to SD hairball formula. My cats eat the regular SD food, so that is my other choice if he won't eat the pumpkin.

[acatsmeow]

Hello, It could be worms which I am not for certain. My female kitty wasn't scooting her bum on the floor a few times that after she used the litterbox. You can take your cats stool into the vet and see if it is worms or not becuase can treat it with medicine and can get raid of the worms. Please let us know.

[Russian Blue]

I am hearing a lot about anal glands recently! And the pumpkin is the "fiber" of choice when you have to increase it's levels in cats.

Just mix it in with Bo's food and he shouldn't notice a difference. I had to give it to Nakita a while ago and she lapped it up!

[All Creatures Great And Small]

Originally posted by Cataholic
Boscibo- what are you going to do, give him a bran muffin? Or, maybe a metamucil bar? What about some prunes? He he he..

LOL!! That's what the vet told me about my little anal boy, that he should get more fiber. (I seriously doubt he'll eat canned pumpkin mixed with anything since he's so picky.) He had already been on Science Diet Hairball Formula dry, with a 1/2 can a day of moist food, so I figured he was getting a decent amount of fiber. I think some kitties just have goofy glands.