Why is my cat scooting its butt? Could it be anal gland problems?

These signs are usually related to anal glands infection/inflammation. Anal glands need to be expressed and, if infected, treated with antibiotics. Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

If she does it one or two times, then it is likely a normal response to some feces or liquid stuck to her bum. However if she is doing this often, then this is a sign of full anal glands or intestinal parasites which cause irritation to the rectum as they exit, in particular tapeworms. I would take her in to your vet soon to have her checked for parasites and also have her anal glands checked if she is scooting often. Best wishes with your fur baby Oreo. Take care.

Hi there and thank you for using pet coach to address your concern. Mimi may be scooting because of full anal glands. I would recommend having a veterinarian examine her so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. Your vet can perform a rectal and check the glands. Her loose stool may be dietary related. I would consider switching her diet and adding in a probiotic such as Purina fortiflora which can be found online quite easily. 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.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Mini. Scooting can also indicate a problem with the anal sacs. Hers may be impacted and need to be expressed. I'd take her into the vet to have this diagnosed and treated. I hope this helps.

Thanks for visiting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. This appears to be a possible anal gland abscess rupture. This is a spontaneous thing that can happen in pets with anal gland problems, where the anal glands fill up and are not able to express normally. We think this is caused by an underlying allergy, which can be discussed with your vet. Sometimes giving your pet a high fiber diet can help prevent reoccurence. Peanut Butter needs to see your vet for a short course of antibiotics and anti-inflammatory medicine to help this wound heal properly. He may also need the anal gland to be flushed thoroughly while under a mild sedative. I would recommend scheduling an appt for him soon to get this taken care of. In the meantime, you can purchase an e-collar from your local pet store and place it on him to deter him from licking the area and making the inflammation/irritation worse. Poor guy. I hope he gets this resolved soon and is able to go back to his normal self. Best of luck and take care.

It sounds like the odor you are describing is discharge from Ed's anal glands. Anal glands are a scent marking gland (as you could guess) since they produce a very strong odor. It is normal to animals to express anal gland material when very stimulated or startled. I have attached an article below that describes anal glands. https://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=625 I had this occur with one of my cats when he was young, but it no longer is a problem. However, I would recommend having your vet examine Ed's anal glands to make sure they are not overly full. Sometimes cats will need their anal glands expressed intermittently to prevent them from expressing them. Good luck! Please let me know if that was helpful. Thanks for using PetCoach.

Cats have two small scent glands on either side of their rectum called anal glands - if these glands have been leaking a little or if she has expressed them recently, you may notice a very strong odor from her rear end. You can try cleaning the area around her rectum with some warm water and soap to help get rid of the smell. If this is a recurring problem, I recommend having her seen by a vet to check for infection or impaction of the glands.