My cat scoots after litter box. Is it urgent? What should I do?

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. This behaviour is usually related to worms or impacted anal glands. Please, de-worm Aldo (you can buy de-worming medications over the counter) but if there is no improvement after a few days, you should take her to your local vets to get her anal glands checked.

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.

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. If it has gone back to normal, then it likely was just a bit harder for him to pass that bit of poop. This could have been a one-off episode for Pumpkin, or it could be a sign that his poops are too hard. You can try just monitoring him and feeling his poop to see if it is hard or squishy. If it is hard, or very wide for his anus, then try adding canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling, just plain canned pumpkin) to his diet. This will increase fibre. Also, with his name it is fitting that this should help him. Otherwise, just keep an eye on it and make sure it doesn't stay out. If it comes out and stays out, this is a true emergency which requires fixing right away. Best of luck with Pumpkin.

I would have Duchess seen by a vet for this problem, but I wouldn't consider it an emergency to rush her into one tonight. It could be that she has impacted anal sacs or intestinal worms causing her to scoot her butt. Clearly it's something that's bothering her, which is why she needs to see a vet, but you can wait to call the vet until they are open in the morning. I hope this helps!

I would base the decision on going to the emergency clinic more on his attitude and behavior. If he continues to seem distressed then maybe consider going tonight. It is possible that he is having discomfort from an anal sac infection or from constipation. Do the white spots move? Do they look like rice? If so they may be tapeworm segments. Keep a sample of the feces in a ziplock type bag for your veterinarian to see. Best of luck and I hope he improves soon.

I would recommend having Paws examined by a vet. Sometimes cats will start to feel sluggish and uncomfortable in the litter box if they have a UTI, bladder stones, some inflammatory conditions, or constipation. Since you aren't seeing much in the box, it is hard to determine which is the case, but a vet should be able to figure it out on physical exam.

Hello, I worry about cats having diarrhea when it lasts for more than two days, or is accompanied by a change in behavior, such as lethargy or increased hiding, or a decrease in appetite. I would not be concerned about a single incident with no other changes. I hope this is helpful. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.