Anal gland question

We found/adopted a persian cat this summer. She was severly under fed. We took her to the vet multiple times and had her treated for it seemed just about everything. She has been fine since and has put on weight but is by no means overweight. Yesterday I noticed she had gotten messy behind. She has had cling ons before but this was messy and smelly. I cleaned her up and clipped the hair a little around the anus to reduce the chance for what I thought was cling ons. Tonight she was messy again. It was very smelly and the litter box had many small soft poops. Her anus seams a little raw and I just saw her scooting for the first time. After reading threads in this forum I suspect the anal gland. I plan to take her to the vet tomorow to check her out if I can get out of the driveway (big ice storm is supposed to hit here tonight). Question - is this common in persians or cats that have been under weight - or is this most likely a fluke. What can I do to prevent this from happening again? thanks

What is your kitty's name?
You are doing the right thing by going to your vet to get a definitive diagnosis.
Because your kitty had some loose stools and there was residue...it's possible that her anal area is irritated from bacteria rather than a scent sac issue.
You vet will be able to tell you.

I don't know about Persians, but after your apt. tomorrow, please let us know what you found out.
It if is a scent sac problem...
let us know and I will tell you what I do for my boy Dexter who has a plugging problem.

I am sending calming vibes to you and your kitty.
Drive carefully on that ice.

The loose stools could be a cause or an effect from the anal glands. What kind of food is she getting? Sometimes a change in the amout of fiber can prevent future problems; however it is important to determine if something else is causing the stool problem to begin with.

Take a stool sample along with you to the vet visit. Some parasites can cause itching and scooting, too.