Cat Growled While Pooping

This post is just an FYI to anyone who may have a similar issue.

My adult cat Zoe began peeing outside of her litter box. Since we have had behavioral issues in the past, I did not think much about this. It was upsetting but probably nothing to worry about.

Then I noticed that she was growling when trying to poop. I only caught this once, but it was enough for me to be concerned. Taking Zoe to the vet for an examination was the best thing for us both!

The vet found that Zoe's anal glands were a little swollen and pink. When she cleaned them out she found grit and a little bit of an infection. She sent us home with an antiobiotic and a clean Zoe butt.

Zoe is like a brand new cat! She has been very happy ever since her butt was cleaned. She plays more, runs more, snuggles more....it's fantastic.

Since anal gland issues are more typical with dogs, I thought it might be helpful to anyone out there experiencing this type of issue with their cat. Check their anal glands!

Good advice! I'd suggest making sure the vet does anal gland examination during their check-ups, even if you don't notice any issues. My little girl had an infected gland, but didn't display any symptoms (no crying, growling, accidents, scooting, nada!) - doctor found it (and took care of everything) during her dental cleaning procedure- so it was all very fortuitous. Cats are so much easier to really examine when they're passed out!

So happy that Zoe is doing better and that she has such a great parent!

Thank you very much for sharing your experience. Taking her to the vet was, of course, the right thing to do, and your information may encourage someone else whose cat has been having trouble, to get kitty in for a check up.