Anal Leakage...?

lynx

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My cat Howard lives with my parents in the country. They've been complaining about his "ass problems" for a while now but because I only go home once a week or so, I haven't been able to really observe what has been happening.

Some background information...



Here's Howard. I adopted him from the Humane Society about ten years ago. I estimate that he was two or three at the time. So he's about 12 or 13 now. He has always been large or plump if you will. This may have something to do with the open "trough" type cat feeder that my parents use (despite my efforts to try to convince them otherwise). He doesn't like wet cat food, he doesn't like people food. The only thing he eats is dry cat food. And he throws up quite often. He's been to the vet concerning this issue a few times and the best the vet(s) were able to do was put him on Waltham's Duck and Rice cat food which makes him puke *less* often. (When he pukes it's almost fully formed kibbles of food).
So..
Now we have a phrase in my family where we say "Howard has a bum" and this means that he hasn't done a terrific job of cleaning his arse that particular day. I usually would give him a bath if it got bad, but he usually got around to fixing it eventually.
Lately things are kind of getting worse however. His butt always has some uh..crust on it. Crust isn't even the right term, it's like dried up glob. I thought, well maybe he's too fat to clean it guys? (Back to the trough issue, which they are starting to bend on because I exclaim "THEY ARE SO FAT" every time I come home to visit).
But the issue isn't just an inability to clean it. He's been getting some anal leakage. When he goes to the washroom he meows for a while. Then he will often go *beside* the litter box even when it's sparkling clean. The litterbox is very large and accomodating and is shared with one other cat (they have live communally for nearly a decade, sharing the box isn't the problem). I swear my father cleans it once or twice a day, it's almost always empty.
Then my family will find little uh, drips or dropplings around the house. Like he's done his business, walks away and maybe a bit later s'more comes out uninvited. This is what leaves the mess on his butt. I don't blame him for not licking it off. There is enough of it that it prolly seems unappealing to him.
The vet(s) haven't been of much use. So the summary

-Fat Cat
-Puker
-Meows before going
-Goes beside the box
-Vet is useless

-Anal leakage

So I guess the obvious answer is to see another vet. But I was hoping maybe you guys have some insight to the problem?


As a side note, this cat is a real talker. With age he has become more and more persistant with seeking attention (also since I left the house.) When you pet him now he makes a really bizarre meowly/talking noise (a new one) when you pet/scratch his back. Almost sounding like it hurts. And he does that licking the air thing and runs away. Then comes back. It's almost as if he is really really itchy or something and needs someone to scratch for him? I dunno, any thoughts?
 

sandie

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He could have impacted anal glands. If this is the case, it will get worse, and lead to an infection. It sounds like it needs to be addressed by a vet fairly soon.
 
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lynx

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impacted anal glands? weird. Okay I'll pass that along.
 

mellanie

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The 'licking the air' thing Howard does when you scratch him sounds pretty familiar. I see it a lot at work, usually from heavy kittys when you scratch or touch them somewhere they can't. It seems to be a combination of relief and excitement.
As for his bum problem, anal glands could definitely be the cause... Could your parents find another vet?
 

hissy

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Impacted anal glands can be quite painful if not taken care of quickly. It would also explain his licking
 

barbb

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Hi Lynx

One of my three kitties - Bell- has that butt problem. She is obese, yet she also does not eat people food or wet food. She is on the Purina DM dry food altho she is not yet diabetic.

We call those little clod things on her butt "Klingons"


Bell loves brushing but she will tear your hand off if you touch her tummy or the back part of her body. I'm the only one who can really brush her there, and even then she fusses.

Thanks for the info about anal glands clogging. I've taken my kitty to the vet a few times but have not heard that diagnosis. I am planning on taking her to another vet where they do cat baths, and I think I will see if they can determine whether she has this problem too.

BTW, I used to have a cat who had real serious throwing up problems and I also ended up with Waltham food, albeit wet stuff. Their product seems particularly good for cats with digestive problems.
 

salemsmith

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don't forget to have them do a float and smear test of the stool... something might show up when they do that as well.

~ Salem
 

barbb

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Here is a picture of Bell. I hope it links properly.

I will ask them to do a float and smear test too.

 
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