Skinny kitty

sophie11

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a few weeks I joined this site, in sharing pictures, stories, and even some wisdom about our beautiful animals We call our friends. Now I jumped in, without looking below, because I knew it wouldnt be that hard for me to figure out. Well, I'm a little stumped to say the least. So, I'm going to do my best, and if anyone had any tips telling me if I'm doing it right, or wrong, I would love the feedback! Thank you. ok so 3 weeks ago I posted a picture of my 4 month old kitten Sophie,and named it skinny kitty. I had a question about whether she was too skinny or not I still have that question. she eats all of the time and to me looks very skinny and lanky. and a few days ago, I saw her scooting herself across the floor on her bottom. can anybody tell me what that was all about I take her in 2 weeks now to get spayed,but I don't think I can wait that long to ask the vet. if any body has any thoughts on this please I would love to hear it thank you Amy
 

Columbine

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Scooting is generally due to blocked anal glands. It's more common in dogs but it happens to cats too. The vet or a vet tech can empty them for you. It's no big deal, it just means squeezing them to clear the blockage (a bit like squeezing a spot. Gross but true ;) ). You can be shown how to do it yourself, but it's a stinky business and I've always opted to let the vet deal with it. Occasionally blocked anal glands can become infected,so it's always a good idea to get them emptied at the first sign of a problem.

Having said that,my Shadow just seems to enjoy scooting :lol: He had blocked glands once, but ever since he's scooted anyway. He's repeatedly checked but has never been blocked since :rolleyes:

With her weight, it's very hard to tell with seeing her in person. If she's been wormed and is eating well with no signs of digestive upset I wouldn't start panicking. The vet can tell you if she's underweight or not when you take her in. Do bear in mind that some breeds are leggier than others and it could just be her natural shape.
 

puck

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At 4 to 5 months, long, lanky, and lean is great. Healthier condition for her spay surgery too, without that thick band of abdominal fat in the way when she gets her incision. Rather than skinny kitty, think of her as "ideal diva."

Itchy/irritated anus can lead to scooting. If they have some fecal debris that's dried to the anus, they'll scoot. If they have tapeworms emerging, it's very itchy, and they'll scoot. Look closely for said debris, or little worm segments called proglottids, the egg packets tapeworms eliminate to spread and multiply in new hosts. They can hang around the anus, along the hair that falls below the anus, and the tail. The rice like segments dry out if caught in the hair. Both moist and dried segments make them itchy on their hind.

Unlikely such a young cat has impacted glands, as he's not had them long enough to be troublesome. In adult cats, I could express old dried anal gland debris from every feline surgery patient, as they all had large palpable glands. Taking advantage of their anesthetic stillness to check the glands while they're out for alter surgery, mass removal, dental, or other low risk surgery, since they don't tolerate it awake and it's high pressure/painful to empty their packed glands. Cats don't drain from their gland ducts; when stressed and scared they'll tighten up enough to express their anal glands, often only occurring at the vet or when in a cat fight, hit by a car, or other high stress trauma.

Some have held the same debris for years in their glands, with no expression, and it's soil-like solid by the time I've emptied the glands gratis with a nail trim during anesthesia. Dogs get fistulas and abscesses from such obstruction of their glands. Have only seen a single feline patient affected so, and have never had a feline in need of anal sacculectomy, versus many canines affected and had surgery.
 
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