New To Forum - Adopted Cat Problems

[mbd1974]

Hi, everyone!!

This is my first post on this forum, so please forgive any ignorance and the length of my post.

I adopted a beautiful, 4 yr old female cat from a local animal shelter a little over a month ago. She was very timid at first, but has been getting more and more affectionate and is an all-around great pet.

I have had cats before, but am experiencing a few weird problems with Blu that I would like some input on.

First, she drags her bottom alot. We have taken her to the vet for this several times and so far they have wormed her, drained her anal glands, and she is now on a round of Prednisone. She is almost done with the pills, but still drags several times a day.

This is very annoying, embarrasing, and unclean and I can't hardly stand it, but I keep hoping that the vet will figure out what is wrong and get it taken care of.

Is it possible that she could have hemmoroids or parasites that haven't been detected by the vet? She does it immediately after using the litter box, but she will also do it out of the blue.

I have watched her cleaning herself and have never seen her licking her behind. She licks all around it, and is very meticulous about grooming, but never cleans her bottom.

She is also not covering her poop in her covered litter box. She goes in to use the bathroom (peeing or pooping) and when she gets done, she comes out, turns around and sticks the front of her body in the door and scratches around like crazy (you can hear it all over the house), but the poop or pee is never covered. It also appears like she isn't digging a hole to use the bathroom in.

I read another thread about this, and am thinking of getting her a larger box. Not sure if that is the problem, tho, and would like more input. I do know that the previous foster parent had an open top litter box and she didn't cover her poop in that one either.

I am falling in love with this little girl and hope that I can get the dragging problem taken care of. The litter box habits are annoying, but I can live with that.

I am attaching a picture of Blu so that you guys can see how lovely she is!!

 

[kumbulu]

Hi and welcome to TCS.

Blu really is lovely. If she is scooting directly after coming out of the litter box, she may have a little bit of poop stuck to the fur around her bottom. Often longhair cats get this but shorthairs can get it too. The vet could trim the fur around her bottom so it happens less often. Something else you can do is give her a hand and use a baby wipe to clean her bottom if you notice that it's a little bit poopy.

 

[kumbulu]

As for her not covering her waste, take a look at this thread: http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=66170

 

[rang_27]

First off let me say bravo for getting a shelter kitty!!!

I'm a shelter volunteer & it means so much to us when people take these special animals home. Secondly, you've done the right thing & taken your little cutie to the vet. Your vet has delt with the only two things I know cause scooting. The only question I would have is what did the vet use to treat any possible parasites?

 

[mbd1974]

Thanks for the nice replies!

Rang - The vet has not treated for any parasites yet. I am going to take her back to him next week after the Prednisone runs out.

 

[maratwc]

I don't have an answer for your question, but I did want to say what a gorgeous kitty that is! What a beauty! Also, I think it is wonderful the way you are committed to this cat. You are willing to go to the vet for possible problems, and also willing to overlook your cat not being perfect. Too many people dump animals in shelters due to behavioral problems such as your cat scooting. Your kitty is lucky to have you.

 

[yosemite]

No advice - just wanted to say hi, Blu is really beautiful and that you are awesome for taking such good care of her.

 

[snowleop]

Originally Posted by MaratWC

I don't have an answer for your question, but I did want to say what a gorgeous kitty that is! What a beauty! Also, I think it is wonderful the way you are committed to this cat. You are willing to go to the vet for possible problems, and also willing to overlook your cat not being perfect. Too many people dump animals in shelters due to behavioral problems such as your cat scooting. Your kitty is lucky to have you.

Blu is SUCH a beautiful cat!!

 

[snowleop]

I dont' think that it's probably come to this but, my colleague has a cat who had to get her anal glands removed because she just kept getting them impacted (and they had to express them regularly). I would move to surgery as a last resort, of course. Good luck getting this issue resolved.

 

[snowleop]

Sorry, just another thought, but if you don't feel like your regular vet is helping you, you might ask for a referral to a vet specialist (or you could even look for one on your own).

 

[gayef]

My guess is parasites.

Just a thought here, sometimes, certain foods can make Kitty's ... ummm ... don't know how to say this ... poop experience uncomfortable. Dry or hard stool may cause her some discomfort or may be sticking to the fur around her bottom. What are you feeding her? If she is eating mostly a diet of dry food, try adding a little canned to her daily intake. The extra fluid can't hurt her at all and may help to soften the stool to make it more comfortable.

 

[mbd1974]

Originally Posted by gayef

My guess is parasites.

Just a thought here, sometimes, certain foods can make Kitty's ... ummm ... don't know how to say this ... poop experience uncomfortable. Dry or hard stool may cause her some discomfort or may be sticking to the fur around her bottom. What are you feeding her? If she is eating mostly a diet of dry food, try adding a little canned to her daily intake. The extra fluid can't hurt her at all and may help to soften the stool to make it more comfortable.

I am feeding her Nutro Indoor Cat Formula which is a dry food, and about once a week I give her a wet food meal. The vet told me that a harder stool will actually help any anal gland problems and her stool seems a little runny anyway, so I don't think hard stool is the problem.

I'm hoping it is the parasites, because it could be easily remedied with medication, right?

I trust this vet very much, because he actually got to the root of a problem that I had with a previous pet when a different vet just kept going in circles.

Thanks to everyone for the great comments... This board has a wealth of information!!!

 

[luvzmykatz]

Originally Posted by mbd1974

Hi, everyone!!

This is my first post on this forum, so please forgive any ignorance and the length of my post.

I adopted a beautiful, 4 yr old female cat from a local animal shelter a little over a month ago. She was very timid at first, but has been getting more and more affectionate and is an all-around great pet.

I have had cats before, but am experiencing a few weird problems with Blu that I would like some input on.

First, she drags her bottom alot. We have taken her to the vet for this several times and so far they have wormed her, drained her anal glands, and she is now on a round of Prednisone. She is almost done with the pills, but still drags several times a day.

This is very annoying, embarrasing, and unclean and I can't hardly stand it, but I keep hoping that the vet will figure out what is wrong and get it taken care of.

Is it possible that she could have hemmoroids or parasites that haven't been detected by the vet? She does it immediately after using the litter box, but she will also do it out of the blue.

I have watched her cleaning herself and have never seen her licking her behind. She licks all around it, and is very meticulous about grooming, but never cleans her bottom.

She is also not covering her poop in her covered litter box. She goes in to use the bathroom (peeing or pooping) and when she gets done, she comes out, turns around and sticks the front of her body in the door and scratches around like crazy (you can hear it all over the house), but the poop or pee is never covered. It also appears like she isn't digging a hole to use the bathroom in.

I read another thread about this, and am thinking of getting her a larger box. Not sure if that is the problem, tho, and would like more input. I do know that the previous foster parent had an open top litter box and she didn't cover her poop in that one either.

I am falling in love with this little girl and hope that I can get the dragging problem taken care of. The litter box habits are annoying, but I can live with that.

I am attaching a picture of Blu so that you guys can see how lovely she is!!

My first cat Patty would drag her butt on the floor like this when she was in heat. It drove me nuts.

 

[kathylou]

Oh she is so sweet.

Was she an outside cat before? I have seen outside cats scoot.

 

[talon]

How about the litter? maybe the brand you are using is irritating her bottom?

 

[mbd1974]

To answer the previous questions...

She was found outside before being taken to the shelter, but was declawed (front) and not fixed. The shelter paid to have her fixed, so that should rule out dragging from being in heat.

Also, I am using Exquisicat litter from PetSmart. It is clumping clay litter.

 

[lotsocats]

I think you adopted Blu from the rescue group I work with. (If you adopted her in West Kentucky, then Blu was one of our shelter rescues.) If this was our Blu....even though I didn't meet you, I have been told what a great person you are and really appreciate the fact that you adopted this sweet kitty!

Anyway.....chances are that Blu's intestinal tract is still getting used to all of the changes in diet she has gone through since being a stray, then a shelter cat, then a foster cat, and then an adopted cat. I'll bet that once her system gets used to the good food you are giving her, this problem will go away.

You mentioned that Blu had soft stool initially....well, if I were a cat, I wouldn't want to lick that off my rear either, so I can't blame her for scooching across the floor instead.

Again, I'll bet that this problem resolves itself once her system is stable.

Thanks again for adopting Blu (even if this isn't the Blu from western KY).

 

[mbd1974]

Wow!!

Small world...I am in Western Kentucky and Blu (formerly Blue at the shelter) came from Calloway County Rescue.

I hope that you are right about the change in diet being the cause of the problem. She will be thru with her Prednisone on Monday, so I'm going to take her back to the vet next week to see if he wants to do anything further.

I guess I should be thankful that she's using the floor instead of the furniture!

 

[lotsocats]

Originally Posted by mbd1974

I guess I should be thankful that she's using the floor instead of the furniture!

Isn't that the truth!

 

[laureen227]

no new advice here either - but had to chime into the Blu admiration society chorus - she's so pretty!