Butt dragging...exhausted all options..HELP

[bubby]

OK, our youngest cat Niko is about 2 years old. When we first got him, he would drag his butt on the carpet every once in a while. It stopped for months.

About 2 months ago he started doing it again. We took him to the vet. He had worms. OK, at least we have a reason. They purged his anal glands, gave him worm meds, and everything was fine for about a week. He did it again. Back to the vets we go.

His glands are fine, he has no worms. The vet showed me how to do it, so we did it again. There was no clogging or anything.

Every time he goes #2, we always find marks on the floor/rugs, usually accompanied by a single turd. It is like he isn't finishing in the litter box. What the heck is going on? I am getting very tired of cleaning up after him, and don't know how much more I can take.


Also, we changed their litter to the new "green" litter. It is made from corn. He goes pee in it just fine, but when it comes time for #2, he goes on the floor/rug/where he feels like. Why would he pee, but not poop in the litter box?!?


I am getting really fed up with it, and am thinking about just locking him in the bathroom while I am at work all day. I really DON'T WANT TO DO THIS, but I can't take it anymore.


Any suggestions? Physically, he is fine. I honestly think he is just mentally retarded.


2 cats in the house, with 2 litter boxes. The other one always comes and gets us and meows her head off when he does something wrong.

 

[kailie]

Is he long haired? If this is the case, the poop may be getting caught up in his fur on the way out. I suggest trimming the fur around his behind. My Mom has an old, fat cat who does the same think. He is long haired and isn't too good at reaching around to clean his bum afterwards, so he scoots too. She has to have him trimmed all the time.

 

[carolina]

A lot of cats just don't like peeing and pooping on the same box... Having two boxes can help you a lot. This is the case with all my three cats...

Also, try this litter, Cat Attract Litter - you can get it at PetSmart, and many other pet supplies. Here is the website for it, in case you need to find a store. They also have a rebate form, you can get it on the website that will give you the money back for the first bag, so you will have it for free.
This litter will help you a LOT.

Aside from the above post, where the poop can be stuck on the fur, something else that comes to mind, is hairball problems. The poop is getting stuck because of the hair, and the only way he sees to get it out, is to drag his butt on the floor... Do you feed him only dry food? Increasing the wet food intake can help him. Also, brushing him often, adding a hairball treatment to his routine... (In my house butter works well)
You can also add a little canned pumpkin to his wet food everyday - this will add some fiber to his diet, helping with the issue.

 

[darlili]

While I swear by Cat Attract, the key with kitty litter is that the kitty must like it - no matter that it's green, that the cat up the street likes it, that it's on sale, or is made of diamond dust - if kitty doesn't like it, it won't work! Cats can be picky regarding texture and smell of their litter.

Also, rule of thumb is one box for each cat plus one - thus, three for your house if possible. I have two cats and actually have four medium sized boxes - seems to work well for us.

Good luck - I've been there and know how it can drive you to cry - or drink!

 

[carolina]

Originally Posted by darlili

While I swear by Cat Attract, the key with kitty litter is that the kitty must like it - no matter that it's green, that the cat up the street likes it, that it's on sale, or is made of diamond dust - if kitty doesn't like it, it won't work! Cats can be picky regarding texture and smell of their litter.

Also, rule of thumb is one box for each cat plus one - thus, three for your house if possible. I have two cats and actually have four medium sized boxes - seems to work well for us.

Good luck - I've been there and know how it can drive you to cry - or drink!

Ops, sorry, I missed that you have 2 cats!
Yep, three litter boxes... I would fill the two extra ones with Cat Attract though... It is the one that is known to fix problems like this, hands down. IMO it will give you the best chances, as far as litter going...
While Worlds Best Cat Litter, the corn one, which I think it is the one the OP is referring to is an excellent litter, not all cats like it. In my house I had a box with it, and only one cat out of three used it...
Cat attract on the other hand, I was barely able to fill the boxes and Lucky was already jumping in.

 

[strange_wings]

Sounds like he's not getting it all out while in the litter box. Two things seem to cause this in healthy cats: Food issue making the stools just a bit too soft (not diarrhea) or too firm, and cats that eat things such as hair or having longer fur in their poo. Both things will make them jump out and drag their butt nearly every time there's a "cling on".

I have a couple that are known to eat my hair occasionally... often trying with the hair still on my head.

There was a past thread.. sometime last fall where a member had a similar issue. Everyone suggest litter and box changes when it was actually a stool issue.

So look at the source of the problem and try things to fix that. Talk to your vet again, too. Worms do not always show up in fecals, so there is a possibility that deworming didn't get them all and a repeat treatment is needed.

 

[bubby]

He is a Domestic short hair. We've been giving him stool softeners every day (just regular phillips human ones) and that somewhat lowers the frequency of it.


Yes we only feed them dry food. How often should I feed him wet food? Like every other feeding?




And now my other cat just pissed on the bed...twice. WONDERFUL. I am getting rid of this litter. I will look into the other stuff.

 

[carolina]

Originally Posted by bubby

He is a Domestic short hair. We've been giving him stool softeners every day (just regular phillips human ones) and that somewhat lowers the frequency of it.
Who told you to do this? the vet? This can be dangerous... Please stop immediately, and give him just a little butter, or proper cat hairball medicine.

Yes we only feed them dry food. How often should I feed him wet food? Like every other feeding?
As much as possible, everyday is best... In his case, that you are seeing this problem, the more moisture he has in his food, the better.



And now my other cat just pissed on the bed...twice. WONDERFUL. I am getting rid of this litter. I will look into the other stuff. This can be a sign of an UTI. Cats do not do this out of Spite. I know you are frustrated, but please take this cat to the vet ASAP - he can have a urinary tract infection, and that can be quite serious, especially if this is a male cat. Cats do not just pee outside of their boxes for nothing...
What happens is that when they have an UTI, and it hurts to urinate, they associate the pain with the box, so the start going outside of it thinking it is not going to hurt...
Please the firs thing to do is taking him to the vet. Also, make sure to clean the spot with a good enzyme cleaner and block his access to that area while the cleaner is working, so he doesn't go back there.

Good Luck.

 

[bubby]

Carolina, yes the vet told us to do that. We will just try to wet cat food thing from now on. Should we still feed him dry food too or just switch to wet?


We found cat pee in our bed last night after we got home, and just assumed it was him (the male with the pooping issues). I woke up this morning, put the comforters in the washer, and went back up stairs....more pee on the bed. I ran to find him, flipped him over, and he was totally dry. So I went and grabbed our other cat [female] (who, by the way, NEVER has done anything like this) and as soon as I flipped her, I smelled pee. Her paws were wet too so it had to have been her.


Frustration doesn't even begin to describe how I am feeling right now.


Also, both of them were fixed at about 6 months, so I'm not sure how much that has to do with anything.


Thank you for all your responses.

 

[carolina]

Please take the kitty who peed to the vet, it can be an UTI, and it needs treatment. I do understand your frustration...
Laundry will not do it - you need an enzyme cleaner, made for urine and feces...

As far as the wet food, yes, you can feed both... I would feed 2 wet meals, and then complement it with dry food for the rest of the day...

Good luck!

 

[strange_wings]

Your girl needs to see the vet, and if they'll let you bring your male in at the same time you should do that. (that way they both smell like vet)

And it figures it's constipation, that was the last member's problem, too. I'm terrible at remembering member names but her little one Buck was having major constipation issues.

Using a stool softener all the time really isn't the greatest solution - it just treats the symptom. It would be best to find out what is causing his constipation and try to solve it. A lot of stool issues are food related, so you may need to discuss foods with your vet and see there's a wet or wet and dry combination they'll help you with.

 

[bubby]

Just got back from the store. Got an enzyme cleaner, sprayed the bed, and soaked it up. It's drying now. I can't smell it anymore so hopefully I got it all. I think I kinda lucked out because it didn't really have a chance to dry in the fabric.

As for the laundry, I pulled out the comforters and can't smell ANYTHING on them at all. I think it because I washed them so fast it got it out but maybe not. Gonna let them air dry a little bit and give them the smell test again. I have the enzyme cleaner now so if I find a smell, I'll get it taken care of.


I also picked up their old litter while I was out. Put it in the litter box, and didn't even finishing filling it before our little girl jumped in and did her business. I don't think she liked her new litter. I let her smell the litter before I even poured it in the box, and she got excited so I think that's what it was. I'll keep an eye on them for a day or two and take them to the vet if it happens again. If she was associating the pain of a UTI with the box, she wouldn't have gone to the bathroom when I switched to their old litter, right?

Thank you all so much for your help. I appreciate it.

 

[carolina]

Originally Posted by bubby

Just got back from the store. Got an enzyme cleaner, sprayed the bed, and soaked it up. It's drying now. I can't smell it anymore so hopefully I got it all. I think I kinda lucked out because it didn't really have a chance to dry in the fabric.

As for the laundry, I pulled out the comforters and can't smell ANYTHING on them at all. I think it because I washed them so fast it got it out but maybe not. Gonna let them air dry a little bit and give them the smell test again. I have the enzyme cleaner now so if I find a smell, I'll get it taken care of.


I also picked up their old litter while I was out. Put it in the litter box, and didn't even finishing filling it before our little girl jumped in and did her business. I don't think she liked her new litter. I let her smell the litter before I even poured it in the box, and she got excited so I think that's what it was. I'll keep an eye on them for a day or two and take them to the vet if it happens again. If she was associating the pain of a UTI with the box, she wouldn't have gone to the bathroom when I switched to their old litter, right?

Thank you all so much for your help. I appreciate it.

About the litter- yes, that can be a possibility... In the future, change litters slowly, like you change food... Usually there is instructions on the package as on how to transition to a new litter.
Keep a close eye on her, a very clean litter box, and try to keep her out of your bed until the enzyme cleaner completely drys off.
If she keeps using her box, then she didn't like the new litter.
I would also wash the comforter again, this time using some enzyme cleaner as detergent. Better safe than sorry - remember, a cats nose is hundreds of times more sensitive than yours....

 

[stephanietx]

My older cat will drag her rear on the carpet because she's constipated. (Of all things!) It's taken me several years to make the association. Talk about an "aha moment"!

We used to feed her dry food exlusively, but since I've made the association to the constipation issue we've increased her wet food intake, she doesn't do it as often. When she does do it, I add a bit more pumpkin to her food and increase the water I add to the food and that seems to help. We also feed her about a teaspoon of plain canned pumpkin with her wet food to help with the constipation issue.

 

[littleraven7726]

We were having a lot of issues with food for my cats, plus my older cat is prone to anal gland issues. So recently we had a lot of scooting going on. We switched to a dry food for cats with food sensitivities, which helped one of the cats and he isn't having scooting problems. My other cat was starting to get his anal glands filled up, we took him to the vet and that cleared it up.

Have you tried just an unscented scooping litter? My sister has to use that with her cats or one of her cats will go #2 outside of the box. He hates scented litter.