Reasons for my dog or cat scooting butt on ground

Dog scooting butt on ground

   Dogs and cats scooting their butt on the ground is a common complaint for animal owners, and it can be caused by a couple of things.

  The first most common thing to check would be the “Anal Glands.” Dogs and cats have two anal glands located at 4 o’clock & 8 o’clock, which are normally excreted when they pass a bowl movement. The anal glands have a fishy bad smell to us humans, but to them it smells great. At times the glands are not being able to empty properly, so they fill up with fluid, which then causes your dog or cat to rub their anus on the ground because it is inflamed and irritated. Sometimes the glands can become so “blocked”, that they actually rupture. If that happens, immediate veterinary treatment is needed.

  Another reason for your dog or cat to rub their butt on the floor is tapeworms. Dogs and cats get tapeworms from ingesting a flea that has tapeworms. If your dog or cat has tapeworms, it will look like “white rice” coming out of their anus, which are actually segments of the tapeworm.

  Another reason for your dog or cat to rub their butt on the floor is constipation. Not passing a bowel movement can be irritating to your dog or cat. The opposite of constipation is diarrhea, which can also cause your dog or cat to scoot their butt on the floor. Having diarrhea can irritate the anus and cause burning, along with inflammation. In addition, they may have fecal matter stuck in their fur, which causes more irritation.

  These are the most common reasons dogs and cats scoot their butt on the ground. Other things not mentioned above such as allergies, skin fold infections, fleas, and prolapsed rectum etc, can also contribute to your dog or cat scooting your butt on the ground.

  Please return next week to learn solutions for your dog or cat scooting their butt on the ground. Let’s keep learning about keeping your pet(s) happy and healthy.

The truth about declawing your cat

   Cats usually have five toes on each paw, but sometimes, they may have an extra toe or two, which is called “polydactyl.” Before you decide to have your cat declawed, let me explain, what declawing actually does to your cat.

Polydactyl Cat

  It is a mistaken belief, that declawing your cat is just like you getting a manicure, but that is not the case at all. Take your hand and lay it on the counter. Look at your fingertips and go down to your first knuckle. Now imagine your first knuckles being cut off, one by one. That is what it is like for your cat getting declawed.

   Now sometimes elderly people think if they get their cat(s) declawed it will prevent the cat(s) from injuring them, but that’s not the case. When cats no longer have their claws, they are more likely to start biting, which can cause more harm than scratching.

   My pet advice is to start playing with your kitten’s paws and toes right away, so they get used to having their paws touched. This will enable, the owner or veterinary professional to trim your cats nails, without having it be a stressful experience. In my personal experience, this is the best way to make trimming nails, an easy fast experience.

   I trim all of my cat’s nails, including family member’s cats, by myself. I can do this, because I am a certified veterinary technician with a lot of experience trimming nails, but you as an owner can do it too. It takes a lot of practice, and you have to be consistent. It is hard to explain in just words how to properly trim your cats nails, so if you are interested, you should ask your veterinary technician to show you.

   In addition, to nail trimming every two weeks, try getting cat tree houses and scratching posts. Put some cat nip on the tree house or cat post, and your cat should start scratching.

 

   This not only deters scratching of furniture, it will also file down your cats nails and decrease nail thickness, by helping the shedding process. If your cat(s) does not want to scratch it, take their paws and show them that it is okay to scratch here.

 
  If you still feel like declawing is your only option, please find a veterinarian that performs the declawing with a surgical laser. I have seen all three methods, and the surgical laser is by far the best way. Cats recover much faster and seem to be in less pain, when the surgical laser is used.

   As always, feel free to ask any question you may have in the comment section below.

   Please return next week to learn more about keeping your pet(s) happy and healthy.

Solutions for cat urinating outside the litter box

Two happy kitters

   My last post, explained the reasons why cats urinate outside the litter box, along with some solutions. But if you have tried all those things, and your cat(s) is still urinating outside the litter box, there are a few things more things that might help

    Feliway 

   Feliway can be purchased at your local pet store. Feliway is available in a spray or an air plug diffuser. The product works by producing the pheromones that help your cat(s) relax and distress. These pheromones are normally produced by your cat(s) when rubbing their face on you or furniture.

   It’s important to note, you may not see any results until after a month. With that said, don’t give up until at least one month of using the product.

   I have personal experience with Feliway and it truly works. My female cat had a problem with urinating on anything you left on the floor, but Feliway helped greatly reduce her urinating issue for two whole years. After two years, it was no longer effective, and I had to go a different route, which I will discuss next.

  For more information on Feliway please visit http://www.feliway.us/Frequently-Asked-Questions

  Fluoxetine, more commonly known as Prozac

  Prozac is only available through your veterinarian, and will require medical testing before it can be prescribed for your cat(s). Usually a urinalysis and urine culture will be performed, along with blood tests, such as profile and cbc. If you need a review on what a profile and cbc checks for, please visit My pet advice on vaccinations

  Once all tests have come back normal, your veterinarian will most likely prescribe Prozac, because it has the best results compared to other drugs used for urine marking in cats.

  The drug works by helping your cat produce more serotonin, which makes your cat(s) feel better. It takes two weeks for the drug to start working, so do not give up. Once the drug is in your cat(s) system, your cat(s) should no longer urinate in undesired places, only the litter box.

  As mentioned earlier, I have personal experience with Prozac, and it worked for my female cat, for one whole year. Once the year was over, I decided to take her off of it, which you have to do slowly. She did not have an accident for months after being off the Prozac, but after moving she started again. I did not want her back on the Prozac, so I started the Feliway again.

  Currently, she will have an accident, only if I forget to clean the litter boxes or leave towels on the floor.

  Dealing with cats that have urinating issues is a continuous battle, but if you are consistent with your treatment, your cat(s) should be manageable.

   Remember your cat(s) is not urinating to make you mad, they are experiencing stress, anxiety or fear. Please be understanding and do not yell at your cat(s). Yelling will only increase your cat(s) anxiety and worsen the issue.

  Try to stay calm and just imagine what your cat(s) is feeling inside.

   As always, feel free to ask any questions you may have in the comment sections below.

 Please return next week to learn more about keeping your pet(s) happy and healthy.

Cat urinating outside litter box

 

Cat urinating in litter box

  Why is your cat(s) urinating outside the litter box? There are several different things that can make your cat(s) urinate outside the litter box.

1) Medical related issues such as:

   a. Urinary Tract Infection: Sometimes presents blood in the urine. If possible, clean the litter box out (dump all litter & rinse) and replace litter with non- buttered popcorn kernels, or you can ask the veterinarians office for “Nosorb” litter. Either one will work. The reason for this is that you do not want the litter to absorb the urine, but cats like to have something to cover their urine up with. This enables you to take a syringe (no needle attached) and suck up the urine to bring into the veterinarian’s for analysis. If you are unable to bring the urine right into the veterinarian’s office, put the urine in the refrigerator. Make sure you write right down the time you collected it and inform the veterinarian’s office that the urine was refrigerator. If you are unable to collect your cats urine the veterinarian can perform a cystocentesis (Needle into the bladder) or express their bladder manually.

  b. Blocked male cat: (this is very serious!) If you notice your male cat going into the litter box, but not producing any urine or very small amounts, take them to the veterinarians immediately. These symptoms are usually accompanied with painful meowing and sand looking material around their penis.

  c. Diabetes: ( High sugar, urine can present stickiness)

  d. Thyroid issues: (Usually defecating outside the litter box, but sometimes urine too.)

  e. Arthritis: (Painful to get into the litter box.)

2) Behavior issues such as:

  a. Anxiety

  b. Territorial

3) Household issues such as:

  a. Dirty litter box

  b. Not enough litter boxes. Golden rule is one litter box per cat plus one. (If you have 3 cats, you should have 4 litter boxes and clean at the litter boxes at least once daily).

Three Litter Boxes

  c. Cat does not like location. (Always place litter boxes in a quiet area and have a night light in the room, so the cat feels safe at night).

  d. Cat does not like litter. (Try using two different types of litter and see if your cat uses one litter box over the other).

  e. Cat does not like litter box. (Some cats do not like “hoods.” Try taking the hood off the litter box.)

  f. Litter box is too small. (If your cat is larger, they might need a bigger litter box or you can try a “tote.”)

Tote (take lid off)

  g. Cat is having an issue with another cat in the household, and is afraid to use the litter box. (Have at least one litter box located in a separate location than the other litter boxes.)

  h. Some cats will urinate outside the litter box just because. (Do not leave any dirty clothes on the ground, or shoes, towels, etc.)

Please return in two weeks to learn detailed solutions for cats urinating outside the litter box. Let’s keep learning about keeping our pet(s) happy and healthy.