Have a 14 month old long haired cat who has recently lost his mate...he was shouting a lot through the week looking for him, but now he has quietened down a little and appeared to be getting back to normal over the last few days. Problem now is that he is pooping all over the place and when he is done he drags his backside along the carpet/kitchen floor and even outside. Help, had many cats but never seen this problem.
2006-11-04 17:55:28 · 17 answers · asked by Neil M 2 in Pets ➔ Cats
Hi Neil...your cats sounds like he's suffering a mild case of depression due to the loss of his companion. It's not uncommonly seen as discussed in this lengthy well written article: http://www.messybeast.com/cat-grief.htm
Defecating inappropriately may be indicative of a medical problem perhaps due to the stress. However, without a proper history where many questions need to be asked it is difficult to offer you a reasonable answer on this.
However, cats who scoot their bums on the floor is generally indicative of the anal sacs, which can contribute to the inappropriate soiling. Please consider reading the following articles about this and how it's treated:
http://www.paws-and-effect.com/pawsandeffect90.html
http://experts.about.com/q/Ask-Veterinarian-700/Adult-cat-sccoting-butt.htm
Illustration of where the anal sacs are located: http://www.dr-dan.com/analsac.htm
Would you consider ringing your vet to discuss these concerns and see if your cat would need to come in for an evaluation?
2006-11-04 21:36:14 · answer #1 · answered by ♪ Seattle ♫ 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋
While the calling for the other cat is a normal action of an animal who has lost a companion, the pooping may or may not be related, and the backside dragging certainly is unrelated.
Since the cat is longhaired, the first thing to check is to look under the tail and see if he has any matted hair in the anal area or feces stuck in the hair. Its possible for a longhaired cat, especially Persian types with the cottony coats, to get feces stuck in the hair even to the point where the cat can't poop normally! If that's the case, the poop will need to be cut out of the coat, and the hair around the anus will need to be trimmed short.
Did the other cat die in the litterpan by any chance? In many years of handling cats, I've seen many cats who have died peacefully, for some odd reason choose to curl up and die in the litterpan.
If poop in the coat isn't the cause of the backside dragging problem, the other common cause is intestinal parasites. The cat will need to be checked for worms and also checked for tapeworm. From what I've personally seen in cats, tapeworm is the parasite that most often causes cats to do the "backsliding" .Tapeworm segments emerging from the anus will make a cat drag his rear to try to get rid of the emerging segment, some cats also will do that backsliding when they have diarrhea in an effort to clean their rears (dogs do the same thing for the same reasons, also dogs do it when they have anal gland problems...cats rarely have anal gland problems). Worms also often will cause cats to defecate in other places besides the litterpan.
The other possibility, not knowing what the other cat died of, is that the other cat was ill and this cat is developing the illness too.
Once you get to the bottom of the problem your cat is having, and you know he's healthy, then you might want to think of getting him another companion. I've had cats lose companions of years, and after a short grieving time, they were glad to have a new companion.
2006-11-04 19:10:38 · answer #2 · answered by TheSnakeWhisperer 3 · 4⤊ 1⤋
Are you having them share the same litter box? You should have a box just for the first kitty and one for the new 2 to share, if they are friends. Some people say you need one box per cat. Anyway that is the first thing i would try. If that is not helping, you could try separating them for awhile, if not all the time, which might not be feasible, shut them in different parts of the house for the night. Make sure first cat is in his own "territory" or favorite place to hang out/sleep and his box is in his usual place and that the others don't go there, and shut them in another room with their own box at night. As the interlopers, they should be given whatever space you can give them that doesn't interfere too much with the first cat's space. These boundaries can change as they get used to each other, but the first cat needs to feel respected, so do what you can to let him know he's not going to have to give up the whole house to the new ones.
2016-05-22 00:30:41 · answer #3 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You might want to take your cat to the vet for a checkup. Animals can get depressed just like humans do. Actually there have been many studies that now admit that animals have more in common with humans that previously thought. About the bathroom problem and the dragging of its bottom across the floor, this might be a symptom of worms. Best advice seek a Veterinarian about a checkup! Good luck and sorry about your lose of your other cat.
2006-11-04 18:00:01 · answer #4 · answered by jls1znv9999 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Do make sure your cat doesn't have worms, but they do grieve and their bodies respond to emotional stress with physical symptoms. It is quite possible that, due to the stress of losing their lifelong friend, some hyperactivity has started in the bowel. This could result in unusually soft stools that leave debris in the anal area. The cat needs to clean it away somehow, and lacking the ability to use toilet tissue, your floor/carpet is the next best choice. Perhaps a mild tranquilizer might help. This is something worth consulting a vet about.
2006-11-04 18:08:31 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Is the poop sticking to the long fur on his bottom? He may be trying to clean it off. The pooping all over the place shows that he is unsettled and stressed, probably about his companion. How did he lose him? Have you tried putting posters up and checking the rescue centres to see if he is there? Maybe someone took him in. Check his bum fur to see if he has an upset tummy which is getting stuck in his fur, then you will have to carefully clip it away and wash his bum gently with a soapy flannel. Are his stols normal or runny? When was he last wormed and with what?
2006-11-04 21:58:57 · answer #6 · answered by fenlandfowl 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
His behaviour is obviously connected to the death of his mate.
He probably thinks that his mate has been taken off somewhere so he is marking his territory so that the same thing doesnt happen to him. This behaviour may die off itself but I wouyld take him to the vet to see if they can suggest anything. You can get a plug-in which releases smells that calm cats down (I cant remember the name of it) and it is often used for cats who have begun to mark their territory in the house.
2006-11-04 22:05:00 · answer #7 · answered by Catwhiskers 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sounds like you need to get you cat wormed and make sure i has fresh supply of water.
2006-11-04 20:50:34 · answer #8 · answered by Tulip 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
sounds like worms check with the vet
2006-11-04 18:05:18 · answer #9 · answered by Barry 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Could be an anal gland problem...Usually when you see scooting its one of two things ...Anal glands and worms...Both need to see vet! ASAP
2006-11-04 17:58:34 · answer #10 · answered by jenny 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋