Question:
We have a tabby cat, formerly a stray, about two years old. She is beautiful and healthy, but about eight or nine months ago she started scooting along the rug on her rear end, apparently due to an itch in the anus. We took her to the vet, who cleaned out her anal gland but with little result.The "scooting" continued and after two or three months we again went to the vet -- same procedure, no noticeable effect. The vet then suggested it might be tapeworms and gave her a shot that he said would kill the tapeworms if that were the problem (if not, he didn't know what else it could be). This treatment did not work either, and she is still itching and scooting. She is not on any medication to cause allergy other than the once-a-month flea treatment. She is an indoor cat, is never allowed out and we find no fleas on her. What can we do for her?.
B.S., Miami, FL Feb 01, 2004
Answer:
Why give the once-a-month flea treatment to an indoor cat who is never allowed out and has no fleas? I would stop this potentially harmful pesticide treatment immediately.Your cat's anal pruritus (itching) could be caused by an ingredient in her food that she has developed hypersensitivity to, or she may be allergic to her litter-box material. So, I would advise that you put her on a top-quality commercial cat food with different ingredients from those she is currently being fed, or a whole-food, home-prepared diet. Also, change the type of litter in her box. You should also check that she is not constipated, a common condition in older cats that can result in painful inflammation of the anus.
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