Weird behavior when I try to clean my cat

Question
My sweet cat Ginger is a 14 yr old domestic short hair. She is  a sweet, affectionate and passive pet. She was previously diagnosed with hyperthyroidism and had I131 treatment to rid the tumor. She's done very well, but has turned a bit hypothyroid and has gained weight (not synthroid worthy). She's about 18 lbs and on Innova reduced calorie kibble and can. Her weight makes grooming of her back area difficult for her and she has developed anal sac problems. They were terribly infected a few weeks ago and had to be catheterized and she was on Clavamox for 2 weeks. After the infection and inflammation went away, i had her glands expressed without a problem (no blockage) and I have started wiping her butt with a warm wash cloth every day. I use a little mild soap (Dove Sensitive) when necessary. I figure cleansing the area will reduce bacteria since the poop will cake on her fur. However, when I clean her butt my sweet cat start behaving weird. She has to start licking whatever is near her feverishly and making weird growly noises. She has never bitten me or hissed, but her whole demeanor changes. I cant tell if I am hurting her or evoking some primal response in her. My vet said that if she's not getting nasty, I shouldn't worry..but it's so odd.

Answer
Stacey -

This is a normal response for a cat that has an itchy back end.  I do not know the name of the reflex, but anytime you scratch the back end if it's itchy, they will attempt to bite or chew on the closest thing to them.  You are definitely awakening some primal response; just be careful and avoid getting bitten.

You might want to find out why the back end is so itchy. Are there noticeable  fleas in the area?  Is the back end very dry and flaky?  She may be extra sensitive back there because she cannot properly groom herself.  That will cause her anus to be sensitive and she may end up not having regular bowel movements or even end up with bladder infections because she does not clean herself regularly.

Feed food high in fiber to keep her bowel movements regular. Cats that are overweight tend to be constipated.  Even though they are going to the bathroom, they can still be constipated.  Canned pumpkin is also a great natural laxative and if that does not work, try Dulcolax tablets.  The tablets are extremely small and are easy to give to cats.

Best Regards,


Charlotte Sherrell, DVM