Cats bottom

Question
Dr. Gotthelf:

my husband and i have noticed my cat rubbing his bottom on the ground as he walks and today we noticed blood around his anal entrance.  what could be the causes of what's bothering him? we switched to soft food b/c we thought that his bottom may have been itchy hence, he was dragging it on the ground to scratch, now we wonder if he has hard stools or a parasite. please advise

Answer
Obviously I cannot be very specific without examining your cat.  Tapeworms crawl around the anal region and can cause discomfort.  Cats have anal sacs and one may be infeceted or swollen.  Also, there may be dried stool pulling the hair around the rectum and tail.  And cats do get allergic skin diseases and that may be why the rectal area itches.  You need to have your vet look at the cat and see if there can be something done to relieve the discomfort.