What to Do When Your Cat Has Anal Gland Inflammation
📝 Summary
Every owner knows pets need baths, and most dog owners know about expressing the anal glands, but did you know some cats also need their anal glands expressed?
1 Overview
The anal glands sit at the 4 o’clock and 8 o’clock positions beside the anus; in cats they are organs for scent marking and identity.
Normal cat stool is formed and solid; with soft or watery stool, liquid secretions accumulate in the glands, thickening over time even to semi-solid, which the cat can no longer expel. Bacteria breed inside, eventually forming an abscess that ruptures; severe cases may need surgical gland removal.
This is uncommon in cats. But as cats exercise less—especially obese ones—gland contraction decreases and secretions accumulate more easily; and owners rarely pay attention to the area, making it a hidden health risk.
Cats don’t scoot like dogs, so symptoms are usually found only after suppuration and infection. Prevention requires watching the cat’s stool; if soft or watery stool persists, add anal-gland expression at the next bath.
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