Side of bottom oozing..

[truthisouthere]

My cat has had what can only be described as a tear reappear every few months. It's on the side of her bottom, the same area each time. It starts off by the fur dissappearing in this area (licks it off), then a tear appears. I reckon it's possibly an old injury where a foster cat I had grabbed her once when she scooted out of the cat flap and he tore it. I say this because I've never had a problem with this before on her until after then.

My vet reckons it's something to do with her anal gland, she squeezes it and yellowish pus oozes out. But it doesn't smell. Vet has done an exploratory way back (OUCH !! ) but also reckons it may be triggered by a flea allergy (makes her perhaps lick that area). I don't like using flea treatment on my cats on a regular basis, chemicals and all that, rather do the house, but since the ear mites I have had no choice but to treat them both regularly. I have to give her a long course of antibiotics each time and keep a collar on until it clears up and the fur grows back, being an elderly this can take up to a couple of months (for the fur to grow back). Well now after a respite of I think over 8 months it's come back again.

Just wondering if any of you experienced lot out there can think what this might be, as my vet's never put a name to it, just treated it as it's come. Thanks in advance.

[angieh]

Sorry truth - no experience of this sort of condition at all. Kizzy had slightly swollen anal glands when she first came to us, but they've not been a problem and nothing has been done about it as there's been no need.

My only thought would be if it was a flea allergy of any sort, why would it only be in that area? Does she suffer from piles at all?

[Velvet]

Sounds more like blocked anal glands to me. My experience comes from dogs with this problem. Very nasty comdition for the patient. Katie needed hers done every month & vet wanted to operate adding extra roughage in form of
All-bran didnt really help. What has helped was giving extra raw bone to gnaw at. In her case chicken wings. The rougher the food coming out squeezes the glands to keep them empty & stop filling up. Of course have to be very careful as chicken is protein & Katie has kidney failure & is on a very low protein diet so nowdays need to do a lot of juggling about with food

Just wondering how you would get extra fibre into a cat. You can buy raw frozen blocks of chicken, lamb, fish, turkey etc in Pets at Home & they contain ground bone, just wondering if some of it added to the diet would help? Or maybe someone else would or could recommend something

[angieh]

The only thing that I've heard that is safe and adds roughage to a cat's diet is pumpkin flesh.

[dandysmom]

All I can offer is sympathy; have no idea what could be causing this recurring problem. How sad for you both.

[truthisouthere]

Update:
Mitzi and I manged to squeeze an appointment in with the vet this a.m (good thing as it's bank hol Mon) and my fault for not pinning her down on what it actually is in all fairness. It's actually an anal abcess, I asked. So Velvet yes, you were right, blockage there. Surgery is an option but the vet has always swayed to treatment as and when needed with this and I have agreed that it would probably be too much for her, I just don't want to take that risk especially as she had a couple of rotten toothypegs out only 2 years ago with a facial cyst. And she is such a tiny girl.. I'm going with the vet on this one.

As regards roughage, I check her number 2's every day and watch her go alot of the time and she never seems to be straining, but she did have a little dry one recently so it could be constipation that's a trigger. Pumpkin sounds good angieh, I'm open to suggestions! Don't know what madam will think of it though.