by Nomi Berger
 
The anal glands, sometimes called anal sacs, are two small pouches situated on either side of a cat’s anus -- at approximately the four o’clock and eight o’clock positions. Both sacs’ walls are lined with sweat glands that produce and store a foul-smelling fluid that is subsequently released through small ducts located just inside the anus.
 
Although these distinctive secretions allowed our domesticated cats’ ancestors to mark their territory and ward off predators, they serve little purpose today. And while small amounts of this fluid are released whenever cats defecate, some cats may actually release or “express” the entire contents of their anal glands when they’re either excited or frightened.
 
Whereas diseases of the anal glands are more common in dogs, they also appear in cats, and can include impaction, abscesses, ruptures and, in rare instances, tumors.
 
Impaction occurs when the duct leading from the anal gland to the anus becomes clogged, and as it fills up with an ever-thickening liquid, the gland becomes distended. As the gland distends, the pressure inside of it increases, causing the affected kitty extreme discomfort. The most common signs that your kitty’s anal gland is impacted include: excessive licking and cleaning of her anal area; a reluctance to sit; a reluctance to defecate; holding her tail in an unusual position, and “scooting” or dragging her anus along the carpet or floor. Should your cat be exhibiting any or several of these signs, bring her to the vet and have her anal glands expressed manually. This simple procedure will swiftly relieve the pressure inside the gland, thereby re-opening the clogged duct.
 
Sometimes, however, the first sign that a kitty’s in pain occurs when the anal gland’s impacted secretions become infected. This causes pus to accumulate inside the gland, and the result is an abscess. If the pus can’t pass through the duct leading from the gland towards the anus, it will simply “burrow” through the skin around the anus. In some cases, the pus will actually burst through the skin, draining out on its own.
 
If an anal gland ruptures, it often causes severe skin damage to the affected area. In order to treat it, your vet will typically anesthetize your cat and then thoroughly cleanse and surgically trim and/or remove all of the damaged skin. To reduce the size of the wound and promote faster healing, several stitches may be required. If, on the other hand, an abscess is diagnosed before the gland ruptures, your vet will lightly sedate or fully anesthetize your cat, lance the abscess and prescribe a course of antibiotics for her.
 
If your cat suffers from recurrent anal gland problems, she may benefit from a high-fiber diet. The added fiber helps to produce bulkier stools which, in turn, increases the pressure on her anal glands when she defecates and allows them to be expressed more efficiently.
 
Because overweight cats are more prone to anal gland disorders, keep your own cat at a healthy weight to help reduce her chances of incurring these problems. On rare occasions, cats suffering from repeated impactions and/or abscesses may need to have their anal glands surgically removed.
 
Cancer of the anal glands, or anal gland adenocarcinoma, is, thankfully, uncommon in cats. Its symptoms often mimic those of an anal gland abscess, such as bleeding, inflammation, pain, swelling and ulceration of the skin around the anus. While the preferred treatment is surgically removing the cancerous anal gland, these tumors tend to be aggressive, and by the time a diagnosis is made, the cancer, sadly, has often spread to other parts of the cat’s body.

by Nomi Berger
 
Have you ever paw-ndered the reasons behind your favorite feline’s penchant for stalking and pouncing?
 
Being an integral part of every cat’s nature, all of them stalk and pounce – kittens, young cats, adult cats and senior cats. By encouraging this behavior in your own kitty through interactive indoor play, you’ll not only be adding many moments of merriment to your daily playtime routine, you’ll be actively enriching her environment.
 
Unlike domesticated cats who depend on their owners for food, their ancestors were wild, living in the wild, and survived solely by using their innate stalking skills, making them superbly successful hunters. Born with those same keen senses, athletic flexibility and silence and stealth in their movements, today’s kittens ideally learn the nuances of stalking and pouncing from their mothers.
 
If you’ve ever observed a litter of kittens, their vigorous playtime activities will always include wrestling, stalking and pouncing which provide them with much-needed exercise. As for adults in a multi-cat household, added to the wrestling, stalking and pouncing, are chasing and ambushing – all in the name of feline fun and frolics.
 
The key to successful and paws-itive play is, first and foremost, reciprocity. Example: If a kitten or young cat in a multi-cat home is persistently stalking and pouncing on an older one who seems anything but pleased, it’s time for you to intervene and redirect the stalking cat’s attention towards alternate forms of amusement. Increase both your affection and the amount of time that you interact with her. Engage her in longer one-on-one play sessions that elicit and satisfy the stalking and pouncing side of her nature by using a feather toy, a mouse toy on a wand or a laser pointer.
 
If you have only one cat, encourage her stalking and pouncing behavior by throwing one of her favorite toys away from her but not out of her sight, thereby making the toy appear to move and act like prey. Keep your movements small as opposed to wide and sweeping to pique her interest particularly at the start. In addition to toy tossing, create an environment that’s conducive to hunting by putting out some boxes for her to hide behind and/or a cat tunnel for her to run through.
 
Not only are these regular play sessions the purr-fect opportunity to strengthen the bond between you, it provides your cat with the stimulation and exercise that her body and mind crave. If her urge to stalk and pounce isn’t satisfied, she can, all too easily, become bored, frustrated, depressed and/or lethargic. Worse still, a bored, frustrated cat may even use her claws on you – from your arms to your feet – in an effort to fulfill her innate desire to hunt prey.
 
Finally, if you have a kitten, you may find your steps “dogged” by a playful stalking and pouncing little puss who’s simply following her instinct and doesn’t yet know any better. To mold your enthusiastic but errant kitten into a well-behaved adult, ensure that you patiently provide her with the correct behavioral guidance, one gentle – and amply rewarded -- paw step at a time.