Cat Anal Glands: Everything You Need to Know

Cat anal glands probably aren’t leading anyone’s list of favorite health topics to talk about. But that doesn’t mean you can ignore them. Though rare, these issues can (literally) become a pain in the cat butt for felines. Not only that, but they can also become a costly health concern for pet parents.

Unfortunately, most pet parents don’t pay attention to these cat scent glands until something goes wrong. And, by that point, your pet may need emergency veterinary care.

To help you avoid that fate, here’s what you need to know about your cat’s anal glands. You’ll learn what they are, where they are, and how to care for them. Plus, we’ll cover what can go wrong, how to recognize problem signs, and what you can do about it.

What are Cat Anal Glands?

Cat anal glands are the two small sacs located near a cat butt on either side of the anus. One sits right around four o’clock and the other at eight o’clock if you imagine your cat’s anus as the center of a clock. These glands, also called cat anal sacs, store smelly, brown fluid created by the sweat-like glandular cells lining the sacs.

This fluid works as a chemical scent marker, much like a skunk’s spray. Cats use it to mark their territory, identify what cats are where, and even warn against predators.

When your cat poops (defecates), the pressure of the poop moving through the anus squeezes the sacs. This releases a smelly secretion called cat anal gland discharge.

Cats who are defecating normally will naturally express their own anal sacs. Cats rarely need help with expression of anal glands, but if something is wrong, they may need intervention.

What Causes Cat Anal Gland Problems?

Cat anal gland issues in cats are very rare, affecting only 0.4 percent of cats. However, there are several common conditions that can cause feline anal gland problems. These include:

• Chronic diarrhea
• Obesity
• Chronic constipation
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Food allergies
• Atopy (itchy skin) due to allergies, fleas, and/or the environment
• Neurologic disease (e.g., anus cannot close properly due to nerve or muscle changes)
• Cancer (known as anal sac adenocarcinoma)

Cats and anal glands can be a troublesome combination when any of these underlying issues are present.

Types of Anal Gland Disorders in Cats

If these conditions cause anal gland disorders in your cat, there are four types cats commonly face:

• Anal Gland Inflammation – If a cat’s skin becomes inflamed, it can also cause the anus glands in cats to become swollen and inflamed. This is common in cases of allergies or skin diseases.
• Anal Gland Impaction – This is the most common anal gland disorder. When feline anal sacs are impacted, they cannot release cat anal gland fluid like normal. This painful condition can occur if your cat is not pooping regularly, or if their anal secretions thicken due to inflammation.
• Anal Gland Infection – Impacted cat anal glands often become infected. This happens when secretions build up in the glands and bacterial infection sets in, creating an anal gland abscess. It’s also possible for yeast infections to develop in anal glands if your cat has a skin disease.
• Anal Gland Rupture. If your cat’s anal glands become inflamed, impacted, and infected, they can rupture. This is the body’s way of trying to rid itself of infection by releasing the secretions through a hole in the skin near a cat’s anus. Feline anal gland rupture can be quite painful and requires immediate treatment.

Anal gland disorders can develop in both male and female cats of any age or breed. However, British shorthairs and male cats may be especially predisposed to anal gland issues. Adults are also more likely to develop anal gland disorders than kittens.

How to Tell Something Is Wrong with a Cat’s Anal Glands

Before anal gland issues occur, most cats have changes in pooping habits. Sometimes, your cat has changes in her skin or fur coat before anal gland issues starting. Once the issues begin, the earliest symptoms are behavior changes.

Symptoms of cat anal gland issues include:

• Cat scooting, or cat dragging butt on the ground
• Overgrooming or biting at the rear end and tail base area
• Matting of fur around the anus
• Reluctance to sit or poop – your cat might go in and out of the litter box before finally pooping
• Straining to poop
• Swelling or redness near the anus
• Cat anal gland discharge
• Cat bleeding from anus

If you notice any of these warning signs or behaviors, schedule a visit with your vet. They can help determine whether your cat’s anal glands are in danger of becoming overly full or impacted.

If your cat seems very uncomfortable and you notice redness, swelling, and/or a foul discharge near the anus, seek emergency veterinary care immediately.

If left untreated, these warning signs could progress to cat anal gland abscess, severe anal sac infection, or cat anal gland rupture.

Do Cats Need Anal Glands Expressed?

Cats do not need their anal glands expressed unless there is an issue. Normally, cats naturally express their anal glands every time they poop. So it’s unnecessary to intervene unless you notice the symptoms described above.

And even then, it’s important to work with your vet to determine whether anal gland issues are the culprit. If anal gland impaction or infection does occur, anal gland expression cats may be necessary.

Many pet parents ask how to tell if cat needs glands expressed. It’s best to leave that decision to your vet. If your cat does develop anal gland issues, veterinarians typically recommend weekly cat anal gland expression for about three to six weeks.

How to Treat Problems with Anal Glands in Cats

Make a veterinary appointment right away if you see symptoms of feline anal sac disease or other cat anal gland issues. Allowing time to pass without treatment will likely result in the rupture of glands, which is painful and more serious, as well as more expensive.

If you suspect your cat has ruptured their anal glands, seek urgent or emergent care immediately. Your cat can develop a serious infection and fever if left untreated.

Your vet will take a history of your cat’s symptoms and conduct a thorough physical exam to determine the cause of the anal gland problems, as well as the best treatment.

Treatment options for anal gland issues may include:

• Anal gland expression in cats – Your vet or a qualified vet tech will express your cat’s anal glands by applying gentle pressure to empty them. Some cats may need to be sedated, especially if the glands are really swollen. Typically, this treatment will continue weekly for several weeks.
• Antibiotics – If your cat’s anal glands are inflamed, infected, or ruptured, your vet will prescribe oral or injected antibiotics. In some cases, your vet may inject the medicine directly into the anal glands to treat the infection quickly. This will also require sedation for your cat.
• Pain medicine – If the anal gland has ruptured, your vet will prescribe pain medication, as this can be very painful in cats.
• Laser therapy – If the anal glands are inflamed, this can be used to decrease inflammation in the area.

If there’s an underlying issue causing your cat’s anal gland issues, your vet will also recommend immediate or long-term treatment options. These may include:

• Weight loss if your cat is obese
• Special gastrointestinal diet, either for food allergies (e.g., limited ingredient diets) or for chronic diarrhea or constipation (e.g., food with different/more fiber)
• Anti-inflammatories or other medications intended to decrease inflammation from allergic skin disease
• Flea treatment
• Surgical removal of the anal glands (for repeated impaction or infection that does not respond to medical therapy, or in cases of cancer)

Surgery will not be recommended unless multiple attempts at treatment have failed to prevent the issue from recurring. It’s often a last resort for for persistant cat anal gland problems or cat anal sac cancer.

This is a major procedure and would likely be performed by a specialist. Long-term complications are rare but could include fecal incontinence, a chronic hole near the anus that is difficult to treat (fistula), or tightening of the anus making pooping difficult.

There are some home remedies for cat swollen anus that may help cats with anal gland problems. But pet parents should never rely solely on home remedies to treat anal gland issues in cats.

Always visit your vet first for a proper diagnosis. If you plan to use any home remedies in addition to your vet-recommended treatment plan, be sure to get your vet’s approval first.

Things you can do at home that may help your cat heal from anal gland issues include:

• Switching to a lower-fat and higher-fiber diet to increase the bulk or size of poop, prevent diarrhea, and prevent obesity
• Adding a fiber supplement to your cat’s diet (e.g., 1/4-1/2 teaspoon psyllium once or twice per day)
• Applying a warm compress or washcloth to cat butt twice daily for 5-7 days

Tips to Promote Healthy Anal Gland Function

To protect the health of your pet’s anal glands and reduce the risk of anal sac disease in cats, follow these tips:

• Seek veterinary care if your cat has diarrhea for more than two days or has not pooped in three days. While nothing may be wrong with their anal glands yet, the longer these conditions go untreated, the greater the risk of anal gland issues developing.
• Not all cats need probiotics. But if your cat has recurring bouts of diarrhea or constipation, you may want to consider adding a probiotic supplement to help promote healthy digestion.
• If your cat is missing fur, is scratching and chewing their skin, or develops crusty, red patches, seek veterinary care.
• Keep your cat at a healthy weight. Feed your feline a high-quality diet that fits the AAFCO nutrient profile for their age and stage of life. Measure how much your cat eats, and adjust the amount if you notice any weight gain. Ask your vet for feeding recommendations to ensure your cat maintains a healthy weight.
• Apply year-round flea preventives.

Anal glands are an important part of your cat’s anatomy. Though rare, cat anal gland issues can be serious when they do occur. Feline anal sac disease, impaction, or feline anal gland rupture all require veterinary care.

Always consult your veterinarian at the first sign of problems with your cat’s anal glands. With your vet’s help, you can treat anal gland issues quickly and effectively to prevent them from becoming more serious.