Female musty odor

letterman

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Hello,

My female cat (4 yo) is starting to have a musty odor coming from her backside. It happens most often when she is spooked but the odor is pretty much always there. There are even times when small amounts of amber colored liquid is discharged if her buddy scares her enough. Im reading that this is an anal gland issue and usually nothing to be concerned about? It seems a little concerning to me though. She is using the bathroom normally and doesnt seem to be in any pain. Is there any signs I should be looking for? Anybody know what could be causing this?

Thanks
 

Jem

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Some cats need to have their anal glands expressed. In general, it's not too concerning, but I would wonder if your cat is having a hard time cleaning herself, due to being overweight or pain. Cats hide their pain so well, that when we notice it, it's usually when it's at it's worse and things a real bad. She could also have issues with her poop. Is her poop firm enough? Usually when they poop, it squeezes the anal glands. But if her poop is too soft there won't be enough pressure to express them. I would also check to make sure there is no infection/abscess starting to form in the anal glands, which can happen if they don't get cleaned out. At that time you can get your vet to show you how to express the glands yourself at home (gross but free!).
Does she scoot her bum? Does it seem like she is licking too much? Is she overweight? What's her poop like?

I have heard before that cat's will release anal gland fluid when scared, but I don't know if that means anything other then it's a defense mechanism of sorts (kind of like a skunk)...or if it's just like someone who pees a little when startled. Hopefully someone will know the answer to that.
 
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letterman

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Some cats need to have their anal glands expressed. In general, it's not too concerning, but I would wonder if your cat is having a hard time cleaning herself, due to being overweight or pain. Cats hide their pain so well, that when we notice it, it's usually when it's at it's worse and things a real bad. She could also have issues with her poop. Is her poop firm enough? Usually when they poop, it squeezes the anal glands. But if her poop is too soft there won't be enough pressure to express them. I would also check to make sure there is no infection/abscess starting to form in the anal glands, which can happen if they don't get cleaned out. At that time you can get your vet to show you how to express the glands yourself at home (gross but free!).
Does she scoot her bum? Does it seem like she is licking too much? Is she overweight? What's her poop like?

I have heard before that cat's will release anal gland fluid when scared, but I don't know if that means anything other then it's a defense mechanism of sorts (kind of like a skunk)...or if it's just like someone who pees a little when startled. Hopefully someone will know the answer to that.

Thank you for the reply!

She is cleaning herself regularly and is not overweight. Her BMs look fine and she is not scooting her bum at all.

She is licking more than usual but not like constantly.
 

Jem

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She is licking more than usual but not like constantly.
More than usual could mean that it bothers her. So perhaps a vet visit to make sure there is no infection and to check that they are expressing properly.
How long has this been going on?
 
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letterman

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More than usual could mean that it bothers her. So perhaps a vet visit to make sure there is no infection and to check that they are expressing properly.
How long has this been going on?
Few weeks.
 

Jem

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I would take her in, especially because this is fairly new. Even if there is no serious abscess...yet, it could be one of the glands is clogged or getting clogged, making it "ooze out" when the pressure starts to build up. Best to clean them out before an infection sets in.
 
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