wet runny mucus leaking from my cat's bum

[JuneD]

Hello. It's Sunday and I can't get my cat to my vet until tomorrow, so I'm hoping that someone on the forum may be able to help me in the meantime, until I can bring my sweet cat to the vet.

My 9 year old neutered male cat, Bindo, has a lot of yellowy/light brown mucus secreting from his rectum, and his fur in that area is all matted and wet, as well. The area looks somewhat swollen, but not reddened, and I can't see any obvious abscesses or sores there.

The leaking has become somewhat of a regular symptom, to the point where if he sits on my lap, I always have a towel at the ready so he can sit on the towel instead of directly on my clothing. Since yesterday, the discharge has become somewhat constant, so I have brought him a few times into the bathroom and literally wiped his bum - very very gently - with toilet paper (unscented, and slightly dampened with warm water).

When he needs to use the litter box, he has absolutely no problem jumping down from where he likes to sleep (on top of a clothes wardrobe in one of the bedrooms), and then jumping back up to that same piece of furniture.

For the most part, he uses the litter box as he normally would and always has done, but when it comes to urinating, lately he's been getting 'lazy' and will go anywhere to do that.

He appears to be constipated - I have monitored him while he's in the litter box for the past three days, and lately, he will go in as normal, dig a little area and then squat, as normal, but he will stay there for what seems an unusually long period of time. When he finally leaves the litter box, there is seemingly nothing or very little that he then begins to cover up and over.

Although he is, admittedly, not his usual, normal happy-go-lucky and extremely affectionate and friendly self, and he is sleeping more and going off by himself rather than sitting with or near us, he does have an appetite and does drink from his water bowl. He is not irritable, and he does let me and my other two cats near him. He allows me to hold him or have him on my lap, and he purrs affectionately.

However, the last couple of times he's eaten anything, however much or little, he howls once or twice in the space of about 30 seconds, then stops, and then goes off by himself to sleep, or will jump up onto my lap and start to purr and knead. Even though he howls once or twice, there is no other indication that he is in any severe pain. His eyes are clear. His nose is wet. He is alert when I call his name and responds affectionately when I pet him or stroke his fur.

He has always loved taking extended naps, but lately, he's napping seemingly longer than usual. He is not listless or lethargic, and does have energy and is alert when we call him or when he hears food being put into his bowl.

I realise, of course, that he's not feeling well, and that something is wrong, and I will definitely be bringing him to the vet tomorrow morning.

If anyone on the forum has dealt with any or all of these symptoms in their cat, I'd very much welcome and appreciate any advice. I will, of course, take Bindo to our vet tomorrow, but in the meantime, I thought it might help to ask the forum members' help.

Thanks in advance.
JD

[Lynne&Co.]

Definitely a vet visit so good luck tomorrow.
I would consider fasting after his dinner tonight just in case he should need surgery. Let him have access to plenty of water though. Crossing my fingers for you

[JuneD]

Thanks very much, Lynne, for replying back. I appreciate you taking the time to read through what I realised after I posted it, was a very long post, so thank you to everyone who read my post, but forgive me if I went on and on (and on and on).

I've already begun Bindo's fast about an hour ago, much to his annoyance, and yes, he (and my two other cats) have plenty of water for the overnight.

When he woke up from his nap earlier this evening, he wasn't as 'wet' as he was when I first posted this morning, but just looking at him again a few minutes ago, the area is back to being 'wet' (forgive me for being a bit too descriptive in my first post). I've looked at his eyes again, and they are bright. He is alert, and he is affectionate and purring and allowing me to pet him and allowing his two 'brothers' to nap alongside him.

I'm praying that our vet will tell me that it's only an upset tummy, or, at worst, constipation. I'm praying that he won't need surgery. I'm praying that he'll be alright. I know I'm not a vet, but even with his back end being the way it is, his appetite is okay, and he's not irritable or listless....I just don't know what to think...and I'm trying so very hard not to think the worst.

Thanks again for replying, and for your hope and good wishes for my little Bindo.

[Lynne&Co.]

Hey no problem June! Again, good luck tomorrow and here's hoping it's nothing but a tummy upset

[Digston]

Odd question, how does it smell? Is it vile smelling? If it is you might be looking at an anal gland issue. My cat needs to be on a vet diet otherwise he starts oozing anal gland juice and it's quite gross

[JuneD]

Hi Digston - Thanks very much for replying. I appreciate you taking the time to read through such a long post.

I put a call into my vet's office, and the receptionist said he's out on an emergency call right now, but will ring me as soon as he can.

Yes, Bindo's 'back end' does smell pretty awful. I hesitated to go into that in my introductory post, as it was already very detailed and was heading into the territory of 'off-putting reading', so I held back on the smell part. Poor Bindo's been trying his utmost at cleaning himself (in that area) constantly (which also worries me - by doing that, which I realise is instinctual - could he be making himself worse by ingesting what's coming out the other end of him?).

But even after his cleaning/licking himself, and me (very, very, very gently) wiping the area as clean as I can, the offending discharge has returned. Not immediately after cleaning/licking or wiping him, but it does start oozing out again, and yes, still smelling very badly.

Is the diet that your cat has been put on helped him? Has the discharge stopped completely?

Thanks again for replying. Now it's just a matter of playing the waiting game, until the vet gets back to me.

JD