Awkward kitten problem

Rhino

I have two kittens, both about 3 months ago....

and .. you should stop reading here if you don't like gross stuff...

one of them has a couple of blue 'dots' hanging from it's butthole... they are about the size of a pea split in half... they kind of look like plastic. I tried 'wiping' them off with a paper towel and the cat started meowing, so I didn't want to rip them off in fears that it would cause it pain.

I'm not sure what to do? I just gave them some wet food (I ussually feed them dry) so that they can eat it up and poop a lot... in hopes that whatever this is will remove it's self via.. normal bowel movements.. but is this is 'known' issue with cats?

They get like hemriods or something?

I'm kind of freaked out... I'm going to call the vet tomorrow if it's still there.

EDIT: The other kitten is fine... only one of them is having this problem.

EDIT2: What causes this? Can a dirty litter pan cause this? I was out of town for 2 days and it wasn't cleaned for about 48-50 hours... is that something that can hurt them?

EDIT3:

The wet food trick worked... I cleaned the litter pan, set it in there and it took a bit old crap... but those 2 blue things are still there

scarlet st.

Definitely take the kitten to a vet. Sounds like it's new, so if you haven't taken it to a vet yet, it's a good idea to have it get its first shots anyway.

brandotheninjamaster

could it have eaten something plastic?

Fembot

What kind of litter are you using?

Zeromus

Two days is definitely too long to go without cleaning the litter box, especially if it's being shared by two cats. It's possible that your issue is related to that. Are you sure they things hanging off of the cat aren't just dried poo encrusted into its fur?

EggyToast

The cat is going to meow when you hold it and tend to its hindquarters, but you're not hurting it. You'd know if you were hurting it. Wipe them off or use a pair of scissors to cut the fur off, see if you can figure out what it was. If it's a 1 time thing and the cat is eating, playing, and pooping fine, you probably don't have anything to worry about. At 3 months old they're not that good at cleaning themselves yet, but they'll get better as they get older.

Nothing natural that a cat eats or poops is "blue," which is why I don't think it's anything bad. Probably something plastic that it chewed on and ate, and it's stuck because it's sticky going through their intestines.

brandotheninjamaster

The OP said that the plastic was hanging from the butthole though. There could be a possibility that whatever is hanging out could be part of something bigger. If you were to rip that out it may cause further problems.

EggyToast

Ah, you're right. If they're actually going inside the kitten, you should take it to a vet. It's a kitten, so it's probably due for shots anyway

Rhino

I got a vet appointment tomorrow because it's still hanging out, whatever it is.

What do I take them in? Can I just put them in a cardboard box?

Also, what is the proper name and polite way of saying describing this to the vet.... what is the technical and scientific name? Rectum? I'm not sure how to bring it up.

Idx86

Rhino wrote: »

I got a vet appointment tomorrow because it's still hanging out, whatever it is.

What do I take them in? Can I just put them in a cardboard box?

Also, what is the proper name and polite way of saying describing this to the vet.... what is the technical and scientific name? Rectum? I'm not sure how to bring it up.

Get a pet carrier from your local Wal-Mart or so. They're usually pretty cheap.

Invisible

Rhino wrote: »

I got a vet appointment tomorrow because it's still hanging out, whatever it is.

What do I take them in? Can I just put them in a cardboard box?

Also, what is the proper name and polite way of saying describing this to the vet.... what is the technical and scientific name? Rectum? I'm not sure how to bring it up.

The anus is the opening, the rectum is the intestine leading to it.

BlochWave

Could be this

http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2007/10/22

it's a real thing, their glands back their get all weird and it goes away briefly when they poo

google, here's a fun one, "expressing anal glands"

Edit: WAIT a second you haven't taken them to a vet yet? I'm clued in by your cluelessness on how to even transport them, and yah, you need to do that RFN, not just for their bums but in general. Where'd you get them from, how long have you had them, etc.?

Rhino

BlochWave wrote: »

Could be this

http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2007/10/22

it's a real thing, their glands back their get all weird and it goes away briefly when they poo

google, here's a fun one, "expressing anal glands"

Edit: WAIT a second you haven't taken them to a vet yet? I'm clued in by your cluelessness on how to even transport them, and yah, you need to do that RFN, not just for their bums but in general. Where'd you get them from, how long have you had them, etc.?

For serious? My parents had cats when I was younger and they never said nothing about anal glands.
The cat with the problem has pooped twice since I first noticed them and they didn't go away. Are you making this up?

2: I'm not putting that into google.

3: They are 3 months old. They haven't been to vet. I'm taking them tomorrow for shots and all that stuff. Whatever the vet suggests.

BlochWave

Oh come on, too scared too google something with anal? ^_^

http://cats.about.com/cs/healthissues/a/analglands.htm

It's not a problem with all cats, probably not many at all, but I sincerely doubt your parents would be like "here little Billy, come watch how we squeeze the goo out of Mr. McScratchy's nono zone"

EggyToast

I doubt it's their anal glands, because if they're misbehaving it's usually first discovered by the horrible smell and the butt-smears they leave on things.

The vet will help you out. You can get a carrier, you can use a box, you can use a bag. Anything you feel comfortable moving the cat(s) with. We got a carrier from our first cat's breeder and have been using that, but at the vet I've seen a lady carrying a cat wrapped up in a towel. The cat didn't care because she brought him in due to being "lethargic, not eating, and generally lazy," (aka probably FeLV) so he didn't try to escape. A box is probably easier, though, and you should poke some holes all around it for air and so you can see the cat (and she can see out). About the size of a quarter, on 2 sides. If you leave 2 sides unpoked, the cat will likely hide along that corner and be happier about the whole situation.

Anyway, vets don't care if you're using proper terminology. She needs her first round of distemper shots and a bunch of other shots, if she hasn't had any before. And you can tell the vet "she has a blue thing hanging out of her butt, that makes me worried."

BlochWave

I've seen a lady carrying a cat wrapped up in a towel.

Though it's unlikely, I have to ask if you live in the Houston area

EggyToast

nope, Baltimore. And my vet is kind of in the ghetto. I was there last week for shots for kitten #2 and a lady came in with a cat in a canvas tote, head poking out. Cute, but yeah, my cats wouldn't like that

Rhino

I took them to the vet! It is ok, the vet said it was a piece of litter. They put a bunch of Vaseline on it's anus (that is the term they used), then softened it up with water and then pull it out. She said it was fairly common for kittens to get litter stuck in their anus.

But yea... that is what it was. So thanks guys.

brandotheninjamaster

Glad to hear everything was ok.

Fembot

Rhino wrote: »

I took them to the vet! It is ok, the vet said it was a piece of litter. They put a bunch of Vaseline on it's anus (that is the term they used), then softened it up with water and then pull it out. She said it was fairly common for kittens to get litter stuck in their anus.

But yea... that is what it was. So thanks guys.

That's why I asked what kind of litter you used -_-

Glad the little thing is OK.

Idx86

Rhino wrote: »

I took them to the vet! It is ok, the vet said it was a piece of litter. They put a bunch of Vaseline on it's anus (that is the term they used), then softened it up with water and then pull it out. She said it was fairly common for kittens to get litter stuck in their anus.

But yea... that is what it was. So thanks guys.

Just make sure the cats don't make a habit of this, especially when you're out of town.