How to Get Your Cat to Stop Scooting on the Carpet

Although it's typically seen as a dog behavior, sometimes cats sit and scoot across the carpet on their rear ends. It's an unpleasant thing to see and can be embarrassing for you if your cat does this in front of friends or family. If your cat is scooting on the floor or carpet, read on to learn what might be causing this behavior and what you can do to stop it.

The Cause of Scooting

Cats like to stay fastidiously clean, and their extreme flexibility allows them to do a great job of cleaning their nether regions. Most cats won't scoot across the floor simply to clean their rears after using a litter box. If your cat is scooting, they're probably doing it because the area is itchy and they are trying to relieve the irritation.

The Cause of the Irritation

Cats don't typically have itchy rear ends, so it's important to find the source of the irritation. For most cats, scooting and itchiness in their rear either means that they have parasites or a problem with their anal glands.

When it comes to parasites, cats can easily pick up tapeworms that emerge when they use the litter box. Tapeworms irritate the external skin, so your cat may be trying to effectively scratch the area to relieve the discomfort they're experiencing.

The other possibility is that your cat's anal sacs are impacted or infected. Anal sacs are located on your cat's rear end and typically drain when your cat uses the litter box. However, if your cat's anal sacs become impacted, they may not drain properly. Scooting across the floor can make this less uncomfortable for your cat, and in some instances, even forcibly drain the sacs.

Treatment for the Problem

It's not easy to examine a cat's anal sacs, but generally, pet owners can determine if a cat has tapeworms. The next time your cat goes to the litter box, examine their stool. If you see anything moving or see white objects, your cat likely has tapeworms and needs to be dewormed at a vet's office. If you don't see any sign of tapeworms, you should still see a vet as soon as you can to have your cat's anal sacs impacted and for a general examination to make sure they're in good health.

Thankfully, cats don't typically scoot across the floor when they're in good health, so you don't have to worry about this becoming a common problem if you get your cat some medical help. Visit your vet to determine if your cat has parasites or an anal-sac problem so that they don't struggle with itchiness and irritation anymore.

Share