new bum scooting behaviour after introducing probiotic

[Inky & Olivia]

Hi everyone. Inky is currently on Bexacat and has intermittent diarrhea maybe once or twice a week as a side effect. I posted here some weeks ago about probiotics. Update to that: I finished the 30 day box of Fortiflora I had already bought because I didn’t want it to go to waste, and then I started her on proviable 2wks ago.
However I’ve noticed that over the past six weeks since introducing the first probiotic, she has started scooting her bum on the carpet after doing a poo, which most of the time leaves a smear for me to scrub out of the carpet later because half the time I’m not there when she does it (at work, at school, asleep, etc.). I’ve never seen her do this before, and the poo streaks on the carpet are new so it’s not like she’s been secretly doing it the whole time. I also have seen her routinely wash her bum and tail area with no trouble, so I know she’s physically capable of it, but it seems she would rather scoot some of the time, especially just after pooping.
I read that it can be due to tapeworms, but she hasn’t been outside or interacted with any other animals. I also heard it can be down to food sensitivity, but we haven’t changed her food recently other than adding the probiotic. Do cats need anal gland expression like some dogs do? Can probiotics impact their anal glands? Or is this something I should take to my vet?
thanks in advance!

 

[Tim & Pookey]

Ahh, poor thing I’m sorry Olivia. Is diarrhea a potential side effect of Bexacat? I thought I remember hearing something about the two.

Pookey had an anal gland issue a few years ago. I can’t remember the symptoms but it might have been diarrhea. I do remember being able to feel his hind area up top by his tail and feel they were swollen. Does she feel normal back there?

 

[Inky & Olivia]

Ahh, poor thing I’m sorry Olivia. Is diarrhea a potential side effect of Bexacat? I thought I remember hearing something about the two.

Pookey had an anal gland issue a few years ago. I can’t remember the symptoms but it might have been diarrhea. I do remember being able to feel his hind area up top by his tail and feel they were swollen. Does she feel normal back there?

It varies from cat to cat, my vet said some cats get more severe diarrhea every day and have to be medicated for it. Inky gets the runs occasionally, about once a week on average, but mostly she just gets gas, she’s a fart machine on par with my mom’s 100 lb. great pyrenees she can and frequently does drop biohazardous farts while snuggling in my lap

That area on Inky doesn’t feel swollen, but I decided I’m going to call my vet anyway since she’s just about due for a physical anyway. Also, if this is an anal gland issue, Id need to take her in anyway. Thank you for the response!

 

[CORKY]

If you transitioned from high carbs to low carbs, was it done quickly or slowly? the fast transition also causes upset stomach and can lower the BG to dive down

 

[Suzanne & Darcy]

It varies from cat to cat, my vet said some cats get more severe diarrhea every day and have to be medicated for it. Inky gets the runs occasionally, about once a week on average, but mostly she just gets gas, she’s a fart machine on par with my mom’s 100 lb. great pyrenees she can and frequently does drop biohazardous farts while snuggling in my lap

That area on Inky doesn’t feel swollen, but I decided I’m going to call my vet anyway since she’s just about due for a physical anyway. Also, if this is an anal gland issue, Id need to take her in anyway. Thank you for the response!

Cats definitely can get impacted anal glands that need expressing. They can also get infections and tears there, etc. I am not saying this is the problem currently, just answering the question about cars and anal glands.
It’s possible that the Proviable doesn’t agree with Inky. (One of my favorite cat of ll time that I had was named Inky!) I use Visbiome on a few of my cats. It’s expensive though so I can’t afford it for everyone. It costs more than the Proviable (which I also am currently using on a few foster cats and it’s actually helping them a lot.) S. Boulardii is a probiotic that is really good for diarrhea problems. I mix it into their food (about half of a human capsule.)

Do you use Metronidazole for diarrhea as well, if it becomes severe or persistent? Sometimes adda little fiber to their diet can help to bulk up the stool a bit and help with anal gland and scooting problems.