Long stringy mucus coming from cats rear end

by Claire
(Amsterdam,Netherlands)

Hi there,
Thanks for this wonderful site, it is so helpful! I recently adopted a stray cat (I took her to the vet for her vaccines and worming tablets immediately).
She vomits quite alot but I think it is from gobbling food too fast - she's now on a light eating schedule of x5 very small meals per day and she's doing alot better. (I'm hoping the vomiting was due to gobbling as otherwise she seems perky and happy otherwise)...
However last night she came inside from the garden with some poo hanging out her rear end, and a very long (15 cm!) strand of what at first looked like toothfloss. She was scooting on the ground trying to get it out.
When I looked closer, it seemed more like a stretchy/mucous, rather than toothfloss or string.
I was panicked and (stupidly) but gently pulled it out with a tissue - it seemed to stretch and I worried I was pulling out her innards!! But she didn't seem in pain and let me gently pull it all out (it was about 20cm when out).
She is in good spirits and eating/sleeping/playing, so does not seem in any distress.
Does it sound like a loose anal gland? The strand was fibrous but not as strong as toothfloss, and was definitely "stretchy/mucousy" as opposed to a piece of yarn or string (which made me think it's something internal).
The vet is not sure if she is spayed or not (we shaved her and couldn't distinguish a scar, but he said that they can be very hard to see (?) She doesn't show strong signs of heat (I watched Youtube for examples!), but she does go through some days when she mews more and rolls around, so we will do a hormone test next time she gets "extra mew-y" to check whether it's silent heat!
Thanks in advance for your help!

RESPONSE:

What you describe sounds like a tapeworm or other internal parasite that was being eliminated. Usually this happens after a deworming medication whereby they are eliminated in the cat's feces.

However, although you had medication for deworming I don't know how recent it was, and, not all internal parasites are killed by such a medication.

Here is the link to Cat Internal Parasites

This article gives more in-depth information on these pesky parasites. Your vet may have to get you to give a feces sample from you cat in order to discover which medication is required.

I wish you luck in resolving this issue and commend you for giving a stray cat a wonderful home and caring owner.

Comments for Long stringy mucus coming from cats rear end

Click here to add your own comments

Aug 09, 2018

Stringy mucus
by: Sonja

my cat had long stringy mucus hanging out of her rear.i tried getting it of with a paper towel.after a few tries I got it all out,she seems to feel better that that mucus is gone,but I hope I did the right thing.She is a stray cat an I can not pick her up,she panics!I love the little black susie(her name) she lays next to me in bed and is very lovable.,I just hope she is ok?

Jul 18, 2015

Thank you
by: Claire

Thanks for your advice, it is very helpful! She had her first de-worming tablet a month ago, when I first took her in, so that makes sense! The vet said to give her another worming tablet and I'll keep an eye on her to make sure that the tablet works and kills whatever strain of worms she has. She is in great spirits and not in any distress/eating normally etc :)

Click here to add your own comments

Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How? Simply click here to return to Questions Invitation.

Having trouble finding what you need? Cat Health Index & Site Map

Do you have a question to ask?...Questions

Do you have a cat story to share?...Simply click here to go to that page!