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Scooting the Bottom Along the Floor
Trying to relieve irritation around the rear end
Dragging or dragging-and-shuffling the bottom along the carpet or floor while sitting, often with the hind legs stretched forward.
A cat that suddenly sits down and drags its bottom along the carpet — the so-called 'scoot' — is almost always trying to relieve an itch or discomfort it cannot reach any other way. Unlike most behaviours on this site, this one is usually a signal that something needs attention rather than a personality quirk.
The most common reason is the anal glands: two small scent sacs either side of the anus that can become full, impacted or infected, causing an intense itch that the cat tries to ease by rubbing. Other triggers include tapeworm segments around the rear, a bout of diarrhoea leaving the area sore, or dried faeces or matted fur trapped in the coat of a long-haired cat.
An occasional single scoot after a messy litter-box visit can be harmless, but repeated scooting, licking or biting at the rear, or any swelling, redness or foul smell, means a vet check is due. Cats are far less prone to anal-gland trouble than dogs, so persistent scooting in a cat should never simply be assumed to be normal.
🐾 Most common in
Seen in cats of any breed or age, and more often in overweight cats, long-haired cats prone to matting, and those with a history of soft stools or worms.