Cats' anal glands full

"Cheryl" wrote in message
...
In ,
Marek Williams composed with style:
On Sun, 23 Nov 2003 17:20:49 -0500, "Phil P."
dijo:

Anal sacs aren't necessary for survival.

What is their function? Considering how much a problem they seem
to
be why do cats have them at all?

The history of them is weird. They used to express them when scared
sort of like a skunk does. I don't know if the secretion was
supposed
to make a preditor think they weren't edible. When the sac material
wasn't secreted in fear, it was expressed with a bowel movement.
Back
when the diet of a cat was the natural diet and the feces was hard
and
cement-like; hard enough for the feces to press against the sacs
during elimination. With commercial diets being unlike their
natural
diet, many cats have anal sac problems.

Why would the cat's natural diet (mostly protein, I imagine?) resultin
hard, "cement like" feces?" Anyone ever on Atkins knows why I wonder
....

In . com,
Mary composed with style:

Why would the cat's natural diet (mostly protein, I imagine?)
resultin hard, "cement like" feces?"

I believe it was mostly the bone content.

In . com,
Mary composed with style:

Why would the cat's natural diet (mostly protein, I imagine?)
resultin hard, "cement like" feces?"

I believe it was mostly the bone content.

"Cheryl" wrote in message
...
In . com,
Mary composed with style:

Why would the cat's natural diet (mostly protein, I imagine?)
resultin hard, "cement like" feces?"

I believe it was mostly the bone content.

Aha! Makes sense. I was once cautioned about antacids having this
effect, but I had to learn the hard way. :-)

"Aunt Mary, are you EVER coming out of there?"

LOL!

"Cheryl" wrote in message
...
In . com,
Mary composed with style:

Why would the cat's natural diet (mostly protein, I imagine?)
resultin hard, "cement like" feces?"

I believe it was mostly the bone content.

Aha! Makes sense. I was once cautioned about antacids having this
effect, but I had to learn the hard way. :-)

"Aunt Mary, are you EVER coming out of there?"

LOL!

"Cheryl" a écrit dans le message de news:
...
In ,
Marek Williams composed with style:
On Sun, 23 Nov 2003 17:20:49 -0500, "Phil P."
dijo:

Anal sacs aren't necessary for survival.

What is their function? Considering how much a problem they seem to
be why do cats have them at all?

The history of them is weird. They used to express them when scared
sort of like a skunk does. I don't know if the secretion was supposed
to make a preditor think they weren't edible. When the sac material
wasn't secreted in fear, it was expressed with a bowel movement. Back
when the diet of a cat was the natural diet and the feces was hard and
cement-like;

Cats feces are not cement hard on a natural diet of preys. The stools are
long and thin yes, but consist mostly of the preys hair, a few streaks of
grass, and a little poop to hold it together. You easily break it when dry.
I've had many occasions to observe, especially when I garden (!!) When the
stools are very hard, there is fiber missing in the diet surely.

Elaine

hard enough for the feces to press against the sacs
during elimination. With commercial diets being unlike their natural
diet, many cats have anal sac problems.

"Cheryl" a écrit dans le message de news:
...
In ,
Marek Williams composed with style:
On Sun, 23 Nov 2003 17:20:49 -0500, "Phil P."
dijo:

Anal sacs aren't necessary for survival.

What is their function? Considering how much a problem they seem to
be why do cats have them at all?

The history of them is weird. They used to express them when scared
sort of like a skunk does. I don't know if the secretion was supposed
to make a preditor think they weren't edible. When the sac material
wasn't secreted in fear, it was expressed with a bowel movement. Back
when the diet of a cat was the natural diet and the feces was hard and
cement-like;

Cats feces are not cement hard on a natural diet of preys. The stools are
long and thin yes, but consist mostly of the preys hair, a few streaks of
grass, and a little poop to hold it together. You easily break it when dry.
I've had many occasions to observe, especially when I garden (!!) When the
stools are very hard, there is fiber missing in the diet surely.

Elaine

hard enough for the feces to press against the sacs
during elimination. With commercial diets being unlike their natural
diet, many cats have anal sac problems.