1172. A rare case - A cat has jet black anal sac oil

Sat April 18, 2015  11 am

"The ferocious cat will never be injected or examined," I said to the mother and daughter who tried to coax the cat out of the carrier. The cat hissed warnings but they ignored her.
"Once out of the carrier," I advised. "The cat will bolt and be even angrier!."

"This is a country pumpkin cat," the adult daughter said. "She has never gone out of the apartment." Her brother who loves this cat very much was at work selling outdoor exercise equipment. The whole family loves this angry cat.

It was 2 years ago that she was spayed and I did not see her again for the annual vaccination last year. "Too busy," the working daughter said. But in the past 3 months, the cat was losing hair on both flanks.

"It is just not possible to examine her as she will scratch anyone approaching the carrier," I advised giving the cat isoflurane gas and oxygen anaesthesia. This was done and the cat was examined. Hair loss of 50% on both flanks due to licking.

A case of bilateral endocrine alopecia since she was spayed by me 2 years ago? Flea bite dermatitis earlier as there was no signs of fleas. A case of anal sacculitis which is rare in cats.

As the cat was sleeping, I pressed the anal sacs. Jet black oil oozed out in copious amounts (see video). More  dried grey granular oil ssquirrelled out from one sac and the owners could see the oil.

"The normal oil is light yellow, like cooking oil," I said. "Your cat's black anal sac oil is rarely encountered.  One in 1000 cats possibly. The cat could feel the itchiness in the anal sacs and alleviated her itchiness by licking the flanks.

The oil was expressed.
"Her stools may be too soft and so, the anal sac oil could not be discharged," I asked whether the owners had seen the stools.
"No," the daughter said. "The maid cleared up the stools."

This was a beloved cat who would growl and hissed at family members too. So the mum clipped her claws two at a time when the cat was sleeping.


This cat came for a check up for the hair loss early. I noted in my record that the anal sacs were OK 2 years ago. So, this problem of anal sac impaction happened in the last 2 years. 

Jet black anal sac oil is very rarely seen in cats and so this will be considered a rare case.