A normally lazy cat goes absolutely crazy after it poops. It runs back
and forth through the apartment and bangs into walls, ears back. Why?
(the cat is male, if that matters). I'm looking for an expert's
explanation of this phenomenon. Thanks.

---

Request for Question Clarification by cynthia-ga on 03 Dec 2005 01:11 PST

Is this new behavior?

---

Clarification of Question by jworley-ga on 03 Dec 2005 01:45 PST

This behavior has been present for years.

I've seen this myself, not limited to male cats, as I've
owned almost exclusively female felines. I've wondered too!

Clearly you have a greebling problem. I suspect there must be
greeblings in the litter pan, which are stirred up when your cat
poops. Of course, he is then obliged to chase and subdue them.
"Greeblingz are believed to be non-visible entities and some
authorities have linked them to UFO sightings or feel that they may be
diminutive other-dimensional beings." See here:
http://www.flippyscatpage.com/felineailments.html For a lengthier
discussion of the topic, you might find this article enlightening:
http://www.blakjak.demon.co.uk/gblings.htm But don't worry, your cat's
behavior is common, and quite understandable once you realize he is
merely dealing with a greebling situation. For more on the subject,
you might just do a quick search for [greeblings]. There is quite a
wealth of information! Good luck. :-)

Well, that is reassuring.  I was thinking that it might be some kind
of anal fixation aggrevated by pooping that called for Freudian
analysis, alternatively; reducing the cat's diet of chili peppers.  ;)

LMAO Byrd!!!  

Gee whiz, I'm relieved to hear there is a rational explanation! The
first thing that occured to me was an intestinal problem, or maybe a
UTI... But the fact it's not a new problem would lead me to think it's
behavioral.

Does your cat eat rats ?, if so then .... after the cat poops, it
thinks .... "I have gone to a great extent to catch and eat a rat but
then it has come out and escaped" .... this is so because it can smell
the rat in its poop but the rat itself is not there.

Cheers

Ravi

I utterly refute the greeblings hypothesis on two reasons. Our cat
dashes about *before* he poops and anyway he is trained to use the
toilet, so has no need for a litter box.

Has a vet checked your cat for impacted anal scent glands? Perhaps
your cat is experiencing pain on defecation and the banging into walls
is an inability to stop in time if the floor is slick and the cat
declawed.

The possibility of a problem with anal scent glands was mentioned by a
vet after I described your cat's behavior.

Here's a reference with some information on problems with anal scent
glands in cats and dogs.

http://www.cvm.uiuc.edu/petcolumns/showarticle.cfm?id=86