One day our cat shows up with "something" red on his butt, and the scare is great if there is a prolapse because we think that this reddened mass means that he is "losing his guts", literally. And no, it's not the guts, but an inflamed and red anus in cats is a reason for veterinary consultation, since we may be facing a risk situation. In this article on our site we give you information on the causes that can explain why your cat has a swollen and red anus, and what is the management and treatment most suitable in each situation.
What's up my cat's butt?
As soon as our friend raises his tail, what we will see will be the anus, normally negligible, of an intense red color and of an increased size. On occasions, we will even observe a "mass" with a mucous appearance, like a bowel, hence the confusion of many people who think that it is a gut. This mass protrudes from the anus even several centimeters. Therefore, we will be facing two different conditions, in the first we will have a inflammation and redness of the outer tissue, while in the second, we will be facingprolapse of the anus or rectum. This last case would be the most serious.
Now let's see why our cat may have a swollen and red anus.
Causes of anal inflammation, redness and irritation in cats
Generally the inflammation, but also the prolapse, is caused by profuse diarrhea, this is the elimination of numerous liquid stools in a short interval of time. This diarrhea is usually caused by the presence of parasites, which is why it is more common in kittens of very few months and hence the importance of proper deworming, according to the guidelines recommended by our veterinarian, which will be adjusted to the age and type of parasite. Remember that from 15 days of life kittens must be dewormed and we always have to deworm the cat that comes home.
In addition to diarrhoea, it should be borne in mind that the opposite case, constipation, can also be responsible for inflammation and anal prolapse in cats, as well as pathologies that cause efforts when urinating, such as cystitis, tumors or hernias in the area. In general, all those disorders that make it difficult to defecate or urination and involve effort can cause this problem, which also includes labor, which It can even cause prolapse in some cats. For all this, excluding births, it is more common to see kittens with their anus "outwards", inflamed and red, or geriatric cats, although it must also be taken into account that there seems to be a certain individual predisposition and/or muscle weakness in the zone. This also points to the possibility of the episode recurring.
As we can see, it is equally important to identify and treat the primary cause, hence the need to go to the vet to resolve the inflammation and redness of the anus.
What to do if my cat has a swollen and red year?
As the main causes of veterinary urgency, the treatment must be established by the specialist depending on the problem. Once the primary cause has been determined and treated, our cat should improve quickly from its anal inflammation, redness and irritation. We can promote healing by applying a drop of some moisturizing or soothing product, such as aloe vera or Vaseline, if the vet has not prescribed another type of cream (anti-inflammatories may sometimes be required). We can repeat the application a couple of times a day until it improves. It is important that, as far as possible, we avoid licking since the scratchy tongue of cats can contribute to irritation and even cause small wounds that complicate the picture.
If, in addition to redness, we are facing a prolapse, as we said, we should immediately go to a our vet We can carry out the transfer by covering the protruding part with a gauze soaked in saline, to avoid rubbing and licking and to keep the area moist during the trip. It is the veterinarian who, through examination, will determine if we are facing an anal or rectal prolapse to act accordingly. In both cases, they must be reduced, that is, the affected area must be inserted into its place inside the body. Depending on its severity, manual or surgical reduction will be necessary.
