My cat's anal area is swollen and leaking. Does she need a vet now?

It appears from the photo that Boo has an anal sac abscess. She will need to see the vet for treatment. The abscess needs to be drained and the anal sac flushed out. After that, she will need to be on an antibiotic to clear the infection.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Luna. Poor girl! That is quite swollen and the area look really wet, so I suspect there is discharge. I'm wondering if she could have a malignant growth that has ulcerated causing this or if it could be a problem with her anal sacs. Her anal sacs may have been impacted and have now ruptured. Without seeing her in person, I ca't say what is going on for sure. I think it's best you take her into a vet immediately to get this diagnosed and treated. I hope this helps!

Poor girl. So it seems that Lela has a moderate amount of colon inflammation and a little bit of the colon is actually prolapsed (pushing outward). She should be seen by your vet immediately to have this area evaluated in person and determine if she needs to have this surgically repaired. I hope that you get some resolve soon for Lela and I am hoping for a full and speedy recovery. It is amazing what cats can go through and not seem to be affected by. They are truly the masters at hiding discomfort and pain. But we have to not use that as a ticket to avoiding proper veterinary care. The vet may even want to prescribe an anti-inflammatory medication to see if they can get this to reduce in size. Best wishes at the vet. Take care.

My biggest immediate concern would be for intestinal parasites. Most kittens have them, and if she hasn't seen a vet yet and been dewormed, she needs to. She's suffering pretty significant fluid losses for a tiny creature. Make an appointment tomorrow, and bring a stool sample with you, so that the type of parasite can be determined and appropriate treatment started.

Thank you for the photo. Yes, it does look serious but I cannot give you a specific diagnosis just based on this photo and your description. She is licking back there either because something is hurting her (so she is in pain) or she has an infection of either the anal area and/or the vagina/uterus/bladder. I am glad she is otherwise acting normally but that does not mean there is no problem here. I suggest you have her to a vet for an exam.

Swelling of the anus/rectum could be due to constipation/hard stools, anal gland issues, allergies, irritation, or other problems. You would need to have the area looked at by your vet to determine what is going on and get the appropriate treatment. Be sure to let your vet known of any other issues you may have seen such as changes in appetite, energy levels, stool habits, etc. You can also use an Elizabethan (cone) collar to prevent your cat from licking/chewing at the affected area if it is bothersome until you can get to your vet.

I agree with you. The top of the anus does look swollen. I do not know what from. He needs an exam in person from your vet. In the meantime you can just apply a thin layer of Neosporin to the affected area to hopefully soothe him.