My cat has diarrhea and a red, irritated anus. What's wrong?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Diarrhea can be observed with conditions such as colitis, gastroenteritis, dietary indiscretion, intestinal parasites, among many other possibilities. This is not likely to be related. I recommend that you have Luna evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They may choose to check for parasites and to start medications for diarrhea depending on the results. Good luck! Hoping for a speedy recovery!

Hi there and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. There are many causes to diarrhea with a red perhaps inflamed anus. Parasites could be the cause or a bacterial or viral infection. I would take your kitten to your veterinarian soon for a fecal test where they will test his stool for parasites and bacteria and/or certain viruses that could be causing the diarrhea. They may Rx a medication to your kitten depending on what the veterinarian discovers on the fecal test. Best of luck! I hope this has helped.

Thanks for using PetCoach. I’m sorry to hear about Lulu! Some mild protrusion during defecation and for a minute after is not uncommon and is usually nothing the worry about. However, I always deworm these guys anyways, as roundworms are a common cause of rectal prolapse. Something like this usually works if that’s the problem. VIP - TM-_-58700003271149947&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&adpos={adpos}&scid=scplp1246100&sc_intid=1246100&kwid=p27187667103&device=m&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIoujYo_P72QIVj2p-Ch3FMwYjEAQYASABEgJ_ofD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds Her stools look slightly soft which can also exacerbate this problem so I’d add 1 tsp benefiber powder to each meal. (Shouldn’t be a problem for the hypoallergenic trial.) If you are seeing more than 5mm of red anal tissue or it is staying “out” for more than 2 minutes, it’s time to see the vet. Hope this helps and best of luck to you and Lulu.

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!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Diarrhea can be observed with conditions such as colitis, gastroenteritis, dietary indiscretion, intestinal parasites, among many other possibilities. You could consider using A D ointment to put on the area around the anus in case it is irritated. You may find that at your local pharmacy. I recommend that you have Riley evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They may choose to check for parasites and to start medications for diarrhea depending on the results. Good luck! Hoping for a speedy recovery!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This happens commonly. I would add 1 tsp benefiber to the food twice daily to help with that. Try a little diaper cream around the anus to help soothe the irritated area. If he is licking excessively, I recommend an E-collar. It’s usually only necessary for about 24 hours in cases like this. Best wishes to you and Zorro!

Yes, the redness could be due to irritation, and from your picture (thank you for providing one!) it doesn't look excessively red . It looks like normal mucosa to me (the membrane that lines the anal cavity), and I would not be concerned about it :-)