My cat has a dirty anus and won't let me clean it. Is it serious?

Staining can be related to not cleaning well (some cats are not as clean as others), a loose/messy stool, not being able to reach the rectal area well to clean (like is Ashes is over weight) or longer fur that gets the stool on it. I recommend to figure out what is happening and try to address it appropriately. If it appears related to a looser stool, have Ashes checked by the veterinarian for parasites or bacterial issues. If the food is suspected to be the issue, I recommend to brand Royal Canin. It often results in less stool production and a good stool quality. I hope this helps.

Poor guy. If he won't tolerate you trying to clean the area well with some cat shampoo and water, then he may just have to be sedated by your vet and have the area clipped and cleaned. Also if there is inflammation, then the vet can make sure there isn't also an infection on the skin that requires a short course of antibiotics to resolve. I'm sure Louis will feel much better once this is taken care of. Best of luck moving forward. Take care.

It could be that your cat never learned to clean herself as a kitten, or just doesn't realize she has stuff stuck to her fur. Longer haired cats can also get things stuck easily. Keeping the area trimmed and wiping down her bottom with a pet wipe or baby wipe can help keep her cleaner.

It could be Mellow has some problems with hair balls, and there may be poop stains around his anus. I'd give him a bath to clean up his anal area. Feed him wet food with water added to it to see if that helps with the firm poop.

Cats are very clean animals in general. They clean them themselves for the same reason that they bury their waste in the litter. They are afraid that the smell could alert predators to their presence - this is instinct. Yin may just not have as much of this instinct as the normal cat. It is not a problem as long as she doesn't have feces stuck to her anus or down her back legs. If you notice this then you will need to clean it off or she will get an infection. You can use wipes like this: ( https://www.allivet.com/p-5339-aoe-animal-odor-eliminator-pet-wipes-80.aspx )

Poor Aggie. It is definitely not normal for them to have feces stuck back there and this most commonly happens when they are sick or having diarrhea. It can happen also to really obese cats. It is also not normal for them to have vaginal discharge especially if she is spayed. I would strongly recommend to have her seen by a vet so they can figure out why this is happening. If she will allow y'all to bathe her, you can use a regular, oatmeal based cat shampoo to help cleanse her. If you don't have that you can use a gentle cleaner like dial gold just on her rear end. If you aren't sure about bathing her, your vet should be able to help you with this too. I hope this helps and she starts to feel better soon.

Tink is definitely gorgeous! I'm glad you've gotten her to lose some weight, however sounds like that's not the reason she's a poor groomer - we know this now that we know she can "reach" that area, but still doesn't. I'd have to wonder how you know that she's not grooming that area - perhaps she has diarrhea and there is residue in that area? Most of the time a cat doesn't have to do much in the way of cleaning back there, unless the stool is abnormal. Submit a fecal sample (I know you said she doesn't have tapeworms, but check for other intestinal parasites as well) and if that's negative, consider a hypoallergenic diet trial. Also, make sure her teeth and mouth are healthy, as dental pain sometimes keeps a cat from grooming normally. Ultimately, she may be a poor groomer and you might have to consider regular grooming visits for what's called a "sanitary clip" to shave the hair in that region.