My cat's butt is red and swollen. Why won't she use her litter box?

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.

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 would recommend that you have Princess seen by your veterinarian. A rectal prolapse may need surgical correction and will get worse with time, if left untreated. Diarrhea can exacerbate a prolapse. An infection with a parasite called coccidia can cause diarrhea and causes enough irritation in some pets to cause a prolapse. Your veterinarian may recommend checking a stool sample to see if this is part of the problem. I would also recommend that you have Princess spayed to prevent future litters of kittens. Unspayed female cats are at higher risk for developing mammary cancer later in life and uterine infections.

She may have an anal sac abscess, or she could have a little bit of colitis and she just hasn’t had a bowel movement for you to see the full effect of what is going on. Look all around her rear end for any wounds . If it continues then she should be evaluated by a veterinarian soon. Best of luck and I hope she improves soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

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 :-)

If your pets anal area is swollen and there was diarrhea before this happened, then there are two possible scenarios here 1) Your pet has severe colitis and needs antibiotics (Metronidazole helps with GI issues and inflammation of the gut) prescribed by a veterinarian. They will also recommend a bland diet of boiled chicken and rice or cottage cheese or a low fat dog formula like Hill's I/D or over the counter Purina EN Gastrointestinal and potential probiotics (you can try Culturelle it works great). 2) If the swelling is actually to the side of the anus then this could be an impacted anal gland- which also should be treated and express by a veterinarian.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Mindy. Yes, I recommend that she sees a veterinarian. Cats that have parasites frequently have more than one type. It is best to have her examined and a stool sample tested. Sometimes the anus can be res from straining to defecate. I hope this information helps!