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My cat has a sore, inflamed butt and is scooting. Can I use Cortizone?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | American Shorthair | Male | neutered | 11 years and 8 months old | 10 lbs

I took my cat, Sammy, to a vet for a sore butt. his stool is runny & sticks to his fur. His butt smells & is inflamed. I am going to try to bath him today & I would like to know if I can use cortizone 10 cream on his butt to keep him from sliding his butt accross the living room rug?

4 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Lotus Altholtz

Veterinarian, Board-Certified Lab Animal Medicine Specialist

Published on January 30th, 2019

You can use cortisine cream twice daily for a week as long as the skin around his anus is not raw/bleeding. I do recommend bringing Sampson back to your vet to have his anal glands expressed as cats usually do not drag their butts across the rug unless their anal glands are full/impacted. Anal gland issues happen more frequently in dogs than cats but can definitely occur in cats as well. After an anal gland expression, your vet can also prescribe a topical steroid/antibiotic/antifungal ointment such as Dermavet which would be much more effective than cortisone cream. An e-collar, fecal exam, probiotics, prescription intestinal diet, subcutaneous fluids for dehydration/possible pancreatitis and metronidazole may be indicated as well. Good luck!

6Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Dr. Strydom, DVM
Veterinarian
Published on May 29th, 2019
The photo is blurry when I enlarge it but yes, this appears to be an anal gland abscess. You can do warm compresses if he will allow you to do that (5 minutes, 3 times per day). You can also apply a thin layer of Neosporin after compresses. If he is licking his anus it is best to get him a cone collar (you can buy at Petco) to stop him. If he continues to lick it will not heal. Hope this helps. Best wishes.
14Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Dr. Dayna, DVM, CVA
Veterinarian, Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist
Published on December 13th, 2017
It looks like this may be a ruptured anal sac abscess. A warm compress to the area can help with comfort. I would definitely encourage you to have her evaluated by your veterinarian as these require antibiotics and sometimes manual removal of anal sac material to heal. Best of luck and I hope she improves soon! Thank you for using Pet Coach.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Dr. Leigh, DVM
Veterinarian
Published on November 3rd, 2016
Your cat could have a ruptured anal gland. She should be seen before Wed as she would need an antibiotic. If your vet can't see her then you should call around and see if you can find one that will. She shouldnt have to wait 6 days before treatment is started.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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Related Questions

What cream can I use for my cat's irritated butt skin from poop?

The best thing to do is have the area around the anus and down the back legs shaved every 6-8 weeks. A groomer should be able to do it for you or if your cat is good, you can try to do it yourself. It's called a sanitary clip. If you put a cream/ointment on it she will likely just lick it off and all kinds of dirt and hair will stick to it. ( https://www.google.com/search?q=sanitary+clip+cat&oq=sanitary+clip+cat&aqs=chrome..69i57j33.4928j1j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#kpvalbx=_pIU9XtiXO8aE5wKjzauACg44 ) You can use Vaseline if you really want to as it's OK if she licks it but it will be messy.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Health & Wellness

My cat has an itchy, red, irritated spot. Can I safely use cortisone?

Depending on where it is. I prefer cortisone cream and use a very thin film on the spot, and rub it in well. If your cat can lick the area you need to use a cone as it is not good for them to lick lot if it. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Boy.

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My fat long-haired cat's sore bum is irritated. What should I do?

Hello! Yes, cats that are overweight often get an infected rash in this area. Cats have trouble grooming this area when they are overweight. If the area is sore and infected looking, it is much better to take Carmen in to see her vet to have the area checked. Your vet can likely prescribe a cream to use topically. At the clinic, they will likely be able to shave and clean the area fully, and this will help things to heal up normally.

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My cat has diarrhea and a sore bottom. What can I apply to soothe?

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!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

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Can I safely apply hydrocortisone cream to my cat's itchy skin?

In general this is not advisable since human products are not made to be ingested. Cat grooming themselves very frequently and thus are likely to get the product in their mouth. Most treatments for cats will be systemic. Otherwise the veterinarian will carry pet safe ointments and sprays. Most of these cats will also wear an Elizabethan collar to prevent licking. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Food & Nutrition

How to stop my overweight cat from dragging her butt after pooping?

This sounds suspicious that your cats anal glands may be full. The anal glands are located just inside the rectum at the 4 and 10 o'clock position and when they are full they can cause irritation resulting in the pet scooting across the carpet. So this is a common presentation. Typically the anal glands are expressed by pets when they go poop, but in obese or overweight pets this is difficult and can result in them not being expressed properly. So first thing is to get the anal glands checked by a veterinarian to avoid having them rupture because of over-filling. The second thing is to get your kitty on a low fat diet or weight loss routine, such as decreasing portions and limited extra calorie snacks. Here are my picks for weight loss foods if interested: 1) Hills Metabolic- by far the best product in my opinion for FAST (within 2 months approx. 79% of pets lose weight) weight loss and weight maintenance (prescription only) 2) Hill's W/D - effective and also can help regulate glucose to prevent diabetes (prescription only) 2) Hill's Low fat - over the counter, varying results

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Why is my cat scooting his butt on the carpet and furniture?

These signs are usually related to anal glands infection/inflammation. Anal glands need to be expressed and, if infected, treated with antibiotics. Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

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