Why is my 12-year-old cat's anus swollen and he keeps licking?

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 Zena. I would recommend that she sees her veterinarian to have her anal glands examined. These are glands that sit just under the skin on either side of the anus. They are supposed to express everytime the animal defecates. However, they can become blocked or infected. This is uncomfortable for the cat resulting is licking or scooting. The veterinarian can express the material of the glands are too full. Occasionally the gland will rupture due to infection. In this case, the gland needs to be flushed out and the patient requires medication. Of course, there could be something else going on which is why she needs to be examined. I hope this information helps!

Red’s anus does look irritated and I can see some redness on the underside of his tail as well. He might be licking due to irritation from full anal glands, parasites or allergies. I would recommend having your vet examine him and check his anal glands. They may want to check a stool sample as well. Oral or topical medications might help. I would recommend putting an e-collar on to prevent licking until you can get to the vet.

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.

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.

When you say he is still sick, I understand that you are concerned he has a fever; but what other symptoms is he showing? Is he vomiting? When you mention he was sitting in the litter box for hours, is he constipated? Was your vet concerned about constipation when you took him in? I suspect that the white thick fluid was from Oreo's anal glands. As far as what you should do at this time, follow the instructions from your vet for the mediations, and if you feel like Oreo is getting worse, or that the medication isn't helping, take him back to your vet. If your vet is closed for the holiday, they will have a message of where you should call if you have an emergency. Please seek emergency care if: *Oreo is becoming very lethargic, is reluctant or unable to move, or seems very painful. *If Oreo is spending a lot of time in the box posturing to urinate and no urine is coming out *If Oreo is vomiting all water and food or if he has gone more than 3 entire days without eating anything *If breathing becomes labored (working hard to breathe) at any point Otherwise, call your vet tomorrow and get him back in fro a recheck. You can request a consultation and one of us would be happy to see if we can help you further from a distance. Thanks for asking Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

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.