Why does my kitten's butt suddenly smell horrible? What can I do?

Cats have two small scent glands on either side of their rectum called anal glands - if these glands have been leaking a little or if she has expressed them recently, you may notice a very strong odor from her rear end. You can try cleaning the area around her rectum with some warm water and soap to help get rid of the smell. If this is a recurring problem, I recommend having her seen by a vet to check for infection or impaction of the glands.

It sounds like it may be fluid from the anal glands. Most cats do not have anal gland issues but some do. I recommend to have the anal glands expressed by his veterinarian. He may need this done periodically. There is also a supplement called Glandex that will help his body to naturally express the glands during a bowel movement. You will feed this to him every day. I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions.

It sounds like the odor you are describing is discharge from Ed's anal glands. Anal glands are a scent marking gland (as you could guess) since they produce a very strong odor. It is normal to animals to express anal gland material when very stimulated or startled. I have attached an article below that describes anal glands. https://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=625 I had this occur with one of my cats when he was young, but it no longer is a problem. However, I would recommend having your vet examine Ed's anal glands to make sure they are not overly full. Sometimes cats will need their anal glands expressed intermittently to prevent them from expressing them. Good luck! Please let me know if that was helpful. Thanks for using PetCoach.

Hi and thanks for posting on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I am sorry to hear Socks is not doing all that well. Poor guy! Yes, you can give Socks a warm bath to help eliminate the odors, however, if he has liquid coming from his rear end, this may be diarrhea. Diarrhea in small kittens can be very dehydrating and is often a sign a serious infection such as from a virus like panleukopenia or from a parasite. I would recommend Socks see a veterinarian as soon as possible so he can be seen and treated. Your veterinarian may recommend submitting a fecal test to check his stool for viruses, bacteria, and parasites that could be a cause. He may need to be placed on fluids, antibiotics, and a special nutritional supplementation to help him recover. Without seeing his veterinarian, there is not a lot you can do at home other than what you have already been doing, unfortunately. I hope this helps and I wish you and Socks the best!

KitKat May have full anal glands. These are scent glands at the end of her rectum. I would recommend bringing her to your veterinarian to have them express her glands to make herself comfortable. If they are not expressed they can sometimes develop into an abscess that can break open. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

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.

It possible you are seeing the opening of the anal glands with some waxy exudate built up in the opening. Cats will generally keep themselves clean but some are better than others. Not all cats require treatment for anal glands but you want want to call your veterinarian and ask. Also, you may be able to keep the area clean by soaking it with a warm wet cotton ball or a gentle cleaning once a day. I hope this helps.