Sore, red bottom

Hi, my kitten has the same thing. Could you let me know how it went for you? I’m not sure what to do, even though the vet told me it’s nothing to worry about just yet.

Hi there,

If fleas are the root of the problem, a thorough flea treatment for both your cat and your home (vacuuming several days in a row and using a household flea spray, as larvae can survive for a long time in the environment) should sort it out. Bepanthen seems to have helped with the inflammation, so you can keep using it as long as you don't notice any side effects. As it’s a human cream, there haven't necessarily been many studies on its effects on cats. If you spot a wound, cleaning it with Betadine could be a good idea, provided it's a version suitable for animals (vets usually use chlorhexidine).

The swelling around your cat's anus is quite significant though, so we can't rule out an early-stage anal prolapse. In these cases, the main causes are usually parasites, a foreign object, or constipation. However, with a prolapse, you’d typically see diarrhoea or difficulty passing stools, along with a lot of pain. It would be best to keep a close eye on whether your cat is eating, weeing, and pooing normally, and checking that the frequency and consistency are fine without any obvious straining. If you notice any changes in their behaviour, like playing less or hiding away, it could be a sign of pain. In that case, the best thing to do is book an appointment with your vet.

Hope this helps,

Anais

Good evening, Thanks so much for your reply! That’s a relief. So it’s definitely not a prolapse then? I was really worried about that. She hadn’t been treated for fleas and she’s got quite a lot of them, so she’s been scratching a lot. Maybe that’s why? She had some flea treatment today – do you think it’ll clear up just with the flea and worming treatment? Should I keep applying Bepanthen? Is there any risk of infection? Or would it be better to clean the area with some Betadine? Thanks everyone!

Hi, A red bottom can be caused by anal inflammation. Several things can lead to this, such as diarrhoea or constipation, worms, flea bite allergies, an infection, or even issues with the anal glands. The treatment depends on whatever caused the inflammation in the first place. Most of the time, it’s quite easy to treat and manage. So, if the worming treatment works, it’s probably because your cat had worms which caused the irritation. If it doesn’t help, you should see a vet for some potential antibiotics or to have their anal glands expressed. Hope this helps, Anais