Kitten’s Swollen, Irritated Anus: Causes & Solutions

A vet explains why your kitten’s anus is swollen and irritated: MANY possible causes.

This could be due to quite a few possible causes that then indirectly lead to anal irritation and swelling.

The most likely cause is “scooting.” This is when a cat (or kitten) drags its behind along the floor or ground.

Of course, the anus will become irritated and swollen because of the repeated contact.

But the big question is: Why is your kitten scooting in the first place?

“Excessive scooting for any reason will cause swelling and redness,” says Jean Hofve, DVM, who has 20+ years’ experience in both conventional and alternative veterinary medicine, and author of the eBook, “What Cats Should Eat.”

Dr. Hofve says that scooting in a kitten may be caused by the following conditions (no particular order):

–   Anal sac inflammation, infection or impaction

–   Pyoderma (bacterial skin infection)

–   Yeast infection

–   Urinary tract infection

–   Ringworm (a fungal skin infection)

–   Tapeworms/coccidian/pinworms/other intestinal parasites

–   Changes in gut flora (may occur after antibiotic treatment)

–   Urethritis/vaginitis

–   Proctitis (inflammation of the anus/rectum)

–   Diarrhea or constipation

–   Vaginal hairball/foreign body

–   Low back pain

–   Displacement behavior (cat continues scooting after the primary cause is resolved)

There are additional causes of scooting — which then could cause the anus to become swollen and irritated — but these additional causes are not as likely to occur in a kitten, but rather, a cat:

–   Fleabite allergy

–   Food allergy

–   Atopy (inhalant allergy)

–   Environmental allergy

–   Inflammatory bowel disease

–   Obesity

And One More Possible Reason for a Kitten’s Swollen, Irritated Anus

Dr. Hofve says that an additional cause could be “rectal prolapse and irritation from suckling by littermates (more common than you would think!). Depends to a large extent on age of kitten.”

Now retired from veterinary medicine, Dr. Hofve has researched pet nutrition and the pet food industry since the early 1990s. She has written dozens of articles and has been interviewed for print, radio and television around the world. She is author of the eBook, “What Cats Should Eat.”

Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.