Your cat is licking her privates a lot
Is there something wrong?
You are looking for information because your cat is licking her privates a lot. In that case this is the best page to find the answer. We’ll discuss why your cat is licking her privates and what other symptoms you might notice. Of course, we also discuss the possible causes and what you can do yourself to treat those causes. Hopefully your cat will stop licking her privates in the short term.
Why is my cat licking her privates a lot?
Of course, it’s a topic that’s a bit strange to talk about. But your cat is licking her privates a lot if she experiences irritation, if fluid comes out of her vagina or if she experiences stress. Cats are of course (generally) very clean themselves and wash themselves several times a day. But they will also lick a specific region more often when it irritates them. Saliva contains healing substances and by keeping an area as clean as possible, bacteria have little chance to multiply. So it is a very good way to prevent or cure inflammation and misery.
However, licking and washing also relaxes cats and reduces stress. If your is licking her privates a lot, it may also be that she has too much stress in her body. She is licking away the stress as much as possible.
What other symptoms can you see besides the fact that your cat licking her privates a lot
If your cat is licking her privates a lot, you may also notice the following symptoms:
- She has pain when urinating
- Or she has discharge from her vagina
- She is stressed in general.
- Her abdomen may have become bald due to obcessive licking and her skin around her vagina may become red and irritated.
- If your cat is pregnant, she may of course also have a rather round belly.
Causes why your cat licks her privates a lot
Your cat is giving birth
Don’t be alarmed, but your cat could be in labor if your cat suddenly licks her privates a lot. At the beginning of a birth (and a few days before), some amniotic fluid may come out through her vagina and she will naturally want to lick this to keep herself clean. In addition, her vagina and vulva region is preparing to deliver a big performance. This also feels strange, which will make her lick it more.
If your cat licks her privates a lot because she is pregnant and about to give birth, then your cat has obviously not been neutered in the past. In addition, in most cases her belly has become quite big in the past month. If she is pregnant, you will probably feel some moving “balls” in her belly at this time. To feel this, place your hands on the sides of her stomach and leave them there for a few minutes. You will probably feel some movement during that time.
Your cat has a uterine infection
If your cat licks her privates a lot, she could also have a uterine infection. This uterine infection is when an infection has occurred in her uterus, causing the uterus to become a pus-filled “sack”. In that case, it is possible that pus will come out through her cervix and her vulva. Your cat finds this disgusting and will try to keep herself clean by licking her privates a lot.
A uterine infection can only occur if your cat has not been neutered. In most cases this uterine infection occurs at the age of 2-6 years because after that age almost all cats are neutered. The older a cat gets, the bigger the chance that she will develop a uterine infection if she has not yet been neutered. If she has a uterine infection, she may also drink a lot more water than usual and urinates a lot. And of course she can have a fever and therefore appear ill and doesn’t want to eat normal.
Your cat is in pain when urinating
If urination is painful for your cat, she will also lick her privates a lot. She tries to take away the irritating stimulus after she pees. While urinating, urine may end up on a wound or damage in her vagina. This obviously stings, causing her to have the urge to lick it away. Licking will therefore mainly occur when your cat has just been to the litter box.
Your cat has a cystitis
A more serious case of pain when urinating, is of course the well-known cystitis. In this case too, your cat will have pain when urinating. The urine is often bloody and she urinates much more often than you are used to. Maybe even next to the litter box. In many cases, your cat will also lick her vagina a lot. How to diagnose a cystitis in your cat can be done with the following urine test. You can read how to diagnose this on the page about a cystitis in your cat.
Your cat is stressed or anxious
Has your cat been neutered (so she can’t be pregnant or have a uterine infection) and does she not have any pain during or just after urinating? Then there is a good chance that she is experiencing stress.
And don’t immediately say that your cat is not stressed! Research shows that in most cases where there is excessive licking of the vagina or abdominal region in a cat, there is an increased cortisol blood level. This also applies to cats whose owners are absolutely certain that their cat does not experience stress. Cortisol is the stress hormone, so increasing it results in a physical response to stress. In many cases, cats respond to this by licking themselves, including there private area, a lot. And in many cases it never becomes clear to the owner what was causing their cat this amount of stress.
In any case, you can try to reduce the known stress factors for your cat. Make sure she can retreat to a quiet, peaceful space without other cats and people when she needs to. Prevent the neighboring cats from coming into your house and garden. Give her opportunities to climb and clamber around the house. And of course you have to make sure that she doesn’t experience any physical pain.
Doesn’t this all help to make her lick her privates less? In that case, you can also use nutritional supplements to increase the serotonin level in her brain, making her less sensitive to experiencing stress. The result is that her cortisol levels will ultimately decrease if you give her special nutritional supplements, such as Zylkène.
Your cat has a skin infection around her vagina
Fortunately, it does not happen often, but it is possible that your cat has an inflammation of the skin around her vagina. In this case, your cat will experience irritation from the skin inflammation and will lick her privates a lot as a result. This way she keeps it clean and removes any bacteria. Unfortunately, her tongue is also very rough and can therefore further damage her damaged skin. It is therefore wise to put a protective collar on her and rub her vulva twice a day with honey ointment such as the one below. It will probably be over in about 5 days.
How do you treat your cat if she licks her privates a lot?
The treatment obviously depends on what causes your cat to lick her privates a lot. If she is pregnant, you don’t have to do anything except prepare for the birth and the arrival of the kittens. If you think it could be a cystitis, you can test her urine yourself with the test we recommended earlier in this article. Or at least rule it out if you have any doubts. Also take a good look at the skin around her vagina to make sure there are no wounds or irritated skin. If this is the case, it is best to treat them with honey ointment. Do you see purulent fluid or bloody fluid coming from her vagina and is she not neutered? In that case, you should take her to your vet to have her examined to see if she has a uterine infection.
How do you prevent your cat from licking her privates a lot?
In fact, in most cases it is not necessary to take any measures to prevent your cat from licking her privates a lot. It goes without saying that good nutrition is important to maintain optimal skin and bladder resistance. Have her neutered if you no longer want to have a litter from her. And provide plenty of opportunities for your cat to exercise and relax in the house so that she can manage stress well. The chance that your cat will lick her privates a lot is then minimal.
When should you go to the vet if your cat licks her vagina a lot?
If your cat licks her vagina a lot and appears to be generally sick, you should take her to your vet. Even if she eats poorly or has pain when urinating, it is best to take her to your vet. Better safe than sorry!
Hopefully she will return to normal soon again. Good luck!