A stinky anus in your cat

How to resolve it

We sympathize with you. Your cat has a stinky anus and now you want to find out what it is and what you can do about it. You’ve come to the right place! In this article we explain where the smell can come from and how you can find out the cause of the stinky anus in your cat We also tell you what you can do about it. So read on so you can quickly get rid of that stinky anus in your cat!

 

cartoon of a stinky anus in a cat
cartoon of a kid that looks horrified because of the bad smell of the anus of his cat.

Cat has a stinky anus – but why?

If you notice a stinky anus in your cat there are several regions where the stench can come from. So you have stench from the anal glands, but also from the anus or intestines themselves. And very occasionally there may also be an odor from the vulva or vagina of a cat that has not been neutered. It is your “happy” task to find out which part of the body of your cat the stench is coming from, so that you can then solve the problem. Below we will explain more about how to find out which part of the body has a problem and get rid of your cat’s stinky anus.

Cat has a stinky anus due to his anal glands

In most cases, people do not recognize the smell coming from their cat’s behind, so they search the internet to find out what it could be. If it concerns a problem with the anal glands, your cat can have a stinky anus because of that. In that case it is a bit of a sweet-sickly-fishy odor. It doesn’t smell like feces at all, nor does it smell like pus or inflammation.

In many cases, the stench hangs around your cat’s behind in this case. But suddenly it can intensify. We often hear that the stench increases when the cat is cuddled or petted. And that may be true, because they like that so much, they start squeezing their anus muscle a bit. The result is that some of the stinky anal gland fluid may come out of the anus at that time. And then stinky anus in your cat increases in smell.

If you look closely, you will probably see a small drop of fluid coming out of the anus. This can be on the left or right as there are two glands and they are located on the side of the anus.

These overactive anal glands usually do not cause any harm. After all, the liquid can come out easily. If the anal glands cannot empty properly, they can become overfilled and become inflamed. But of course the stinky anus in your cat is annoying. You can empty the anal glands yourself so that you no longer smell a stinky anus in your cat. But unfortunately the smell will return in the long term. You can read more about your cat’s anal glands and how to empty them here. There are also various tips on how to improve the quality of the anal gland fluid so that your cat is less likely to smell from his anus again.

Your cat smells like shit

If your cat’s behind stinks and it has the odor of feces, then there is likely a problem in his intestines. Your cat may have diarrhea and therefore always have stool stuck to its anus. So it makes sense that your cat has a stinky anus due to faeces. But it may also be that a lot of gas is formed in your cat’s intestines. The result is that he often passes wind. In this case you also often hear a gurgling belly in your cat.

It is therefore important to give your cat an easily digestible diet. In most cases, the cause is a food intolerance. This means your cat cannot digest the food properly. The undigested food particles remain in the intestines and are not absorbed. They then arrive in the large intestine. Here the intestinal flora will digest these food remains, but they produce a lot of smelly gas. And this gas then comes out of your cat’s anus in the form of winds. In other words, your cat will stink from its behind. But not only that. Your cat’s large intestine can become inflamed due to that gas. This will generally soften the stool and make it sticky. So there is every reason for your cat to start smelling like feces from its behind.

You can solve this by giving your cat food that is easily digestible and contains high-quality nutrients. This means that as little undigested food as possible enters the large intestine and less gas is produced. It is best to give Royal Canin Gastrointestinal to your cat. This is a bit more expensive, but because your cat will waste less food by simply pooping it out and because you need less cat litter, the food is affordable.

hill's sensitive stomach and skin
hill's stomach and skin wet food

Your cat has a stinky anus because of excessively long hair around its anus

In some cases, a cat has quite long hair around its anus. In this case, stool can always slide against these hairs. Some fecal matter may then stick to the hair and even soak into it. The fecal bacteria that are attached to the anus will also continue to produce stinking gases. If your cat is not very neat about itself, this could be a reason why your cat has a stinky anus.

In this case, it is sufficient to cut the hair around your cat’s anus a little shorter. It really doesn’t have to be completely bald, just a little shorter. You will have to repeat this occasionally because of the new growth of hair. It is best to use scissors with a blunt tip for this. This reduces the chance of accidentally cutting your cat’s skin.

You can also clean your cat’s anus daily with chlorhexidine wipes. Chlorhexidine has an antibacterial effect. This kills the fecal bacteria that are attached to your cat’s anus and are part of the reason why your cat’s behind stinks.

pet blunt scissors
chlorhexidine wipes

Your cat has a stinky behind due to a uterine problem

Fortunately, this does not happen that often. In most cases, cats are neutered at a young age. At that time her ovaries will be removed. In most cases, the uterus remains in place unless there appears to be a problem with it. However, if a cat is not neutered, she can develop a uterine infection. If you smell a stench coming from her butt then this is what we call an “open uterine infection”. Her uterus is full of pus and bacteria, but because her cervix is slightly open, this can seep out. You may then see purulent fluid coming from her vulva or vagina. This can be light yellow, but can also have a blood color or be dark brown. Usually cats also have a fever and drink more water than you are used to.

In this case, you smell an inflammatory odor when your cat stinks from her behind. You will probably notice the fluid coming from her vagina or vulva. If you have any doubts, you can hold a piece of toilet paper against her vulva without touching her anus. Then you will probably see a liquid coming on it. And the color is therefore easier to recognize. Could there be a uterine infection? Then your cat will need emergency surgery. So go to your (emergency) vet in this case.

Wash your cat

It seems very tempting. You smell a stinky anus in your cat, so you wash your cat to get rid of that smell. That in itself is correct. But in fact you are only making the problem worse. Cats naturally have a greasy layer on their fur, which makes it more difficult for dirt to stick to it. When you bathe your cat, you wash away this greasy layer. Your cat will indeed no longer smell after washing. But dirt can more easily adhere to the coat. In other words, the stinky anus of your cat will return more quickly if you start washing your cat.

Do you believe that your cat’s anus should really be washed? Then it is best to use douxo s3 seb mousse. You can think of this mousse as a dry shampoo and you do not have to rinse it with water. Your cat will also like it that way. But in this case it supports the greasy layer on the hair. It is also best to use the product only on your cat’s behind so that the rest of the coat retains its natural resistance.

DouxoS3 seb

Hopefully your cat no longer stinks from its behind

With the advice given above, it is almost impossible for your cat to stink from its behind any longer. If you still smell a serious stench, it is wise to take your cat to your vet. This can completely check your cat and look for the cause of the stench. Hopefully it is easy to solve in that case. Good luck!