Ask Your Cat Question. Cat Experts Answer You ASAP.

(Not a Cat Question?)

Cat with sore rear end; possible ant bite

Sent to Cat Experts September 5 2006 at 7:18 PM
   

Tonight we noticed that our house cat,Tiger, has a rear end that is red. It looks like a ant bite. If you touch it he meows loudly. He is listless and isn't eating or drinking.

He walks slowly, mostly has been sleeping and went upstairs most of the day away from the air conditioned room.

On Sunday our daughter gave him a bath and used human shampoo and he started to lick his rear area. So that could also have made it sore.

How can we help him?

Customer (name blocked for privacy)
Answer
September 5 2006 at 8:00 PM (42 minutes and 31 seconds later)
         
ACCEPTEDCheck Mark
Hi,

It's possible that the human shampoo did irritate his skin in this tender area and he's having a reaction.

If the actual skin of his anus is red and swollen, it's also possible that he has an anal sac problem and they have to be expressed by the vet or treated with antibiotics if they're infected.

http://www.sniksnak.com/cathealth/analsac.html

The best thing you can do for Tiger is bring him to the vet tom'w, to find out for sure what's causing this, and then have it treated.

If he's not interested in eating or drinking, you have to get some nutrition and fluids into him. Feed him by dropper, one dropperful of a water mixture (or pediatric unflavored Pedialyte, if you can get it) of 1 cup water with a pinch of salt and sugar, every 10 minutes for an hour. Then mix some canned cat food with the Pedialyte or water mixture to make it soupy enough to get into the dropper and give him one dropperful every 20 minutes for an hour. Alternate the water and food for 4 hours or until he starts eating on his own.   (If he should vomit, stop!) This should temporarily prevent him from getting dehydrated or damaging his liver from not eating/drinking.

Is it possible that during the bath with human shampoo, that he ingested some of it with the lather/water, and that's also what's making him feel ill? Was he rinsed well? Is there a residue on his coat which he licked during grooming?

Definitely get him to the vet tom'w, first thing, or, if you feel it's necessary, bring him to a vet ER center near you, tonight.

Please keep me posted on how he's doing and what the diagnosis is. Thanks!

Cher


If my answer is helpful please click ACCEPT. Click reply for further clarification. My only goal is to provide 100% helpful answers. Thanks for the opportunity to help!
Think you can answer this question?
Login or Become an Expert

 

DISCLAIMER: You acknowledge that any information you may obtain from individuals you contact through use of the JustAnswer service comes from those individuals, not from JustAnswer, and that JustAnswer is not in any way responsible for any of the information these third parties may supply. The site and services are provided "as is" with no warranty and no representations are made regarding the qualification of an Expert. Responses and comments on JustAnswer are for general information and are not intended to substitute for informed professional advice (such as medical, legal, investment or accounting) and do not establish a professional-client relationship. JustAnswer is not intended or designed to address EMERGENCY QUESTIONS which should be directed immediately by telephone or in-person to qualified professionals. Please carefully read the Terms of Service.

JustAnswer > Cat Breed Info and Feline Health Care