A cat’s anus that appears to be sticking out is most likely a rectal prolapse, a condition where part of the rectum turns inside out and pushes through the anal opening. It looks like a red or pink tubular mass protruding from the area where your cat normally poops. This is not normal and needs veterinary attention, but understanding what’s happening and why can help you act quickly.
What a Rectal Prolapse Looks Like
A rectal prolapse appears as a cylindrical, moist, reddish-pink mass of tissue sticking out of your cat’s anus. Early on, the tissue looks inflamed but relatively healthy. If it’s been out for a while, the surface can darken, harden, become crusty, ooze, or bleed. Some cats will lick or chew at the area because it’s itchy or painful.
Prolapse can be incomplete, where only the inner lining of the rectum pokes out, or complete, where all layers of the rectal wall push through. Even a small, incomplete prolapse is a problem that won’t resolve on its own.
Why This Happens
Rectal prolapse is almost always the result of prolonged, intense straining. Your cat pushes hard and repeatedly, and eventually the pressure forces rectal tissue outward. The straining itself has an underlying cause, and that’s the real issue your vet will need to identify. Common triggers include:
- Severe diarrhea or colitis. Inflammation of the colon or rectum is the single most common cause of persistent straining in cats. The irritation creates a constant urge to push even when the bowel is empty.
- Constipation. Dry, hardened stool is difficult to pass. Chronically constipated cats strain repeatedly, and the effort can eventually push the rectum out.
- Intestinal parasites. Worms, particularly tapeworms and other parasites, cause inflammation and irritation in the gut that leads to straining. In kittens, parasites are one of the most frequent causes of prolapse.
- Urinary problems. Bladder stones, urinary blockages, or bladder infections cause straining that puts pressure on the rectal area, even though the cat is trying to urinate rather than defecate.
- Rectal tumors or polyps. Growths in the rectum or colon can partially block the passage and force the cat to strain harder.
- Nerve damage. Injury to the nerves controlling the anal sphincter can weaken the muscles that normally hold the rectum in place.
Other Causes of Anal Swelling
Not every swelling around the anus is a rectal prolapse. Anal gland problems are common in cats and can create visible lumps near the anus that might look alarming. When a cat’s anal sacs become impacted, you’ll notice hard masses on either side of the anus, and your cat may scoot along the floor, lick the area obsessively, or cry out during bowel movements. If the impacted gland becomes infected and abscesses, the area can swell dramatically, turn red or purple, and eventually rupture through the skin, leaving an open, draining wound.
Tapeworm segments can also cause confusion. These look like small, white, rice-grain-sized pieces stuck to the fur around your cat’s anus or on fresh stool. They’re not tissue protruding from the body, but they do signal a parasite problem that could itself lead to more straining over time.
What Happens at the Vet
Your vet will start with a visual inspection and a rectal exam. This tells them whether the tissue is a true rectal prolapse, an anal gland abscess, a polyp, or something else entirely. A polyp, for instance, can be felt during a rectal exam and tends to bleed easily when touched. If the vet suspects parasites, infection, or a tumor, they’ll run fecal tests, bloodwork, or imaging like X-rays or ultrasound. An endoscopic exam (a tiny camera inserted into the rectum or colon) is sometimes needed to see polyps or other growths deeper inside.
Finding and treating the underlying cause is just as important as fixing the prolapse itself. If the straining doesn’t stop, the prolapse will come back.
How Rectal Prolapse Is Treated
For a fresh prolapse where the tissue is still healthy, the vet will carefully clean the exposed tissue and gently push it back into place. If swelling makes this difficult, they may apply medication to shrink the tissue first. This usually requires sedation or anesthesia because it’s painful. Once the tissue is back in position, the vet often places a temporary stitch (called a purse-string suture) around the anus to keep the rectum from sliding back out. That stitch typically comes out after about 48 hours.
If the prolapse keeps returning, or the tissue has been exposed so long that it’s darkened and damaged, surgery becomes necessary. The two main options are removing the damaged section of rectum and reconnecting the healthy ends, or a procedure called colopexy, where the colon is permanently attached to the inner abdominal wall so it can’t slide out again. Colopexy can now be done laparoscopically in many veterinary practices, meaning smaller incisions and faster recovery.
What You Can Do at Home
If you notice tissue protruding from your cat’s anus, keep the area clean and moist. You can gently apply a damp, warm cloth to prevent the tissue from drying out while you arrange a vet visit. Do not try to push the tissue back in yourself. Without proper sedation and technique, you risk tearing the tissue, introducing infection, or causing your cat serious pain. Also prevent your cat from licking or chewing at the area if possible, since this causes further damage.
The sooner you get your cat seen, the better the outcome. Fresh, healthy-looking tissue is far easier to treat than tissue that has been exposed for hours or days and started to die.
Reducing the Risk of Recurrence
Because straining is the root mechanical cause, preventing it is the best way to keep prolapse from happening again. For cats prone to constipation, dietary changes make a real difference. Adding fiber to your cat’s food, either through canned pumpkin, psyllium, or a commercially formulated high-fiber diet, helps in two ways. Insoluble fiber adds bulk to stool, which stimulates the colon to contract and move things along. Soluble fiber gets fermented in the colon and produces compounds that directly promote healthy muscle contractions in the intestinal wall.
Hydration is equally important. Cats on dry food diets are more prone to constipation. Switching to wet food or adding water to meals increases fluid intake and keeps stool softer. Regular parasite prevention eliminates one of the most common causes of gut irritation and straining, especially in younger cats or those that go outdoors. If your cat has had one episode of rectal prolapse, staying on top of these basics significantly lowers the chance of it happening again.