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Rectal Prolapse in Cats

Rectal Prolapse in Cats

Prolapsed Rectum

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Updated on September 26, 2024
SUMMARY OF CONTENT
A rectal prolapse is the extrusion (pushing out) of the inner layers of the rectum through the anus.
SEVERITY:
Moderate to severe
  • Diagnosis Icon
    Diagnosis requires physical exam.Fecal testing, ultrasound, or x-rays may be used to determine the cause of the prolapse.
  • Time to Cure
    Resolves after surgery in most cases
  • Treatment Icon
    Treatable by a veterinarian
  • Prevention Icon
    Appropriate and timely treatment of the causes of straining may prevent cases of rectal prolapse in some cases.
  • Spread Icon
    Transmission is not possible between animals and not possible between animals and people, however; some causes such as intestinal parasites may be.
VERY COMMON IN
Manx cats and other tailless cats are more prone to developing rectal prolapse due to their unique anatomy.

Symptoms & Signs

The rectum can either partially or fully prolapse. Both of these conditions can be seen by the pet parent. Before the rectum prolapses, most cats will have other conditions that cause them to strain and therefore push their rectum out of place. Some pet parents may notice diarrhea. Cats that are in labor may also prolapse their rectum while they try to deliver their kittens. A visual inspection and notation of a reddened 'sausage or doughnut-like' mass protruding from the anus provides a diagnosis of full rectal prolapse. A full rectal prolapse can affect half an inch to several inches of rectum. If the rectum is partially prolapsed, pet parents will often notice a small red, fleshy structure where the anus is. Cats may also begin licking their hind end with partial prolapse or try to rub their hind end on the carpet.

Diagnosis

Diagnosis for rectal prolapse begins with a complete physical examination of the cat. Rectal prolapse is easy to identify, but the cause of the prolapse must be determined in order to prevent recurrence. Your veterinarian will most likely run a fecal test to check for intestinal parasites in your cat. Imaging of your pet’s GI tract may also be recommended to check the structural health of their intestines, bladder and colon. This may be done with abdominal x-rays or abdominal ultrasound. In severe cases, your pet may need a colonoscopy to evaluate their lower GI tract.

Causation

Rectal prolapse is often the result of straining to defecate, urinate or give birth. Diseases causing straining in a kitten, such as constipation, dehydration, intestinal parasites or diarrhea, may cause a displacement or protrusion of the rectum.

Treatments

icon AT-HOME CARE
A rectal prolapse must receive treatment from your veterinarian. Your cat will need to be kept calm and quiet after rectal prolapse repair. They should be kept from jumping onto high areas if possible. Their food, water and litter box should be readily accessible. A surgical cone may be recommended to prevent your pet from chewing or licking at the surgery site while it heals.
icon SUPPORTIVE CARE
Feed or medicate your cat as directed by your veterinarian.
icon MEDICATIONS
The underlying cause of rectal prolapse must be treated. If intestinal parasites are found, your cat may be prescribed a dewormer or antibiotic for the type of parasite they have. Some examples include pyrantel, Drontal and metronidazole. If your cat is straining from diarrhea, a dietary change to a high-fiber prescription diet may be recommended, as well as probiotics and anti-diarrhea medications like Pro-Pectalin. While many medications are often administered for ‘off-label’ or 'extra-label' use in veterinary medicine, it is important to know that off- or extra- label use of a medication can only be done by a veterinarian when there are no other more appropriate medications for a particular pet's circumstances. Your veterinarian must also know all vitamins, supplements, medications etc. your pet is taking to help avoid complications. You must also be sure to follow all instructions provided by your vet carefully and consult your veterinarian with any questions or concerns if they arise.
icon DEVICES
None
icon SURGERY
In some cases, the rectum can be washed with saline and gently replaced in the anus by your veterinarian. This can alleviate a partial prolapse in some cases, however the cause of the prolapse needs to be identified to reduce the risk of reoccurrence. Many cases of rectal prolapse can be manually replaced. Temporary sutures may need to be placed into the anus to restrict the anal opening and prevent another prolapse. In severe instances in which the prolapsed rectal tissue become traumatized, the damaged rectal tissue may need to be surgically repaired or removed by a veterinarian. Recurrent cases of rectal prolapse may require internal sutures to tack the colon to the internal body wall.
icon SPECIALISTS
Most general practice veterinarians can diagnose and treat cases of rectal prolapse. Severe cases may require a veterinary surgeon.

Cost Of Treatment

Manual reduction may range between $300 and $500. If surgical resection is required, costs can reach $2500 or more.

Recovery

If the prolapse is treated quickly and the underlying cause of rectal prolapse is identified and appropriately treated, most cats make a full recovery.

Monitoring

After replacement of the rectum, cats should be rechecked immediately if the rectum becomes displaced again. Your veterinarian may recommend a surgical cone to prevent your cat from licking or chewing at the surgical site while healing.

Prevention

Appropriate and timely treatment of the causes of straining (diarrhea, parasites, etc.) may prevent many cases of rectal prolapse in cats.

Questions about Rectal Prolapse

I have a cat that as a kitten was very ill. We got him from 7 months old. We knew he’d had cat flu prior to him coming here. He is now nearly 5 yrs old. He picks huge fights with our other cat. He keeps urinating and scratching at doors and windows around the house. We allow him to go out via the cat flap unlimited. What is happening to him

I'm glad to see that Pippin has been neutered because this eliminates that possibility of hormone-fueled behavioral changes and aggression. Behavioral changes in cats can occur at any point in time, and could be related to anxiety or stressful situations (even rearranging furniture or introducing new people to the home can be stressful to cats). Without a lot more information and observing Pippin's behaviors, I can't precisely tell you why these changes are occurring. It may be best to consult a veterinary behaviorist in your home so that they can observe everything firsthand. You can also try using calming pheromone collars or diffusers (Feliway is one example), and discussing the use of anxiety medication with Pippin's vet. I hope that all goes well!

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Hi! My cat was recently diagnosed with diabetes. He’s taking insulin and taking antibiotics for a Uti. It’s been 4 weeks and he wobles when he’s walking. He can’t jump up on the bed like he used to.He’s blood sugar is 250 it’s better than it used to. I don’t understand why he’s so wobbly.

Cats can develop what's called diabetic neuropathy, where their hindlegs become progressively weak. The best thing to do is try to get his diabetes under control as quickly as possible. Here is a link describing the conditon: http://www.diabeticcatcare.com/DCCCOK/Neuropathy.htm

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My senior cat has metastized cancer.17 yrs old. My vet gave her predizone1 and one half tabs a day.i wanted to know if i can just stop the meds.

Is there a reason you want to stop the prednisone? I would recommend not stopping it and if you feel it is better to stop the prednisone then I would recommend weaning off of the prednisone. I would discuss how to wean the prednisone with your veterinarian. Thank you for using Boop by Petco.

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My 3 year old long haired tuxedo female pees just fine in the litter box, but she preferred to poop on the bathroom rug or on the carpet behind the sofa. Then, she will go weeks and everything is fine only start pooping outside the box again. I have 4 litter boxes and 3 cats. I clean all several times a day. She is the youngest. I've put wee wee pads down and she lifts them up and poops under them. Any ideas to help? Thanks!

A good first step, if you haven't already, is to rule out any health issues with your vet such as arthritis that may be causing the accidents. Secondly, making sure none of the other cats are bullying her away from the litter box may also alert you to any issues. Thirdly, a good enzymatic cleaner may help reduce the smell/discourage use of these areas in the future. That said, if you've done the above and the issue is still happening, it's probably time to call in a veterinary or animal behaviorist that can visit in person to see what may be going on. They may be able to check for stressors that could be causing the accidents where they are, look for issues with refusal to defecate in the box, or see if there is a cycle that is happening that is triggering this reaction. From there they may be able to set up a more tailored plan to help reduce the accidents and encourage use of the litter box at all times. If you're in the US, you can use this website to help find someone available in your area: https://www.dacvb.org/page/about

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There seems to be two wounds underneath my cat’s ear. There is not one on the other side. Does it look like ringworm or caused by fleas? What can I use to help her? It was smaller a week ago.

Thank you for contacting Boop by Petco with your question about Tor and for providing pictures, they are very helpful. Yes, I see the two wounds, and they could be caused by her scratching at her ear. While that could be due to fleas, it may be she has an ear infection causing her to scratch at her ears. Continually scratching at them would cause the wounds to get bigger. This does need to be checked out by a vet, as if she does have an ear infection, it could be caused by ear mites, yeast, or bacteria. In addition, the ear drum needs to be visualized through an otoscope to make sure it's still intact before any medication is given. Ear problems can be considered an emergency as leaving them untreated can lead to hearing loss. Given that these wounds are getting bigger, I'd see if you can get her into her vet asap. I hope this helps!

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My cat is having trouble passing a turd... He keeps producing small amounts of this brown mucous on the pee pad I have in front of the litter box, but hasn't been able to completely eliminate the actual piece. He's eating normally & drinking plenty of water, & he's at a healthy weight. I realize that I'm going to have to take him to the vet if this doesn't clear up, but in the meantime, is there anything I can do to help him?

Seeing your vet ASAP is definitely a good idea to make sure there isn't an impaction causing the severe constipation that may need an enema or stool softeners to resolve. In the meantime, you can try offering a little bland yogurt to try and help the soften the stool, as well as make sure he's drinking plenty of water by mixing some into his food, but if Booboo is in severe distress, hasn't passed any stool at all, or is having other symptoms such as abdominal pain or stops eating, you should seek out veterinary care from your vet or a local ER clinic immediately.

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Disclaimer

The information contained on this page is for educational purposes only. This medication should only be given under the advice of a veterinarian who has examined your pet under the laws applicable to your state of residence.