My cat licks her private parts a lot: causes and what to do

Author: Peter Berry
Date Of Creation: 13 February 2021
Update Date: 19 November 2024
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Why Cats Lick Their Privates?
Video: Why Cats Lick Their Privates?

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If your cat licks itself a lot, this behavior should be watched carefully. One excessively licking cat should make us think that he may be subject to stressful or anxiety situations that make him increase his self-hygiene, which could lead to psychogenic alopecia, be caused by a feline hyperesthesia syndrome or, as happens in most cases, which is due to an itchy disease. However, if the question is "why does my cat lick her vagina too much", you have to think that the problem is in her genital or urinary tract.

Have you ever noticed that your cat licks her genitals a lot? This can fit into the cat's sexual cycle, so if she does it when she's in heat or on specific occasions you shouldn't be concerned, but if she does it compulsively and frequently, it may indicate, among other things, that her cat has one infection or inflammation somewhere in your genitourinary system. She may also have a wound or scratch in the area from trauma.


My cat licks her private parts a lot: causes and what to do is what we are going to explain in this PeritoAnimal article. Good reading.

Vaginitis/vulvovaginitis

Vaginitis is inflammation of the vagina, vulvitis is inflammation of the vulva, and vulvovaginitis is inflammation of the vulva and vagina. This process is usually caused by predisposing causes to produce infections, such as vaginal tumors, foreign bodies or congenital malformations.

Among the symptoms that a cat with these processes can present, in addition to having a cat that licks herself excessively, are the itching and mucopurulent secretions due to the infectious process.

cat licking her vagina in heat

When a cat is in heat, the vulva may be red and swollen, but that doesn't mean she has vulvitis, and in most cases it's unnoticeable to us. However, our cat notices and may feel awkward and start licking the area. However, if she has an infection, then yes, we will have a condition with excessive licking in the area far above what would be normal.


Learn more about heat in cats in this other article to learn how to identify all the symptoms. You can also watch this video:

Pyometra on cats

Uterine inflammation is called pyometra, secondary bacterial infection and accumulation of purulent exudate inside the uterus that can occur in the luteal phase of the cat's sexual cycle, in which progesterone is the dominant hormone. This hormone induces uterine glandular hyperplasia with cystic dilation of the glands, which predisposes to rapid bacterial growth. In addition, this hormone inhibits local defenses and uterine muscle contractility, which increases the risk of infection when exudates are released.

THE Pyometra is much more frequent in female dogs than in female cats, as it can only appear if ovulation occurs, and female cats, unlike bitches, have an induced ovulation, which means that they only ovulate when mounted by the male because the cat's penis has spikes that, when rubbing against the walls of female cats' genitals, induce ovulation.


Thus, if they are not covered by a male and do not ovulate, pyometra does not occur, therefore, in domestic cats that do not have access to males this does not occur. also are more predisposed cats submitted to progesterone therapy to suppress the heat or to present a pseudopregnancy (psychological pregnancy) suffer from this.

Pyometra occurs especially in older cats and can be opened if the purulent contents of the uterus come out, or closed if the cervix closes and exudate accumulates. Closed pyometra is more serious, as it increases the toxins produced by bacteria accumulated in the uterus, the septicemia can occur and lead to death.

The clinical signs of pyometra are bloody or mucopurulent exit, through the vulva and, of course, the cat licks a lot in the area if it is open. If the pyometra is closed, these discharges would not be seen, but other signs would occur, such as fever, lethargy, anorexia, bloating, dehydration and polydipsia (they urinate and drink more).

metritis in cats

Your cat just had the puppies? THE metritis is an inflammation of the uterus that can occur after giving birth in female cats due to the ascent of bacteria from the vagina to the uterus, usually involving E. coli, streptococci, or staphylococci. It most often occurs in the first week postpartum and risk factors for its occurrence are complicated deliveries, obstetric manipulation, fetal death and retained placenta.

In addition to noting that the cat licks herself excessively in the vulva region, an animal with metritis will have fever, lethargy, anorexia, bloody or mucopurulent vaginal discharge and, very often, rejection towards her kittens.

Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FTUIF)

Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FTUIF) is a group of diseases that share clinical signs (pain when urinating, urinating in small amounts or outside the litter box, blood in urine, among others) and can lead us to have a cat that licks herself a lot on her vulva to try to relieve some of the itching and pain. The most common cause of FLUTD is feline idiopathic cystitis, followed by kidney stones and blockages in the urethra. Other less common causes are bacterial cystitis, anatomical defects or tumors.

Feline idiopathic cystitis is a pathology that causes inflammation in our cat's bladder wall, closely related to the stress to which our feline may be subject, and may be non-obstructive or obstructive, requiring emergency treatment. It is a disease that is diagnosed by exclusion, that is, once other processes have been discarded. A cat licks itself quite possibly for this reason.

Urinary stones (urolithiasis) are usually struvite or calcium oxalate in cats, can cause acute kidney disease and hydronephrosis, and are more prone to development in older, obese, inactive female cats. While struvite stones can be dissolved by feeding and are more common in oriental and short-haired cats, oxalate stones occur especially when calcium is increased and cannot be dissolved by the urinary diet but require surgical resection as well as treatment. of hypercalcemia, if present. The best prevention of kidney stones is to encourage the consumption of water in our cats, prevent them from becoming obese and try to increase their activity.

Trauma in cats

Although the above causes are the most common when you notice that a cat licks herself a lot, especially in her intimate areas, it may also be that your cat has suffered trauma. Any blow, scratch or trauma in general can cause your cat's genitals to become irritated, reddened and causing pain and itching, which will lead to an increase in the frequency of the cat licking her vagina.

What to do if my cat licks her vagina a lot

if your cat licks her vagina a lot, it could be for a mild, temporary reason or something much more serious that requires emergency treatment. Therefore, if you see a cat that licks its private parts excessively, it's best to go to a veterinarian center to be able to treat the problem as soon as possible. As a guide, the preferred treatments for the causes mentioned would be as follows:

  • In cases of vulvitis, vulvovaginitis and vaginitis, the antibiotics will be used, as well as anti-inflammatory drugs. These remedies would also be used in cases of trauma, along with cleaning the area.
  • In cases of postpartum metritis, it is possible to use drugs to evacuate the contents of the uterus, such as prostaglandin F2alpha or cloprostenol, although it is not recommended in very sick female cats. In addition, you will need a aggressive antibiotic treatment broad spectrum and fluid therapy before subjecting her to any medical treatment or sterilization after weaning. If the cat is very weak and rejects the kittens, the kittens should be bottle-fed.
  • The closed pyometra need emergency care absolutes, with cat stabilization and sterilization as quickly as possible. In open pyometra, if the cat is not going to reproduce, castration should be performed after treatment with fluids, antibiotics, antiprogesterone or prostaglandins.

This article is for information purposes only, at PeritoAnimal.com.br we are not able to prescribe veterinary treatments or perform any type of diagnosis. We suggest that you take your pet to the veterinarian in case it has any type of condition or discomfort.

If you want to read more articles similar to My cat licks her private parts a lot: causes and what to do, we recommend that you enter our section on Diseases of the reproductive system.