Brown near cat's vagina.

Dr. Marie replied:

Thanks for your question. Sometimes it can be normal to see some brown staining around the vaginal area of a cat. However, it's also possible that there is brown staining because she has been overgrooming the area. This could happen if there is some type of infection, either in the skin surrounding the area, in the vagina or possibly even a urinary tract infection or something called interstitial cystitis. Interstitial cystitis is something that we don't fully understand but it can cause a cat to feel like she has to urinate often.

So how do we tell whether there is a problem? The answer lies in watching her behavior. Over the next few days, take note of how often you see her licking this area. A normal cat should not be seen regularly doing this, but if you see her doing this several times a day then I think there is likely some irritation there and she should see the vet.

Also, take note of how often she is urinating. Even though you are not seeing blood, if she is going to the litter box (or wee pads) more often than usual then this can be a sign of a problem as well.

As long as she is eating and drinking well and does not seem overly irritated, then it's probably ok to keep an eye on her for a couple of days. Here are some things that would make me want to see the vet:

-If you notice she is licking the vaginal area excessively.
-If you notice she is trying to urinate more frequently than usual.
-If you see her trying to urinate but nothing is coming out.
-If you see a yellow or green pus in the vaginal area.
-If she starts to lose her appetite or act overly lethargic.

Hope that helps and I hope she is ok.

Dr. Marie

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