A valve cartridge (12) for a sanitary fitting (10) has a housing main body (16), which has a longitudinal axis and comprises at least one water connection opening (34) at a bottom surface (44), and a sealing ring (38) for fluid tight sealing of the at least one water connection opening (34) against a cartridge seat (20) of the sanitary fitting (10). In order to improve fluid tightness the valve cartridge (12) comprises a sealing confiner element (50), which is movable relative to the housing main body (16) along the longitudinal axis of the housing main body (16) and which at least partially surrounds the sealing ring (38) such that a transverse movement of the sealing ring (38) is restricted.