If You See Blood in Your Cat’s Stool, Here’s What to Do to Help Your Pet

Owners comfort and stroke their cat with blood in the stool

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It is very natural that you would be a little freaked out the first time you see blood in your cat’s stool, especially if he is acting normally. But this situation is a great indicator of your favorite cat’s health. Here are some methods of determining what could happen and, more importantly, when you should schedule an immediate exam with your veterinarian.

What does blood look like in a cat’s stool?

Bonnie Bragdon, DVM, MS, is a co-founder of the Association of Independent Veterinarians. She says pet parents see two main types of blood in cat stools:

• 

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  Digested blood, which usually turns all waste black

• Fresh or bright red blood that may appear in cat feces, diarrhea, or on your cat’s anus

These photos show the difference.

The National Kitten Coalition points out that kittens often have other problems, especially during the first few months of life, which can be many different colors of poop. This table explains likely causes and the need for veterinary care.

If you now clean the litter box and notice scattered droplets of fresh blood, this usually indicates blood in your cat’s urine. The American Veterinary Medical Association states that it could be a symptom of a number of health problems in cats, including urolithiasis, urinary tract infection, urinary tract obstruction, and idiopathic cystitis in cats. Bragdon says these conditions require immediate veterinary care.

Reasons your cat has blood in their stools

It depends on what the underlying problem could be. Bragdon says a small amount of blood, once observed, is unlikely to be a sign of a life-threatening illness. Furious! Be careful anyway.

“The main causes of blood in cat stools are trauma related to cat constipation or blood from colitis [inflammation of the large intestine or colon]. Other reasons include a foreign body, cancer, inflammatory bowel disease, infection – there can be a lot, ”says Bragdon. Even intestinal parasites like worms, which don’t always show symptoms like blood in cat feces, can actually do in special cases.

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For this reason, keeping a lookout for blood in your cat’s feces and recording this and any other symptoms your kitten is showing will help your veterinarian get to the bottom of the disease. For example, Bragdon says, black, tarry stools are often a sign of upper gastrointestinal tract disease, and it’s important to note the amount of blood. “If the poop is black, it could indicate bleeding in the stomach and small intestine,” she says.

Here are some of Bragdon’s additional explanations for blood in cat stool:

• Fresh, red blood indicates a problem in the colon or rectum

• Hard feces with bright red or fresh blood can indicate constipation, which may be the main problem, or a secondary symptom of a stricture or obstruction of the gastrointestinal tract

• Soft or watery stools with fresh blood can be a sign of colon inflammation

Also, seeing both blood and mucus in a cat’s feces is easy to get worried about. A little mucus in the feces is normal as it is a lubricant for the intestines. However, more than usual in combination with blood means that the cat will soon have to see the vet.

What to do if there is blood in your cat’s feces

First, take photos and track your cat’s behavior. Even if your cat is fine, Bragdon says that you will want to record its symptoms over a few days and watch for signs of deterioration so your veterinarian has a clearer picture of its overall health.

Here are other symptoms that require immediate attention, usually within 24-72 hours:

• lethargy

• Make an effort to eliminate

• Vomit

• Stool with an unusual smell

• Don’t eat or drink

• Copious amount of blood, e.g. B. when more than one wipe is needed for cleaning

• Diarrhea that doesn’t go away or seems to go away after three days but then comes back

• Hard stools for more than two days

• No stool elimination for two days

Why is my cat acting normally if there is blood in the stool?

Home remedies for blood in cats’ stools are rarely the answer, but it is possible that the blood is a sign that their digestive system is a bit disordered. So adjusting her diet temporarily could help her feel better.

“If the stool is firm and difficult to crush between a paper towel, feed your cat wet food and water,” says Bragdon. “If the stool is watery or loose, feed plenty of water and consider a light diet.”

However, cats who are behaving normally and have a small amount of blood, or occasionally blood, should have a vet examination within a week or two to rule out more serious illness.

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