It's not necessarily time to panic if your cat has blood in his stool. A case of constipation can cause some bleeding, but it's also important to understand some of the other, more serious reasons your kitty may have blood in his poop.
Reasons for Blood in Cats' Stools
According to Vet Info.com, bloody stool in cats may indicate some conditions, including:
Significant increase in number of times cat defecates each day
Additional Symptoms to Watch for With Bloody Stool
Sometimes bloody stools are just one sign something is wrong. If your pet has any accompanying symptoms, such as those listed below, that is even more reason to call your vet.
Determining what's causing the bleeding can be a complicated process. It includes examining the cat and a sample of its feces, running tests, and gathering information to get a better idea of what's been going on.
Tests Commonly Used for Diagnosing Blood in Poop
According to Vet Info.com, there are several tests your veterinarian may decide to run:
Your vet will also need to gather as much information from you as possible to reach an accurate diagnosis. Typical questions might include:
Could your cat have eaten spoiled food or ingested nonfood items, such as bones?
Has there been a recent change in your pet's diet?
Has your cat eaten any people food? If so, what?
Has your cat experienced any trauma to the anal area, such as a bite from another animal or a blunt force injury?
Have you noticed the cat rubbing its rear on the carpets? This could indicate anal sac problems.
Hematochezia or Melena?
The state of the blood in a cat's stools can also give the vet a better idea of where the bleeding is coming from.
Hematochezia is the presence of a bright red blood in the stool. Bright red blood is usually an indication of bleeding in the lower intestines or rectum although the actual bleeding can be caused by a wide variety of problems such as parasites in younger cats and cancer in older cats. However, this is not always the case, and only your veterinarian can make a valid diagnosis by running tests, such as the ones listed above
Melena is a dark, tar-like feces. This is often caused by passing older blood, which indicates a problem higher in the intestines instead of the lower tract.
Possible Treatments for Bloody Stool in Kittens and Cats
Depending upon the results of the tests, your vet may recommend some of the following treatments to help relieve your feline of his or her bloody stools:
Prescription foods or a new diet to help ease the strain on the intestines
Antibiotics, if your cat has a bacterial infection
Drugs that can slow the movement of food through your cat's intestines
Take a Stool Sample to Your Vet
Whenever you notice your cat has bloody stools, be sure to collect the fecal matter for examination. Place the stool sample into a plastic baggie and take it to your vet as soon as you can. This is probably the first and easiest test your veterinarian can run, and it will tell you if there is an infestation of most common parasites. Most conditions are easier to treat at the onset, so seek veterinary care for your cat any time significant health changes occur.
