Blood in the feces of a cat or kitten: 7 causes and options for helping your pet

Four-legged friends cannot complain about feeling unwell and tell what bothers them and where it hurts. Therefore, breeders carefully monitor the condition of their pets, their mood, appetite and bowel movements.

Blood in a cat's stool is a warning sign. It is necessary to understand the cause and source of bleeding. First, the location of the bleeding is determined by the amount and color of blood in the cat’s stool, and then the root cause is looked for. The veterinarian deals with all this - home diagnostics are impossible, it will only delay time and the cat will get worse.

How to recognize blood in cat stool

The pet becomes lethargic, apathetic, almost does not play, and blood appears in the stool. Should owners sound the alarm? First, carefully consider the nature of the changes. This sensitive topic will require owners to observe calmly and thoughtfully.

Red veins

If the large intestine or rectum is damaged, bright, fresh blood appears in the cat's stool. This problem is caused by:

• toxins in food (stale food or cheap food);
• constipation;
• transferring the animal to dry food;
• benign polyps.

The stool is harder than usual. If you suspect new food, try soaking it before giving it to your cat. Has the blood disappeared? So you have found the reason. But if the feces are covered with scarlet streaks again and again, it means that the pet is sick with something.

It is highly not recommended to prescribe treatment without diagnosis and testing, so if you notice blood in the stool of a kitten or adult cat, be sure to contact a veterinary clinic.

Scarlet blotches

Blood in cat feces collects in single spots ranging in size from 1 to 3 mm. The character of the stool remains virtually unchanged. This often happens against the background of poor appetite and general fatigue of the beloved purr: the cat sleeps longer than usual. The cause may be a foreign body, for example, a sharp piece of bone or part of a toy. In this case, you cannot hesitate - without emergency surgery, the animal may die.

Black color of stool

Black, clotted blood appears if the stomach or small intestine (that is, the upper digestive tract) is injured. If at the same time the animal loses a lot of weight, the stool is unusually liquid or, on the contrary, very hard, we can almost confidently say that it is infected with helminths. The exact cause will be determined by a veterinarian after an ultrasound or x-ray.

How to treat

The treatment prescribed by the doctor will depend on the problem identified during diagnosis.:

• for a viral disease - antiviral drugs;
• for bacterial infections – antibiotic therapy;
• if the cause is hairballs, special foods or pastes will remove them from the digestive organs;
• wall ruptures (perforation), poisoning with bleeding or poor clotting are treated with vitamin K and hemostatic drugs;
• against protozoa and parasites - special remedies for them;
• if there are problems with the liver or pancreas - enzymes to restore digestion, hepatoprotectors to protect the liver;
• for dysbacteriosis, enterocolitis, colitis, allergies and constipation - probiotic preparations and a special light diet;
• if a foreign body has entered the intestines, polyps have grown, or a malignant tumor has formed, recovery can only be achieved through surgery.

In other words, each individual case receives individual treatment.

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Causes of bloody stools

The only non-dangerous reason for the appearance of blood in a cat's stool is a switch to dry food. It is enough to return the animal to its usual diet, and the stool will return to normal. All other situations require medical intervention to determine the exact cause.

Intestinal injuries

A foreign body, such as small bones or pieces of wooden and plastic toys that a cat chews, can damage the gastrointestinal mucosa. These same foreign bodies and hairballs in the lumen of the intestinal tube can cause constipation in cats. If you suspect a foreign body, you must contact a veterinary clinic, where the animal will be examined and the veterinarian will decide on the method of treatment. This may require surgery.

Another type of injury is constipation, which causes microcracks in the rectum. Hard feces scratch the surface of the intestines, causing pain and causing minor bleeding.

Tumor

Polyps and benign neoplasms are often found in the gastrointestinal tract of cats. The altered surface of the mucous membrane is more often injured by feces, which provokes the appearance of blood in the animal’s feces. Treatment is prescribed surgically in a veterinary clinic.

Infection

There are infectious diseases that cause bleeding and the appearance of blood in a cat's stool. This may be parvovirus, coronavirus or rotavirus infection, as well as panleukopenia (distemper). It is necessary to immediately begin treatment with antimicrobial and immunomodulatory agents to preserve the life and health of the pet.

Parasitosis

Another cause of damage to the intestinal mucosa and blood in a cat’s stool is helminthiasis. Most parasites have special suction cups and hooks, with which they attach to the intestinal wall and injure it. Protozoa, such as Giardia, secrete toxins that increase the permeability of the vascular wall of the capillaries and provoke bleeding. Treatment of parasitosis is specific. After examining the cat and analyzing the pet’s stool for the presence of eggs, the veterinarian selects anthelmintic medications.

Poisoning

An extremely dangerous condition, one of the symptoms of which is bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract, can be poisoning with poison for mice and rats. A cat can become poisoned if it catches a poisoned rodent, eats a pest that has died from poisoning, or licks the place where the poison lay. To save your pet you need an antidote (antidote), gastric lavage and a dropper. Food poisoning is not so dangerous, but it can also cause intestinal bleeding.

Reaction to new food

Damage to the mucous surface of the stomach and small intestine can occur when eating only dry solid food. In this case, the sharp edges of the granules injure the mucous membrane of the stomach, and if there is a lack of water, the food remains solid in the intestines, which leads to damage to the mucous membrane. If your cat has blood in her stool for the first time, you need to switch her to wet food and observe for two days. Normalizing your diet and drinking enough fluids usually solves this problem.

If there is no improvement and other disorders appear, you need to seek help from a veterinarian, since we are talking about serious injuries.

Diarrhea or constipation

With constipation, which can occur in a cat for various reasons, there is a high probability of injury to the intestinal mucosa by dense fragments of feces. In this case, bleeding microcracks appear, and small amounts of blood are visible on the surface of the feces. Treatment of constipation requires an integrated approach from a veterinarian and includes, in addition to correcting nutrition and fluid intake, treatment of the underlying pathology of the gastrointestinal tract, exclusion of helminthic infestation and selection of medications.

Diseases of the digestive system in cats, such as stomach or intestinal ulcers, inflammatory diseases of the small and large intestines, pancreatitis, can cause the appearance of blood and mucus in a cat's stool. Therapy should be aimed at treating the underlying disease. If necessary, the cat is prescribed additional examinations, and the pet remains under the supervision of a veterinarian.

Urgent help from veterinarians is required if the cat has loose stools, vomiting, fever, becomes lethargic, and refuses water and food.

Treatment depending on the cause

Treatment of intestinal pathologies is prescribed by a veterinarian. The owner must strictly follow his recommendations. The treatment regimen depends on what exactly caused the bleeding.

Poisoning

Poisoning is treated in 4 stages:

1. Gastric lavage to remove poison that has not yet been absorbed. Vomiting is contraindicated as it may worsen the animal's condition.
2. Administration of electrolytes and forced diuresis. The cat is given intravenous solutions of electrolytes and diuretics to remove the poison from the blood. Required for severe and moderate poisoning.
3. Antidote. Neutralizes harmful substances and their metabolites. It is administered if it is known what the cat was poisoned with. For food poisoning, an antidote is not required.
4. Symptomatic help.

After the course of treatment, it is important for the cat to take especially careful care in order to completely eliminate all the consequences of poisoning. It is necessary to exclude walks on the street and uncontrolled selection of food.

Parasitic and infectious diseases

For their treatment, drugs of 3 groups are used:

• Etiotropic – affect the causative agents of the disease (antibiotics, anthelmintic drugs).
• Pathogenetic – stop pathological processes (anti-inflammatory drugs, hemostatic agents, electrolytes).
• Symptomatic – against pain, fever and other symptoms.

When do you need a veterinarian diagnosis?

If you notice blood in your cat's stool for the first time, switch your family pet to wet food and observe for a day or two. You can cook your own cereals, vegetables, fish, or buy ready-to-serve packets from the store. Switching to a wet diet and drinking enough fluids will usually solve the problem of blood in your cat's stool.

If there is no improvement, and the cat’s health is getting worse, you need to seek help from a veterinarian. You shouldn’t experiment with home remedies, follow only the advice of “experienced” forum members and hope that everything will go away on its own.

The doctor evaluates a combination of factors: the animal’s age, dietary habits, and what diseases the pet has already suffered. The veterinarian will recommend a detailed examination of feces, blood and urine, an ultrasound of the abdominal organs to understand which organ is affected, identify allergens, and, if necessary, get rid of parasites.

What is important to pay attention to?

If your cat is walking around with a lot of blood, then carefully monitor your pet's condition. Pay attention to how often blood is present in his stool: once or regularly (for example, every time he visits the litter box).

It is important to consider whether your pet's behavior changes when visiting the litter box (for example, he meows or moans loudly, his tension and anxiety are noticeable). See how much blood is released: droplets, small clots or large amounts of impurities.

Other points that are important to pay attention to:

• change in appetite
• the presence of impurities in the stool (mucus, hairballs),
• increase in body temperature,
• general condition of the pet.

Note! All this is necessary to answer all the veterinarian’s questions if necessary. Taking into account your information, he will make a diagnosis and determine effective treatment.

What to do if your cat has bloody stool

Games, normal routine, and pet activity bring joy to the owners, so you always want to get your family pet back to health as soon as possible. Follow the veterinarian's advice and your cat's condition will soon return to normal.

First aid before visiting the clinic

Before visiting a doctor, you need to observe your pet: whether there was blood once or after each visit to the tray, whether the animal is itching (often licks under the tail, rubs against furniture). Unusual droppings can be photographed to show your veterinarian.

With constipation, which can occur in a cat for various reasons, there is a high probability of injury to the intestinal mucosa by dense fragments of feces. In this case, microcracks occur, and small amounts of blood are visible on the surface of the stool. Non-drug methods of assistance include drinking plenty of fluids, eliminating dry food, and enemas. It is better to choose a small bulb with a thin tip and water at room temperature.

Herbal medicines, cleansing teas, vitamins, laxatives and especially antibiotics should never be given to your pet without a doctor’s examination! You can aggravate the situation, cause allergies or intestinal rupture.

Therapeutic measures

Treatment of feces with blood in a cat depends on external and internal causes; it requires an integrated approach from both the owners and the veterinarian. It includes, in addition to changes in diet and drinking plenty of fluids, treatment of the underlying pathology of the gastrointestinal tract, exclusion of helminthic infestations and selection of medications.

Blood in a kitten's stool caused by constipation is the most harmless condition, although it brings discomfort to the pet. The doctor will prescribe gentle laxatives and show you how to give an enema. In rare cases, hemostatic drugs are recommended. Your focus will be on making sure your family pet drinks as much as possible.

What will a veterinarian do if a cat has bloody stool due to parasites? First, he will find out which group of worms the uninvited guests belong to, and then prescribe the appropriate medications. After successful treatment, you will need to get into the habit of deworming baleens quarterly.

Blood in a cat’s stool caused by viral infections (young animals are more likely to get sick) is treated with antiviral drugs, antibiotics and vitamins.

If tumors, foreign bodies or complete intestinal obstruction are detected, the cat is scheduled for surgery.

Diagnostic methods

To determine why a cat has bloody stool, a coprogram and a bacterial test of the sample are performed. The procedures help to identify possible abnormalities in the gastrointestinal tract, the presence of worm larvae and the presence of protozoa or bacteria. Additionally, it is necessary to donate urine and blood. The results can indirectly confirm the presence of inflammation. Based on the data obtained, it is sometimes possible to draw conclusions about the location of the disease.

If during the initial examination it was not possible to identify abnormalities, additional procedures are performed: ultrasound and x-rays. Sometimes a rectal examination is required.

The data obtained from collecting anamnesis is of key importance. The following information should be provided to your veterinarian:

• cat's diet and diet;
• presence of chronic diseases;
• time of onset of symptoms;
• frequency of deworming;
• date of last vaccination.

It is necessary to analyze whether the cat may have accidentally eaten spoiled food or swallowed potentially dangerous objects, such as Christmas decorations, needles or bones. If you have other atypical symptoms (diarrhea, increased attention to the anus, the habit of rubbing against carpets), you should warn a specialist.

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What does normal cat stool look like?

Typical cat poop is about 5-6 cm long, 1 cm in diameter, well formed and predominantly brown in color. If your cat has abnormal bowel movements, you can give your assessment of the feces. Assessing the quality of feces and estimating the quantity can help your veterinarian diagnose your cat's condition more quickly and correctly.

Most cats defecate once a day. The smell should not be too strong. When changing the tray, you may notice that normally the stool should not be liquid.

Steps to take before visiting a veterinarian

If blood is found in your pet’s stool, but there are no signs of a serious condition described above, you should observe your pet for a while and find out some points:

• frequency of blood appearance: once or regularly;
• approximate quantity: in the form of drops, veins, clots or completely;
• Has anything changed in the pet’s behavior: has it become restless, sleeps a lot, stopped playing, etc.;
• is there anything in the feces other than blood: hair clots, mucus, undigested food particles, etc.;
• has eating behavior changed, how much water is consumed;
• the presence or absence of vomiting, diarrhea or constipation;
• measure the temperature and check whether it is within normal limits.

All these parameters are very important for making a correct diagnosis and the veterinarian will definitely ask about them.

Symptoms

The appearance of blood in the stool is always an alarming signal for the owner that the animal requires specialist help.

You should be especially vigilant and see a veterinarian as soon as possible if your pet has the following symptoms, in addition to blood in the stool:

• during the act of defecation, the animal meows heavily - this indicates that it is painful for him to defecate;
• the appearance of vomiting;
• reducing the amount of food consumed until completely giving it up;
• the pet becomes weak, apathetic, stops playing;
• the cat is very worried, meows often - may be associated with pain in the abdominal area;
• rise in body temperature;
• frequent urination;
• the pet begins to drink often and a lot;
• sudden weight loss;
• blood and its clots around the anus.

When pain occurs as a result of any diseases and conditions accompanied by blood in the stool, the animal experiences a severe stress situation, which further aggravates the situation. Therefore, timely treatment is simply necessary for your pet.

What to do before visiting a doctor?

If the animal's condition and behavior are satisfactory, and there are no accompanying symptoms or they do not cause concern (for example, one-time diarrhea or constipation against the background of general health), the cat owner can take some actions before going to the veterinary hospital.

These measures include:

1. Treating the animal against intestinal parasites (deworming). To do this, you need to purchase a specialized drug with an extended spectrum of action from a pet store and give it to the animal according to the instructions. If dead parasites appear in the cat’s feces within 24 hours, deworming is carried out again after ten days, monitoring the pet’s condition.
2. Normalization of diet. The cat needs to be switched to a balanced diet; the easiest way to do this is to opt for ready-made dry food of the “holistic” class. They will provide the animal with all the necessary substances and elements; in addition, such food is hypoallergenic and safe.
3. For long-haired cats – cleansing the intestines of hairballs. To help your pet get rid of them, it is enough to purchase a special paste. You can consult with the seller at the pet store. The paste is given to the animal according to the instructions, usually on an empty stomach (a couple of hours before feeding) twice a week.

How to protect your cat from hairballs?

If these recommendations do not work, and blood continues to appear in the cat’s litter box during bowel movements, you should not delay your visit to the clinic. The veterinarian, after listening to the complaints, will carry out the necessary diagnostic procedures to identify the cause of the alarming symptom.

Holistic food for cats

How to avoid problems: prevention

If the owner takes a responsible approach to caring for the cat, then problems and malfunctions in the pet’s body rarely arise. So, just a few simple rules will allow a person to protect their pet from health problems.

Firstly, you need to remember that the cat should receive only fresh and high-quality products purchased from a trusted place. If the animal’s diet is based on dry food, then it should be food from a well-known brand, part of the “holistic” or “super-premium” class. You cannot mix natural feeding and drying.

A cat that eats right will live a long and healthy life.

You also need to regularly treat your pet against parasites, both external (fleas, ticks) and internal protozoa (helminths). Treatment is carried out once every four months, regardless of whether the pet goes outside. In addition, the cat must be protected from dangers that could harm the health or even the life of the pet: remove household and other chemicals, do not have poisonous plants, make sure that the pet does not go outside unattended.

A cat, even a completely healthy one, should visit a veterinarian at least once a year. This must be done in order to get annual vaccinations, as well as undergo an examination.

Vaccination minimizes the risk of developing many diseases