My cat has blood in the stool, what should I do?

Causes of blood in the stool

The first thing you need to pay attention to is the appearance of the blood. If it is fresh, then this indicates that the bleeding began near the anus (for example, the sphincter of the anus was injured) or in the large intestine.

We draw your attention to the most common reasons why your cat goes to the toilet with blood:

• • malnutrition

If your pet’s diet consists of low-quality dry food, its particles can injure the mucous membranes of the stomach. The likelihood of damage increases if the cat drinks a little water. Dry food does not soak, and its sharp ends injure the stomach.

• • parasites

Worms, Giardia, coccidia and other helminths (protozoa) increase the permeability of capillaries and injure the mucous membranes of the stomach. As a result, blood is mixed with the stool, but its volume depends on the number of parasites in the body.

• • Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract

Acute pancreatitis, liver dystrophy, chronic colitis and enteritis are just some of the diseases of the gastrointestinal tract that can provoke the appearance of blood clots in the feces. If with an ulcer, blood impurities are very noticeable, then with other diseases they are practically invisible.

• • Foreign bodies

Most often they enter the gastrointestinal tract while eating or drinking. Foreign objects (for example, pieces of plastic, bones) damage the integrity of soft tissues or provoke constipation, in which hard feces slowly pass through the intestines, causing injury.

• • Neoplasms

Passing through the intestine with malignant or benign neoplasms, feces encounter growths. The result is damage to the mucous membranes and the formation of blood impurities in the cat’s stool.

• • Dysbacteriosis

Bloating, heaviness and grumbling, as well as blood impurities in the feces – these signs are characteristic of dysbacteriosis that occurs when using low-quality or expired products (for example, spoiled milk or sour cream).

• • Blood clotting disorders

If your cat has problems with blood clotting (for example, if the body is deficient in vitamin K or prothrombin), then even a small injury can lead to severe bleeding.

• • Poisoning with toxic substances

Rat, zoocoumarin and other poisons intended for rodents act on the principle of coagulants. By eating them, the cat’s blood clotting is disturbed, so a lot of blood appears in the feces. The only way to save your pet is to contact your veterinarian immediately .

Additional symptoms

Blood in a cat’s stool is often not the only symptom. If the cause of bloody stools is an infectious disease or the appearance of neoplasms in the gastrointestinal tract, then your pet will have other accompanying signs.

Among them:

• sudden weight loss
• vomit,
• diarrhea,
• intense thirst,
• lethargic and apathetic state,
• frequent urination (pay attention to urine: it may also contain small blood impurities),
• soreness in the abdomen.

Are you seeing one or more signs in your pet? Do not hesitate – seek the help of a professional veterinarian. He will make an accurate diagnosis for the cat and prescribe an effective treatment for the disease .

What is important to pay attention to?

If your cat walks around with blood, then carefully monitor the condition of the pet. Pay attention to how often blood impurities are present in his stool: once or regularly (for example, every time you visit the tray).

It is important to consider whether the behavior of the pet changes when visiting the tray (for example, he meows loudly or groans, his tension and anxiety are noticeable). See how much blood comes out: droplets, small clots, or copious impurities.

Other points to pay attention to:

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

Note! All this is necessary in order to answer all the questions of the veterinarian if necessary. Based on your information, he will make a diagnosis and determine an effective treatment.

Here is to simplify the three main scenarios:

• You just see a small amount of blood in your cat’s stool and the blood is bright red: if your cat’s stool looks fairly normal and your cat doesn’t seem sick, you can probably wait a day or two before seeing a doctor. . Even if your cat seems to be doing well, call your veterinarian’s secretary to have a conversation about your observations. Although a normal cat can sometimes have blood in the stool, this should never be overlooked;
• You see black blood (dark red, black, or tarry appearance): In some cases, blood in cat feces requires more urgent veterinary care. If you notice black blood, your cat should be seen immediately (your cat may be bleeding internally and it can’t wait);
• You see any amount of blood and your cat is sick or has other symptoms.

Stools can tell you a lot about a cat’s health. If the blood is bright red and your cat is also having diarrhea or vomiting (or both), if your cat has a lot of slimy mucus as well as blood in his stool, if the amount of blood is too much, if your cat is removing the litter box outside or if your cat shows other signs that he is feeling bad (the cat is hiding, the cat is not eating, the cat is lethargic), take him to a veterinarian so that it is examined as quickly as possible. If possible, bring a new sample of your cat’s bloody stools with you to the vet.

The veterinarian you see will usually do the following:

• He will ask you for a medical history and ask you questions about your cat’s health, environment and lifestyle;
• He will perform a complete physical examination on your cat, feel its body and look into its eyes, ears and mouth;
• Your cat’s bloody stools may be tested for faeces (which is why it is helpful to bring a stool sample with you).

Depending on your cat’s other symptoms and the type of blood seen in the stool (bright red or black), the vet will first try to determine the cause of the bleeding. For this he can also perform:

• A blood test for blood tests, such as a complete blood count (CBC) to determine if there is anemia or infection;
• A urine sample for analysis;
• An x-ray or ultrasound to explore the abdominal cavity;
• Exploratory surgery or endoscopy.

If you go urgently to an on-call veterinarian, your cat can at your request be transferred the next day to your usual veterinary clinic for additional care.

The treatment of blood in a cat’s stool depends heavily on the cause of the bleeding. Once your veterinarian has diagnosed the source of the blood in your cat’s stool, he or she can suggest appropriate treatment. Your cat may need infusions, medications, special foods, or other care.

If you see blood in your cat’s feces, don’t panic, but have your cat checked out by a veterinarian. Especially with cats, it is never a good idea to delay the vet consultation.

Because cats are programmed by evolution to hide their illnesses. In the wild, a sick or injured cat could become the target of a larger predator. This is the reason why cats express little pain and discomfort. Sick cats often behave normally, until they really are no longer able to pretend. Signs of illness, such as loss of appetite and weight loss, can be difficult to notice, especially in older cats.

When you notice that something is wrong with your cat, the problem can quickly become more serious. When this happens, the treatment will be more invasive and more expensive.

Delaying treatment can therefore lead to complications for the cat. It’s always better to be safe than sorry and bring your cat for a consultation if you see blood in their stool. In the best case, you will be reassured.

Prevention

In order to prevent the formation of blood in the feces of a cat, it is enough to follow simple rules: provide the right diet, remove chemicals, poisons and poison from rodents away, and also maintain the personal hygiene of the pet.

First, don’t feed the cat:

• any food from the “human” table,
• pork
• tomatoes and eggplant,
• products with a lot of spices,
• cereals.

Everything fatty, salty and fried will only harm the pet. Your cat’s momentary joy can lead to serious and undesirable consequences later on, including the appearance of blood in her stool.

Second – ensure the hygiene of the animal. It is recommended to teach a cat to wash its paws and brush its teeth from an early age. Teeth brushing should be carried out at least 2 times a week, and paws should be washed after each visit to the street.

So, the blood in the cat’s stool is a deviation from the norm. It is impossible to independently determine the cause of this condition, so you should not hesitate to contact a professional veterinarian in Moscow. Remember that in many cases, your pet’s health in the future depends on your reaction!