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.
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.
Preventive actions
To keep your pet healthy, you need to take care of it by following simple measures to prevent possible diseases. You can prevent the occurrence of pathological conditions in which blood appears in your cat’s feces by taking into account the following animal care tips:
- keep medicines, chemicals and toxic substances out of reach;
- when choosing ready-made dry food, take into account the age, weight and health status of the pet;
- when feeding dry granules, provide the cat with free access to water and change it in a timely manner;
- carry out timely treatment of your pet against parasites;
- Take your cat to the veterinarian regularly for preventive examinations.
If you notice bloody stools, treat your cat promptly to prevent the appearance of a malignant tumor, intestinal cancer and blood clotting disorders - one of the most common diseases in most purebred cats.
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 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.
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.
