Content
- Bloody cat feces are not normal
- Causes of Blood in Cat Feces
- Blood in the cat's feces after deworming
- Cat feces with blood, what to do?
Any pet you decide to adopt needs care to have a quality of life. These cares demand time and patience from the tutor. Time to accompany the pet, to give affection, play and to be aware of any changes that may indicate a change in health. Some variations can be noticed very clearly, through food, urine and faeces. In this article by Animal Expert about blood in cat feces: causes and possible diseases we explain how to identify some problems and what to do.
Bloody cat feces are not normal
If you noticed your cat defecating blood, know that you find blood in cat feces is not normal and it should be interpreted as an alarming sign, since everything that affects the digestive system can have a systemic repercussion on the entire organism. Therefore, feeding the cat and knowing which foods are prohibited are very important factors to maintain the feline's health.
Elements such as blood in the cat's feces or mucus should not be interpreted as normal when they are found, but that does not mean that it is a serious disease that compromises the animal's life either. One of the first aspects that you must differentiate and that will be very useful to properly inform the veterinarian is the color of the blood in the cat's coconut:
- Red blood: if the blood in the stool is red in color, it indicates that it has not been digested and therefore comes from the lower digestive tract, usually from the colon or anus. In this case, you can find stools with bloodstains and observe how the blood drops when the cat is defecating.
- Black blood: if the blood in the cat's feces is black in color, it indicates that it has been digested and therefore comes from the upper part of the digestive tract. In this case, the blood is more difficult to identify but is characterized by having a denser, rougher appearance.
- dark stools: blood does not always come out dark, dark brown or black stools may also indicate melena and indicate digested blood. This blood in the cat's feces can be the result of bleeding in the digestive system, ulcers or lesions caused by parasites.
Causes of Blood in Cat Feces
The causes of blood in cat feces can be very diverse. The severity, treatment and prognosis vary depending on each case, however, the main causes that can cause blood in cat feces, are:
- Feeding errors: a sudden change in diet or overfeeding can irritate the colon and cause changes in both bowel movement and stool composition, causing blood to be present.
- Gastroenteritis:cat with bloody diarrhea and vomiting can be a sign of gastroenteritis, when the stomach and intestines become inflamed and do not allow water and food to be properly processed. Blood is not always found in the feces of cats with gastroenteritis, the most common symptoms are vomiting and diarrhea, in addition to possible abdominal pain, fever and changes in the color of the mucous membranes.
- Intestinal Parasites: cat with blood in the stool could be worm. The intestinal parasites that can infest the gastrointestinal tract of felines are common causes of blood in the cat's feces, in these cases it is also possible to observe signs of weakness, weight loss and pain. Depending on the type of parasite, small larvae can be found in the cat's feces and mucus that indicate the presence of worms. Here's how to tell if your cat has worms.
- Rectal mucosal damage: the anus is a very vascularized region with a lot of blood supply, it is also a sensitive and very delicate region. When a cat is on a fiber-deficient diet this can lead to constipation and a great effort to evacuate, these can hurt the rectal mucosa and make it bleed, giving the impression that the cat is evacuating blood.
- Colitis: Colitis indicates that there is inflammation in the colon and produces bleeding in the lining of the intestinal tract that later causes blood in the cat's feces. In cats, colitis can be caused by the presence of bacteria of the genus clostridium.
- Trauma: because they have an independent and exploratory personality, cats are very susceptible to suffering various types of injuries that can cause internal bleeding that is not visible and manifests itself through the presence of blood in the cat's feces.
- Take NSAIDs: NSAIDs are drugs known as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and can be used in both cats and dogs when there is veterinary indication. It is generally used to reduce inflation and soothe pain. Due to the mechanism of action of this type of anti-inflammatory, it reduces the secretion of the protective mucosa of the stomach and can cause gastric ulcers with blood.
- Tumor: one of the causes of blood in the cat's feces can be excessive growth of cells in the digestive tract, this does not imply that the nature of the tumor may be benign or malignant, only the veterinarian will be able to give this diagnosis.
If your cat has loose stools, find out what the causes and solutions may be in this article by PeritoAnimal.
Blood in the cat's feces after deworming
Bloody stools are not usually a side effect mentioned in deworming inserts for cats, but gastrointestinal disturbances are. If you have dewormed your cat and the blood in the stool remains after 48 hours, see a veterinarian.
Cat feces with blood, what to do?
It is important to visit the veterinarian as soon as you notice any changes, after all, behind this sign as bloody cat feces can be a sign of serious illness.
The veterinarian will take into account the symptoms and signs present, will carry out a complete physical consultation as well as blood and stool test which will make it possible to define the causes and the appropriate treatment. Finally, we remind you that when you visit the veterinarian, you must provide them with some information so that the cause can be ascertained more easily:
- When did the symptoms appear and have they manifested themselves more than once in the last few months?
- Has the cat lost its appetite and is weaker?
- It is important to take a sample of the cat's stool and report any changes in the consistency or frequency of bowel movements;
- You should also report any strange behavior you have observed in your pet.
Does not exist home remedy for cats with bloody feces because it is a symptom of some problem whose cause needs to be investigated. Once this cause is discovered, the veterinarian will prescribe the appropriate treatment the same goes for cat with bloody diarrhea. In this case, if the condition is older than 24, it is a veterinary emergency and it is extremely important to keep them hydrated to avoid fatal consequences. Puppies and elderly cats are even more susceptible to dehydration from diarrhea.
Read too: My cat is urinating blood, what can it be?
This article is for information purposes only, at PeritoAnimal.com.br we are not able to prescribe veterinary treatments or perform any type of diagnosis. We suggest that you take your pet to the veterinarian in case it has any type of condition or discomfort.