What Your Cats Poop Says About Their Health
Your cats poop says a great deal about their health. Here are some of the more common things to watch for in cat stool.
Diarrhea The presence of runny stool or diarrhea is usually accompanied by vomiting. While it is natural to assume the worst when your cat has diarrhea or vomiting, these health issues can be common for cats. When diarrhea is rare, not to worry much when it is severe or does not let up, we recommend you contact our veterinarian. Cats with diarrhea may have an inflammatory bowel disease, food allergies, food indiscretions, and unknown causes of the inflammation. It can usually be treated or controlled. Diarrhea can also be due to parasites or viruses, so it would be wise to have the cat checked by your veterinarian to find the cause.
Red blood in stool Fresh, red blood in your cats stool may indicates parasites, cancer, stress, and food intolerances. If a cat eats decorations or other foreign substances, that could irritate the colon and cause streaks of brighter blood.
Black, tarry blood in stool If you notice black, tarry blood in stool, it indicates that your cat has digested blood. This generally happens when your cat has bleeding in the stomach or small intestines. This kind of stool is from higher up in the intestine, such as the stomach or small intestine. This type of bleeding can be caused by ulcers, parasites, foreign bodies, food allergies, and viruses.
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How Cat Owner Should React To Bloody Diarrhea In Kitten
Kittens, adult cats that are small in size, and geriatric cats are at different threat of ending up being dehydrated from even a single episode of diarrhea.
If your kitten appears OK after a single bout of diarrhea, it may be safe to monitor him. However, if you observe any sleepiness, fever or modification inhabits, call your veterinarian for an appointment as quickly as possible.
If your kitten appears fine yet has frequent episodes of diarrhea that do not seem to be resolving, it is also time to call your veterinarian for a non-emergency visit.
If your kitten is passing blood in his stools or if you notice any weakness or other signs of debilitation in addition to diarrhea, call your vet right away and have your kitten viewed as quickly as possible.
Red blood in the poop generally suggests a problem with the lower intestine/colon or rectum.
Black blood in the poop usually indicates a more significant problem greater up in the gastrointestinal tract.
Your vet, based upon a total physical and possibly some laboratory evaluations, might offer you showed medication and a prescription diet.
If there is no blood, call your vet and ask about over-the-counter medications or choices for at-home treatments for your cat. Since there are many causes of diarrhea, the treatment will vary.
Acquire veterinary help if the cause isnt evident or it is an ongoing issue. Food with fewer irritants or treatments for a disease may lower or remove diarrhea.
Other Indicators To Observe
Unless your cat looks weak and in pain, you can observe it before you schedule an appointment to its veterinarian. Its pooping behavior is among the things you should monitor. You should check out other possible signs such as:
Keep a record of all the signs youve observed and relay them to your vet later on. By doing so, your vet can make a diagnosis more quickly.
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How To Give Your Cat A Scat Test
If you noticed your cat is walking around, but cant seem to hold a bowel movement, you may want to take a closer look. This is not always a good sign, as it could be that your cat is not feeling well. However, if it is a true issue, then your cat could be suffering from one of a number of conditions. Diarrhea can be caused by a number of different conditions, including parasites or a urinary tract infection. If you notice your cat has blood in the stool, then it could be a sign of an intestinal obstruction. A urinary tract infection can cause your cat to have a strong odor and they may also lose their appetite. Additionally, your cat may have a fever, so it is best to seek veterinary help if you notice your cat has blood in the stool or needs a health check.
What Causes Intestinal Bleeding In Cats
Diarrhea can cause irritation of the lining of the lower gastrointestinal tract, leading to bleeding. If your cat has diarrhea or soft stools, they may start to appear bloody after a couple of days. Constipation often makes a cat strain to defecate. This sometimes leads to ruptured blood vessels in the lower GI tract.
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Questions Your Vet May Ask
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 or toxins?
- Has there been a recent change in your pet’s diet?
- Has your cat eaten any people food? If so, what?
- When was the last time your cat was dewormed?
- Is your kitten up to date on vaccines? Have they been exposed to any unwell cats?
Can Stress Cause Blood In Cat Poop
Severe stress can cause blood in cats poo. Situations like moving house, boarding your cat when you go on holiday or around fireworks night can all cause your cat stress. Its a good idea to seek advice from a vet if you suspect your cat is pooping blood due to stress as they may be able to offer ways to help. Theres also a chance that your cats symptoms are due to an underlying condition which your vet will be best placed to diagnose and treat.
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Why Do Cats Poop On Rugs
If your floor is covered with a rug, then this is an additional reason for your cat to choose the place to poop. Out of all the places in a home, it appears that carpets are popular targets for unsuitable elimination. Theres something about the fabric that attracts cats. Possibly its the fact that carpets are easy to knead and paw at like litter, or maybe its the scent. The absorbency is likely an aspect also. You may never understand for sure why your cat seems to prefer the carpet, however lots of feline owners report this exact same issue.
What Does Runny Poop In Cats Mean
In most cases, runny poop in cats is a sign of diarrhea. Diarrhea can be caused by bacterial infections, viral infections, dietary sensitivities, inflammatory bowel disease, or a lack of digestive enzymes. If your cat has runny poop, contact your vet so you can figure out the best way to go about treating them. Do not attempt at-home remedies for diarrhea, as over-the-counter medications can be toxic or dangerous for your cat.
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Treating Blood In Cat Poop
As mentioned above, eliminating stress and a quick tweak in your cats diet can provide fast results when the blood in cat poop isnt that serious. Your animal medical professional will provide the prescriptions required to tackle parasites and infections.
Unfortunately, tarry stools can mean inpatient treatments and ongoing care. In some instances, surgery will be needed, like for a blockage. The most critical factor you can control is how soon you get your kitty to the veterinarian once you notice blood in cat poop. Only your veterinarian can determine the best treatment for the range of illnesses causing this discovery.
Our cats rely on us to be their health advocates . Inspecting their litter box gifts is one of the surest ways to thwart any medical issues like blood in cat poop before they become irreversible.
This post was originally published in 2018.
What Is Pooping Blood
A cat who is passing blood in the stool may be experiencing pain when defecating. The term for this is dyschezia and may be one of the reasons why your cat is pooping blood. When cats poop blood it can be in the stool only slightly, giving the stool a tint of reddish-pink. It may also be a bright red, or darker red mixed in the stool as well. Bright red blood in the stools is known as hematochezia, and typically signifies bleeding in the rectum or the intestines. Older cats as well as younger cats can have hematochezia, and it is caused by a variety of factors.
- Constipation
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Professional Treatment From Vet
If your kitten is dehydrated, additional fluids may be offered either using an intravenous or subcutaneous route.
Offering fluids orally may not suffice to offset the dehydration because the liquids travel through the kitten too quickly to be correctly taken in. To spot dehydration, gently pinch the typically loose skin at the back of the neck.
When a kitten usually is hydrated, the skin snaps right to pull back. If the pinched skin flattens slowly or stays tented, the kitten is dehydrated. If the kitten seems dehydrated, take him to your vet right away.
1) If Bloody Diarrhea in Cat Caused by Parasites
If parasites are present, your vet must prescribe the proper de-wormer and/or other medication.
Not all de-wormers eliminate every sort of parasite, so the precise type of parasite must be determined and the appropriate anti-parasitic medication selected.
Often, de-worming should be repeated one or more times over a couple of weeks or more. Keep things clean to get rid of the worm eggs from your home.
The fecal flotation test done by your vet searches for worm eggs, and if no eggs are being produced, the test could be negative although worms could be present. For this reason, in some cases, even if the fecal flotation test is negative, an anti-parasitic medication might still be recommended.
1) If Bloody Diarrhea in Kitten Caused by Bacteria
Your veterinarian will recommend the proper antibiotic if bacteria are triggering diarrhea.
What To Do If Your Cat Is Pooping Blood
If you notice your cat has bloody stools, contact your veterinarian. Although this could be the result of something very minor, such as constipation or hardened stools, it still is a good idea to let a veterinarian check it out. Your vet may do blood and physical tests to determine the cause of your cat’s bloody stool. He was also do a thorough examination of the rectum. He may also perform imaging techniques to take a more detailed look at the colon.
A stool sample may need to be acquired by you before the veterinarian visit. He can also test this sample to gather more information as to the cause of the bloody stools. This may also show parasites. Also, the shade of the blood will show possibly where the bleeding is coming from either from the rectum or the lower intestine.
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Can Cat Poop Be Dangerous
Handling cat poop may have an eww factor, but it isnt typically dangerous. That said, there is a concern that cat poop can contain a parasite called Toxoplasma gondii, which causes Toxoplasmosis. You can also get Toxoplasmosis from eating raw or undercooked meat. Toxoplasmosis isnt a big deal for most people who either wont get sick or show only mild flu-like symptoms. However, it is of particular concern to pregnant women who can pass the parasites along to the unborn child and cause birth defects or even fetal death.
While this sounds scary, its good to know that contracting these parasites from the litter box is not a common occurrence. Cats infected with the parasite only excrete it for a short amount of time, and the parasites arent infective for at least 48 hours. That means if youre scooping out the litter box daily, you greatly reduce the risk of infection.
Just to be safe, pregnant women should hand over litter box duties until the baby is born. If thats not possible, scoop and clean the box wearing rubber gloves and thoroughly wash your hands after youre done. Keeping your cat insidewhich is recommended by our strategic partner The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals® for all catscan also help prevent them from contracting this parasite.
Is Blood In Cat Stool An Emergency
Blood in your cats stools is not usually an emergency, so you shouldnt need to call your vet in the middle of the night unless your cat seems sick or is bleeding profusely. However, it is recommended that you get your cat seen promptly, especially if they are off-color. Call your vet practice and they will triage you over the phone.
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You See Any Amount Of Blood And Your Cat Is Acting Sick Or Has Other Symptoms
Stool can tell you a lot about cat health. If the blood is bright red and your cat is also experiencing diarrhea or vomiting , if your cat has lots of slimy mucus as well as blood in her stool, if the amount of blood is excessive, if your cat is eliminating outside the litter box, or if your cat is showing other signs that she is feeling sick , get her to a veterinarian to be checked as quickly as possible.
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Dont wait until morning. This might mean a trip to an emergency animal hospital if its after normal business hours or over a weekend or holiday. If possible, bring a fresh sample of your cats bloody stool with you to the vet.
How To Tell Whats Causing Bloody Stools In Cats
As you can see, there are many reasons for blood in cat stools despite a lack of other symptoms. But when acting normal, it can be hard to figure out what is wrong. There are no other symptoms to go off of, so all your investigatory work comes from assessing your cats poop.
Thankfully, you can tell a lot about what is happening inside your cat by looking at what comes out! Below are some of the different types of stools youll see and the associated medical conditions linked with each type:
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When To See A Vet
It is important to see a veterinarian if the blood has been present for longer than two days, is more than a few specks in each stool, or if the condition has not responded to a bland diet. If your cat is off their food or water, is acting unwell, or is showing signs of bleeding from elsewhere, you should speak to a veterinarian without delay.
Supportive Care For Diarrhea
Treating the cause of diarrhea is essential to ending it. But regardless of the cause, you’ll also need to treat the most deadly symptom of diarrhea: dehydration. Dehydration happens quickly with kittens exhibiting diarrhea, and it can lead to a domino effect of medical issues.
One way to help address hydration in kittens with diarrhea is to provide an electrolyte solution in place of water. Rather than mix the kitten’s powder formula with water, you can switch to using unflavored Pedialyte.** Pedialyte contains an optimal balance of glucose and electrolytes that will help rehydrate the kitten and keep the muscles and organs functioning properly. Be sure to use a flavorless product and to keep it fresh according to the label’s instructions.
For more extreme cases, subcutaneous fluids may be advised. Ask your veterinarian if subcutaneous fluids are right for your kitten, and ask for training to administer fluids safely and in the right amount. In severe cases of dehydration, fluid therapy can save a life.
You may also consider getting the kitten on a probiotic to support GI health.
**Some people have concerns about zinc in Pedialyte. The amount of zinc in Pedialyte is nominal, making up a fraction of the daily suggested value, and is not of concern. Zinc is an essential mineral for cats and is only toxic when consumed in large quantities.
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Bloody Diarrhea In Kitten
Bloody diarrhea in kittens looks pretty terrifying to owners. But theres no need to panic. Lets take a closer look at this issue.
There are digestive tract parasites that can cause a little blood in young kittens however if its intense red, its most likely due to some inflammation of the colon or rectum. A feline that has been bounced around from one place to another, fed whatever food was offered, and usually not fed effectively can have the issue, and it takes a little while to settle down.
Growing up, we never had less than eight felines, so I am very knowledgeable about all their behaviors, in addition to their physical ailments. Among those ailments is diarrhea. Ugh. Even kittens cant make diarrhea cute.
Regrettably, kittens can establish diarrhea for no obvious factor, and it might take detective work by both you and your vet to figure out the cause. As a veterinarian for more than 20 years, and chief of personnel at Animal House of Chicago, I have dealt with numerous cases of diarrhea in kittens, felines in age from birth through 6 months.
In my experience, the most common causes are dietary indiscretion , a sudden change in diet and parasites.
A Change In Your Cats Diet:
If your cat is used to a specific food, and then you change it, especially without consulting with your vet first, it might lead to complications with your cats health. Your cat might develop food tolerance, or it might have an allergic reaction to one or more ingredients in the new diet.
Allergies in cats are most commonly related to protein sources in their diet, such as beef, dairy products, and different types of fish. There are certain breeds, which are likely to have food intolerances more than others are, however, for all kinds of cats, it can happen at any age. This can disturb their digestive system, causing internal damage, which would lead to rectal bleeding.
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