My cat has blood on the outside of his stool. What should I do?

It is possible that this particular stool was difficult to pass and you helping to remove it may have caused a small amount of bleeding from the rectal tissue. Cats can become constipated, and if she has been passing less stool than usual, straining to defecate and had a decreased appetite I would recommend seeing a veterinarian. There are some other things that can cause blood in the stool as well including intestinal parasites, colitis or even inflammatory bowel disease. If the blood is persistent you should make an appointment to see your veterinarian as well.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Bloody stools can be observed with conditions such as colitis, gastroenteritis, dietary indiscretion, intestinal parasites, among many other possibilities. I recommend that you have Smokey evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They may choose to check for parasites and to start medications for diarrhea depending on the results. Good luck! Hoping for a speedy recovery!

Thanks for adopting Eli. Blood in the stool without constipation is often due to intestinal parasites. Please take a sample to your veterinarian and they will look under the microscope for parasite eggs. If they find some they will prescribe the correct dewormer for Eli. If there are no parasites and this continues Eli should go in for an exam. He could have an anal infection, rectal polyp or intestinal inflammation causing the blood. Cats do have blood in the stool more often than other animals so if he's normal and this only happens once in a while I would just keep an eye on him, and bring him in if it is a constant issue. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Eli.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Barb. I'm glad to hear that she is still eating and acting like herself. If a cat experiences a bit of difficulty passing a bowel movement, they will strain. This can irritate the colon resulting in bright red blood streaks on the feces. Contact you veterinarian in the morning. Fecal testing will likely be recommended to rule out any intestinal parasites causing the blood. A diet modification may be needed to make it easier for her to pass stool if this becomes a repeated problem for her. You can add canned food for the extra moisture content or your veterinarian may recommend a higher fiber food or supplement. I hope this information helps!

I'm sorry to hear of your issues with Timon. I'm sure that is very frustrating. Blood in the stool can be seen with parasites, infections, trauma, bleeding disorders or inflammation within the intestinal tract. If he has had bloodwork and fecal tests, it may be time for an ultrasound of his abdomen. An ultrasound will give a better idea of the structure of the intestines and surrounding lymph nodes and may give a better idea if inflammatory bowel disease or another inflammatory condition is possible. Intestinal biopsies may be recommended if thickening of the intestines or other symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease are noted.

It looks like Ollie might be having a partial rectal prolapse, which can happen with diarrhea from things like parasites or from constipation. The blood might be related to diarrhea or if it's a small amount it could be from the rectum and from irritation. I would recommend seeing a veterinarian right away given his age - if it is a small prolapse it could get worse quickly and require surgical repair. The vet can hopefully determine the underlying cause and offer treatment.

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! The photo is very helpful- I can definitely see the blood and mucus in the stool. Certain liver and pancreatic conditions can cause this, as well as intestinal inflammation. Additional tests I recommend are pancreatic and liver function tests, bloodwork to determine nutrient absorption by the intestines, x-rays, and even an ultrasound. The most aggressive diagnostic would be an exploratory surgery with biopsies. You can talk to your vet also about changing your cat’s diet and adding probiotics. I hope this helps and am happy to answer any other questions you have!