My cat has bloody, hard stool. Is it an emergency or more Miralax?

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.

Most cats will not have a formed stool while on Miralax or any other stool softener. If the stools are quite loose, decrease the amount and/or frequency of Miralax. You are correct in saying that lactulose is a sugar; however, it WILL NOT cause diabetes. Mammals are not able to break the lactulose molecule down and it is not readily absorbed in the GI tract. It stays in the GI tract, which helps draw water into the GI tract---this is how it has a stool softening effect. Regarding your question for "is there still a medical issue," it sounds like the constipation is resolved, however, there could be an underlying motility issue in the colon that will require continued need for Miralax or other ongoing treatment. Another concern in older cats is kidney disease; we occasionally find that constipated cats have chronic kidney disease. I hope that answers your question!! If not, feel free to request a consultation where we can exchange information back and forth. Thanks for asking Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

I hate to hear that Daisy is having these problems. The malt paste acts like a lubricant and makes it easier to pass the stool. The blood in the stool can be related to MANY things including parasites, disease of her organs, inflammatory bowel disease, improper diet and cancer. I would recommend to have Daisy examined by her veterinarian to see if the cause can be determined. In the mean time, I would recommend to add canned food into her daily diet (at least one can a day with extra warm water mixed in). If this helps, switch her over to an all canned food diet. Sometimes the stool is too sticky and the water will help. I would also recommend to switch ALL her food to something that is generally easy to digest. The brand I recommend is Royal Canin and they even make a sensitive stomach formula which would be a good initial option. I hope she starts feeling better quickly and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hello. A little blood in the stool is nothing to be overly concerned about in a cat. Since cats can have relatively dry, firm stools, it is easy to irritate the colon & see a smear of blood on occasion. But, since he is a senior, it is never a bad idea to have these thing checked out, especially if you continue to see the blood. Perhaps make an appointment with your veterinarian at your earliest convenience, but this should not be an emergency situation. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

You are better off giving him Miralax powder. The psyllium is a fiber that will bulk up the stools but it isn't really a laxative/stool softener. I would give him 1/4 teaspoon mixed in a bit of canned food every 12 hours to effect. I think this will help tremendously. https://www.walmart.ca/en/ip/equate-clearlax/6000189073881 Hope this helps. If you have more questions you can always opt for a private consultation where we can chat back and forth. That way you can ask as many questions as you'd like. Best wishes.

Hello. You can try feeding Leo 1/4 teaspoon of Miralax twice a day & forget about the cat laxative. Many veterinarians do not recommend giving this anymore because it rarely helps. The Miralax works much better. If Leo is not doing better after a day or so of the Miralax, please consider seeing your veterinarian to make sure nothing else is going on. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

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!