My cat has bloody stools, vet is unsure. What could be wrong?

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!

There are many things that could cause his symptoms. Unfortunately they are non-specific and could be a symptoms of almost anything. Bleeding from the anus frequently signifies a serious disorder. Possible causes of bleeding from the anus can include polyps or tumors of the colon or anus, abscess or infection of the anal gland, constipation, blood clotting disorders, autoimmune disease or even certain types of poisoning. Any chance he ate a toxic plant or was exposed to any toxins? Intestinal parasites are another possibility. Whipworms are intestinal parasites. They are about 1/4-inch long and live in the cecum and colon of the cat, where they cause severe irritation to the lining of those organs. This results in watery, bloody diarrhea. They can also have weight loss and general debilitation. Whipworms are one of the most pathogenic (harmful) worms found in cats. Has a fecal sample been tested? Whipworms can also cause vomiting. Any chance the blood is dripping from his penis and not the anus? In younger cats a common cause of bloody urine is the presence of crystals in urine (crystalluria). When left undiagnosed and untreated, these crystals can lead to blockage of the urethra in some male cats. Has a urinalysis been done? This is the best I can tell you at this time. If you have more detailed questions or want to speak one on one you can also opt to do a private consultation with me. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

I am sorry to hear about your kitty! With blood present I think it is time for a vet exam (and bring a stool sample along). We can have intestinal parasites that are not treated by dewormer (such as Coccidia and Giardia). We can also have things like colitis, inflammatory bowel disease, or food allergy cause these issues. The vet can examine your kitty and based on the exam and history make recommendations and possible test and treatment options.

I would recommend that you discuss the possibility of IMHA with your vet. The bilirubin could be elevated because of the body attacking red blood cells. Some blood parasites need intensive treatment with steroids to see improvement. I agree with the other vet, additional diagnostics are needed at this time. An ultrasound will help to evaluate the liver and kidneys and intestines.

There can be many things causing this, including IBD, intestinal lymphoma, constipation causing trauma to the colon, intestinal parasites, anal gland issues, rectal polyps, bleeding/clotting disorders, among many others. I would recommend that Scooter be evaluated by your veterinarian to see what could be the cause and to receive appropriate treatment.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Simba. Unfortunately there is no picture attached to your post, so I can't see what his poop looks like. Cats can easily get stressed, and that can lead to colitis. Colitis is inflammation of the colon, and that can cause blood in the stool. I'd keep an eye on him and his poop for now. If it continues to be bloody, give his vet a call. As for what happened with the vet, I suspect they may have used a cotton swab to get a sample of poop from his anus. I hope this helps!

Poor Greg! It sounds like he has had a lot of testing and treatments with no response. You may want to ask about referral to an internal medicine specialist as the next step. Some other tests to consider might be a fecal PCR or culture, or tests for fungal disease depending on your area. Endoscopy to look in the colon and obtain biopsy samples might be an option with an internal medicine specialist as well. I hope you get some answers soon.