My new cat is pooping blood. Could it be worms? What should I do?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This depends largely on if you are referring to drops of blood after defecating or urinating. If it is after defecating, this can be observed with conditions such as colitis, gastroenteritis, dietary indiscretion, intestinal parasites, among many other possibilities. I recommend that you have Rocky evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They may choose to check for parasites and to start medications depending on the results. Good luck! Hoping for a speedy recovery!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! If the worms you are seeing are small pieces of rice then they are likely tape worms. You need to purchase a dewormer than gets tape worms (drontal, droncit, cestex) and check her for fleas. Fleas are the intermediate host for tape worm. Also be sure that when you dewormed her before than you repeated the first dose 3-4 weeks later. There are some SPCAs that have low cost veterinary clinics. If the blood persists in her stool I recommend you have her seen. Blood indicates inflammation of the colon. Stop the diatomaceous earth. I hope this helps and good luck!

parasite such as worms are a possibility, but there can also be bacteria such as coccidia that can cause that too. Any vet or pet store sells general dewormers over the counter. The most common options contain an ingredient such as pyrantel. If you can find one that contains praziquantel, this will cover tapeworms also. Your vet can check a stool sample to verify what parasites, if any, are found.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Yes the blood is likely from the round worms. Blood indicates inflammation in the colon. Getting rid of the worms should help. Be sure that Cheeto has been getting his vaccinations as scheduled. Good luck!

Hello, and congratulations on Poppy! Young kittens can have things like worms that may cause diarrhea, but other factors, like a diet change or stress, could also be the culprit. Bright red blood streaks in the stool is not entirely uncommon when animals have diarrhea as they sometimes strain to push out remaining soft stool, which can burst small blood vessels in the rectum. The blood itself is probably nothing to worry about unless is continues, but Poppy should be evaluated by a vet for the diarrhea. They will check a stool sample for parasites, like worms, and give her the proper treatment. While it is unlikely that you or your family will contract parasites from Poppy, it is always best practice to wash well after playing with her and after cleaning her litterbox until she has been dewormed in order to minimize the risk of transmission. Most kittens do have worms, and need at least two deworming treatments. I recommend contacting your vet in the morning. Good luck, and I hope Poppy grows to be a happy, healthy cat!

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Even though you do not seen worms, it is possible that Cupcake still has gastrointestinal parasites causing her diarrhea with blood. GI parasites are one of the most common causes of diarrhea in kittens, and are easily treatable with deworming medication from your veterinarian. Other possibilities include viral infections and/or dietary indiscretion (eating something she shouldn't have). Regardless, I recommend having her evaluated by your veterinarian so he/she can perform an analysis of her feces to determine if and what parasites are present, and prescribe the appropriate treatment. I do NOT recommend purchasing products from either a pet store or food store, as these medications are not regulated and/or proven to be safe and effective for use especially in young kittens. I hope this is helpful!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This really depends on a lot of factors. It depends on how much blood Tiger may be losing and if this is truly from diarrhea being caused by the parasites. If a diagnosis of parasites was established and you are giving the deworming as instructed by a veterinarian then it would be reasonable to see if this was just a one time episode of bloody stool and to have him examined if it continues. However, if a diagnosis has not been established by a veterinarian, I think it would be best to have a veterinarian look at Tiger as this diarrhea and bloody stools may be unrelated to parasites in which case it is not going to improve with the dewormer. Good luck and have a great day!