Cat owners do a lot of things to care for their kitties. However, there isn’t a hundred percent guarantee that you can keep them safe and well all the time. Accidents and illnesses happen so if one day you notice there’s blood in your cat’s poop, don’t panic. Consider these possible reasons so you can do first aid for immediate concerns or start paying close attention to your cat’s behavior and health for more serious matters.
When Your Cat Swallows the Wrong Things
Food / Medicine Intolerance
Cat parents should know that there’s a huge number of human food that are toxic for cats. It can cause serious digestive problems which develop and result to bloody stools. This is even more dangerous when cats swallow medicines meant for people; the content and dosage of human medicines are definitely not for kitty consumption.
Trauma
If your cat swallows foreign objects, this can lead to difficulties that may cause damage to their internal organs. Also, if your calico injures its rectal or anus area, this can lead to painful defecation and so spotting some blood in your cat’s poop is most likely.
Poisoning
There are cases that cats accidentally consume products with toxic chemical content or be exposed to various toxins especially when they’re outdoors. When your kitty gets poisoned and its body tries to expel these toxic products, vomiting and diarrhea would be common. For more fatal poisoning, immediately bring your cat to a vet. Read more about poisons here.
When Your Cat Suffers from Gastrointestinal Tract Problems
Intestinal Parasites
Cats can get giardia, a common intestinal parasite that can wreak havoc in your furry friend’s digestive system. If you assume your cat contracted parasites, it’s best to see a professional to see what type of parasite is causing your cat to have bloody stools.
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
IBD is a chronic inflammation in the stomach or intestines. This health problem often leads to vomiting and diarrhea; the latter in serious cases can result to blood in your cat’s poop.
Constipation
Constipation can make it hard for cats to defecate. It’s a common digestive problem that also affects people but cat owners should be wary because for cats, it may be accompanied by other illnesses.
Colitis
Colitis is the medical term for inflammation of the colon. If there’s fresh blood in your cat’s poop, you can consider this being a likely cause.
When Other Health Issues Causes Blood in Your Cat’s Poop
Anal Sac Problems
If your cat’s anal glands in the rectal area become abscessed or impacted, it can cause bleeding. Hence, your cat will likely have blood in its stool.
Infection
Having an infection may cause internal bleeding which may cause blood to be present in your cat’s poop. Whether the infection is viral or bacterial, it is important to have your kitty properly checked by a vet.
Cancer
Probably the most worrisome disease for a cat is cancer. If your kitty develops intestinal cancer, there would be many symptoms and among those are bloody stools.
As much as cat owners try their best to keep their furry friends healthy and protected, many things remain unpredictable. Now, as soon as you see blood in your cat’s poop, consider these ten things. If you think an external injury caused it, you can do first aid for your kitty. However, if you suspect that it’s an internal problem causing the bloody stools, it would be best to have your cat checked by a professional vet.
