The blood in the cat’s feces can have different causes, often not very serious, but sometimes linked to rather serious disorders: here is what it can be and how to remedy it.
Identifying any abnormalities or traces of blood in the cat’s feces can be a difficult task: the first thing to do is to know how they look in normal conditions, in order to be able to detect any changes.
In general, the cat poops once a day: its faeces, light brown in color, have a length of about 6/7 cm for a diameter of 3/4 cm. Under these conditions, there is absolutely nothing to worry about.
But what if we suddenly notice traces of blood in our feline friend’s feces? Let’s find out what may be behind it and what to do to solve the problem.
Blood in cat feces: possible causes and remedies
Just like blood in dog feces, blood loss in cat poop can be of two types: bright red blood, coming from the lower intestinal tract, or dark, black or brown blood, and therefore digested blood.
Bright red blood indicates an episode of hematochezia, easy to observe and usually related to non-worrying causes. Dark blood, on the other hand, is digested blood: more difficult to identify, it makes the blood almost black and comes from the upper part of the cat’s digestive system. In these cases we speak of melena, an episode that can hide even very serious health problems.
Causes of blood in feline feces
Among the various causes that can lead to more or less large losses of blood in the feces of a cat, we remember:
1. Food-related causes, such as sudden changes in diet, intolerances, human food intake.
2. IBD or inflammatory bowel disease, often associated with symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhea.
3. Colitis or other inflammation of the colon.
4. Cat intestinal parasites, including giardia, which can be transmitted through contact with contaminated faeces from other animals.
5. Chronic constipation in cats, to be resolved with emollients for faeces and laxatives or, in the case of intestinal obstruction, with surgery.
6. Trauma to the anal area, anal fissures, tumors or rectal polyps.
7. Blood clotting disorders, due to coagulopathies or poisoning by ingestion of toxic substances.
8. Accidental ingestion of blood, taking certain medications, complications after surgery.
What to do if there is blood in the cat’s feces?
The presence of blood traces in feline feces is not a pathology in itself, but a symptom of more or less serious diseases and disorders. When you notice its presence, it is important to contact the veterinarian immediately , who with a visit and specific checks will be able to identify the cause of the problem and prescribe the most suitable treatment case by case.
