Your pet’s health is, of course, the most important thing for every cat parent. Being worried when you see the first symptoms of any potential sickness is completely normal. Noticing some blood on your cat’s stool is definitely something that can freak you out. And indeed, this can be a sign of a health issue, and you should check out what might be the reason. In this article, we will share with you some helpful information on the topic and what you should do.
What does the blood in the cat’s stool mean?
As a good and diligent cat owner, you are surely cleaning your cat’s toilet regularly, and if something like blood is noticed in the stool, you might immediately feel very scared about your furry friend. It is entirely normal to feel worried and assume that something is happening with your pet. However, don’t freak out immediately because if it is a one-time event, the reasons might be many and very trivial. Don’t just presume that the reason is some incurable disease and panic without any need.
Sometimes the blood in the cat’s stool can be caused by allergies, or your pet friend ate something they weren’t supposed to because it is unsuitable for them, like toxic for them plants. Other easily curable reasons are parasites, colitis, infections, and other conditions that can be treated with medication, and the issue will go away quite fast. In more sensitive cats, being stressed or depressed can also cause this issue. Of course, you should check with your vet because it could be a very severe condition like cancer, pancreatitis, or some blood disorder. Those will require more serious treatment, and if you don’t take measures in time, it might be too late.
What to do when you notice blood in your cat’s stool?
Seeing bright red blood in cat stool should be alarming even if it happens once, and you should check with your vet. Especially if this continues for a couple of days, this might be a sign of a severe condition that should be treated immediately. Contact your vet and describe the issue — talking about your cat’s poop might not be something you will enjoy, but you should be detailed because your pet’s health depends on this. You should also give more information about what your cat ate in the past couple of days and if they have any allergies or other health conditions.
In some cases, your vet might ask you to collect some samples for testing, so they can determine what’s happening with your pet. If you contact them on the first day after noticing the blood, the advice might be to wait and see if it will repeat. However, if your vet is already familiar with your cat and knows that there might be something more alarming, you will have to immediately take your furry friend for a check-up.
Keep in mind that if your cat is in pain, it might avoid eating or having bowel movements. This can worsen the condition, and even something that can be usually cured just with medicine can turn into a severe issue. You should discuss this with your vet as well, and they might recommend you some light pain killers or pills that will help to force bowel movements and, in this way, help your pet. If you still notice blood in your cat’s stool after that, you should ask for more tests to be run and understand what is happening with your furry best friend.
How to treat bloody stool in cats?
Treating your cat if you notice blood in their stool very much will depend on the cause. Your vet will give you the most appropriate instructions on acting in such a case. As we mentioned, many of the reasons are easily treatable, and you will have to give your best friend the appropriate medicine for a while, and they will be back to normal. In other cases, maybe they will need more severe treatment, and this is why it is crucial to act fast.
As a worried cat parent, we understand that you might decide to take some measures on your own but better don’t do that. Even though you have your cat’s best interests at heart, you are not a specialist, and you can make things worse. Seeking medical help is the best way to go in this case because the specialists will be able to run some blood tests, perform an x-ray check, etc. After all, you want your pet to receive the appropriate care, and only a vet can tell you what that is. Just follow their advice, and you will know you are doing the best for your furry friend.
