Blood in the cat's stool. Additional diagnostic methods used by a veterinarian. Causes of the symptom

Among the circumstances that affect the occurrence of blood in the stool of an animal, it is worth noting severe internal pathologies of the digestive system, infectious diseases and poisoning. Let us consider in more detail what this symptom can indicate.

If a stool with an admixture of blood occurs once or twice, do not worry. This may be due to constipation or because the cat has eaten a bone. Regular bowel movements interspersed with blood clots should alert the owner.

First of all, you need to pay attention to how the chair is designed. Diarrhea with blood is one of the first signs of an infectious disease or poisoning. One of the most common viral diseases that can cause this symptom is a coronavirus infection. By itself, this virus is practically safe, 80% of all cats in one form or another are its carriers, but during periods of stress and a decrease in the functions of the immune system, unvaccinated individuals have liquid feces with blood splashes, fever. It is possible to diagnose pathology with 100% accuracy only by analyzing feces. This infection is dangerous only for small kittens and old animals. In other cases, the cat, when receiving adequate therapy, survives, but remains a carrier of the virus for life.

It also happens that a cat may have blood clots in the feces after deworming. There are 3 reasons for this:

overdose of the drug and, as a result, poisoning;
the cat has diseases of the gastrointestinal mucosa;
microtrauma in the separation of worms.

None of these cases are pathological, but if an overdose is suspected, feed the cat a couple of activated charcoal tablets and keep a bowl of water nearby. Diarrhea and vomiting is a common reaction to the poison that is part of the anthelmintic drugs. The appearance of these unpleasant symptoms can be prevented. Read the instructions for the drug carefully. Do not give these products to kittens under 2 months of age and to a pregnant or lactating cat.

Due to constipation, the cat may have some blood in the stool. This often happens with pets that are predominantly fed dry food. If your cat is on a natural diet and is constipated, avoid bread, starchy cereals, and potatoes. When feeding dry food, drip a small amount of olive oil on it. The animal must always have access to a bowl of clean water.

More serious diseases that can cause bloody substance in the stool of an animal include:

violation of intestinal motility;
benign and malignant neoplasms in the digestive tract;
blood diseases;
injury.

What to do if the cat goes to the toilet with blood

To determine the tactics of treatment in this case, it is necessary to study the nature of the stool and additional symptoms. If the masses are formed, and clotted blood is noticed in small quantities, it is worth observing the animal for 2-3 days. If the symptom does not go away, it is necessary to conduct an ultrasound examination for the presence of neoplasms in the organs of the digestive system.

Treatment at home involves facilitating the process of defecation of the animal and easing symptoms. If there is profuse blood loss when going to the toilet, you should consult a doctor. At home, you can give the cat an absorbent to clear the stomach; washing at home is not done for cats. With constipation, you should try to give soft food, include cottage cheese and milk in the pet's diet, but do not mix it with ready-made wet and dry food.

It is also necessary to examine the cat for injuries. If the cat does not allow himself to be stroked on the croup and in the tail area, this may be due to bone damage or an inflammatory process. In this case, the source of the problem can only be determined with the help of x-rays and stool and blood tests.

Do not give your pet antibiotics or human antivirals. There is a high risk of wrong dosage. In addition, most strains of viruses and bacteria that cause disease in cats do not respond to human medications.

If you have any doubts about the health of your pet, it is better to consult a doctor as soon as possible. In cats, the incubation period of pathologies is much longer than in humans, and symptoms appear already at the stage when the immune system is not able to overcome the disease.

The well-being and health of a pet depends entirely on its owner, who must not only feed the animal every day, but also monitor its health. To do this, you should periodically check that urine and feces do not contain blood. If a cat begins to meow loudly during bowel movements, it means that something is bothering her. And bloody stools can be a symptom of a variety of pet health problems.

Causes of blood in the stool in a cat

In natural products, blood can only get from the gastrointestinal tract. A more precise location of damage can be determined if pay attention to its color.

Bright red color of blood

The reason for the appearance of this color of blood in the feces of a cat may be a foreign object that the animal has swallowed and which is trying to come out along with the feces. Often kittens play with various sharp objects or pebbles that can cause serious injury to the gastrointestinal tract. The pet at this time becomes restless and his temperature may rise.
Injury to the gastrointestinal tract of a cat can also be improperly selected food. An adult animal can scratch the stomach with a piece of bone, and a small kitten with dry food, which he did not chew well.
Constipation is another reason for the appearance of red blood in the feces of a cat. The feces harden and the act of defecation causes pain to the pet. The anus is injured in the process of emptying, and blood appears in the stool. If your cat is constipated, give a laxative and make sure she always has a bowl of fresh water available. In case of prolonged constipation, the animal must be shown to the veterinarian.

Helminthiasis - the cause of the appearance of blood

The fact that helminths settled in the body of a cat says brown blood. Most often this can happen with an animal picked up on the street or with a pet in contact with stray cats.

With helminthiasis, a cat may experience a decrease in activity, lethargy, diarrhea, vomiting, and nausea. At the same time, the pet does not refuse food.
In this case, the animal should be treated with two courses of anthelmintic drugs.
As a preventive measure, anthelmintics are recommended for domestic cats twice a year.

The main thing, choose the right drug and follow the dosage. If such symptoms are observed in a cat that definitely cannot be infected with helminths, then you need to contact your veterinarian.

Exacerbation of pancreatitis.

Exacerbation of pancreatitis can also give similar symptoms. In this case, the cat will need to be put on a strict diet and remember that the gastrointestinal tract is its weak point. The diet for such an animal must be made more carefully and competently.

allergic reactions.

One of the reasons for the appearance of blood in the feces of a cat may be an allergy to food. Manufacturers often add cornmeal, natural flavors and various stabilizers to dry food. Therefore, you can try to change the food, and if there are changes, then it is better to forget about the old food. Another option is to switch to all-natural foods.

Colitis

Blood and mucus in the cat's stool most often indicate a disease such as colitis.

During its exacerbation in an animal, constipation alternates with diarrhea, and pain appears in the lower abdomen.
Feces change color and smell.
In advanced cases, the pet's metabolism is disturbed, and he loses weight.
Colitis can be provoked by stressful conditions, infections, allergies, malnutrition, worms.

Ignoring this problem endangers not only the health of the cat, but also her life. Therefore, it is necessary to consult a doctor who will need to take the pet's feces for analysis. Only a veterinarian can prescribe the correct treatment and stabilize the condition of the animal.

Neoplasms and tumors.

Another reason for the appearance of blood in the stool is a neoplasm and a tumor. To refute or confirm this version is possible only with the help of ultrasound and biopsy, which is done under anesthesia. The course of treatment for the cat will be prescribed by a doctor.

When to See a Veterinarian

Contact a specialist needed if:

The pet began to go to the toilet much more often.
When trying to empty the animal is very tense.
In the stool more than once, blood was seen larger than one small speck.

Often, the presence of blood can be just one of the signs of a disease in a cat. If she has other symptoms, then you should rush to the doctor.

Diarrhea.
Vomit.
Frequent urination.
Rapid weight loss.
Lack of appetite.
Increased thirst.
Apathy.

The doctor will diagnose and identify the cause of all these symptoms.

Diagnosing Causes of Bleeding in Cats

Doctor first can ask some questions to understand why a cat has blood or mucus in the stool.

Does a pet ride on carpets? (this behavior of the animal most often indicates problems with the anal sinuses).
Has the cat's anal area been injured by a fall, blow, or bite from another animal?
Does the cat eat natural food? If yes, then which one?
Has the animal's diet changed recently?
Could the pet swallow a bone, an inedible object, or eat spoiled food?

Having heard the answers to all questions, the doctor can immediately understand the cause of the disease, or prescribe additional diagnostic procedures.

Fecal analysis.
Analysis of urine.
An extended blood test.
Examination of the rectum.
Analysis of the profile of chemicals in the blood.
Colonoscopy.
Ultrasound or x-ray of the abdominal organs.

Depending on the test results, the doctor will prescribe treatment.

Possible treatment

To help your cat's condition, your veterinarian may recommend some of the following procedures:

The presence of mucus or blood in the cat's stool can also be symptom of liver disease, stomach ulcers and other problems in the cat's body. It is not necessary to let everything take its course if the pet has such alarming symptoms. But there is no need to panic in advance. To determine the exact diagnosis, you must contact your veterinarian, who will prescribe the appropriate treatment.

In normal health, there are no foreign components in the feces of animals. The chair looks decorated and dense. But if the owner noticed mucus in the feces of a cat, blood or a liquid consistency of feces, this indicates problems that have arisen, and often very serious ones.

Why does mucus appear in the stool

It is difficult not to see that the cat has mucus in the feces. Usually this phenomenon is immediately evident and looks like transparent or whitish impurities in the total stool. Sometimes there are not many of them, but it happens that the feces are completely lined with slimy secretions. In any case, this is an anomaly that may indicate pathologies that have arisen in the animal's body.

The appearance of mucus in the stool can be caused by a number of reasons.:

the presence of worms;
viral or bacterial diseases;
intolerance to certain foods;
excessive overfeeding;
metabolic disorders;
intestinal obstruction;
stressful state (when changing the place of residence or owners);
too fatty food;
improper diet or eating disorders;
inflammatory processes in the digestive system;
consequences of poisoning with bad food, chemicals or poisons;
abrupt menu change;
allergy;
decrease in the body's resistance to diseases;
reaction to certain drugs;
fur in the stomach.

The reasons are so varied that it is almost impossible for an ignorant person to independently determine why a cat poops feces with mucus. But the fact that the pet is not all right is obvious. In addition to the foreign matter itself, additional symptoms help to understand this.

Associated signs of pet ill health

The following symptoms should be cause for concern about your cat, which can appear with a number of diseases:

diarrhea with mucus may indicate an overdose of vitamins;
flatulence and diarrhea often indicate food intolerance that has arisen, which will simply need to be excluded from the diet;
lumps of mucus in liquid feces, nausea, weight loss, sometimes vomiting and at the same time the cat often licks its lips - chronic inflammation is possible in any part of the digestive tract;
the feces became greasy, bright yellow or greenish, vomiting, flatulence, nausea appeared, appetite increased noticeably - it's time to check the pet's pancreas;
the cat has blood and mucus in the feces, the animal is sick and vomits, appetite is lost, the pet loses weight sharply - this is due to viruses or bacteria;
the stool is liquid, dark, tarry, with mucus, the pet vomits, weight loss is observed - a clear sign of the presence of worms;
severe diarrhea with clear or white discharge, vomiting, weakness, lethargy, sometimes discharge from the nose and eyes of the cat is visible or there are ulcerations on the mucous membranes - there are viral diseases;
the stool is modified, contains mucus, the pet is worried, does not make contact, and even more so does not allow the stomach to be felt because of pain - these are symptoms of colitis, enterocolitis or enteritis;
feces have a sharp disgusting smell, there are impurities of mucus and blood - very strong inflammation or oncological diseases of the digestive system are possible.

Perhaps the only case when you don’t have to worry about mucus in the feces is for the first time after the cat has taken antihelminthic drugs (i.e., after anthelmintics). In the first days after the end of such a treatment and prophylactic course, mucus impurities in the feces are observed very often and do not indicate serious pathologies in the cat's body. The absence of diseases is confirmed by the good general health of the animal (normal appetite, cheerful mood, etc.). Treatment is not required here, everything passes in a few days on its own.

Vet visit

Because mucus in cats' stools can be caused by many things, only a veterinarian can determine the true diagnosis. Therefore, the visit to the doctor should not be delayed, otherwise the disease can reach a severe stage.

Having determined why the feces come out with mucus, the specialist will prescribe a therapy that matches the identified disease. The cat will be prescribed special drugs, and the owner will be given recommendations for treatment and care. All this must be done in a strict order.

If the owner of the cat is sure that the cause of mucus in the feces is not a serious illness, but a banal disorder due to inappropriate food or the consequences of anthelmintics, you can try to help the pet at home:

Arrange a therapeutic fast for the cat (unloading 12 or 24 hours). In this case, it is necessary to solder the pet with clean water.
If the animal refuses to drink, you will have to force him to do so. It will be necessary to pour a small amount of water into the cat's mouth to avoid dehydration.
If the cat has overeaten or is not very poisoned, give it activated charcoal every 6 hours.
To normalize the intestinal microflora in case of food poisoning or a mild disorder, a children's dose of Smecta can be given. This drug is one of the few human drugs approved for use in animals (as well as activated charcoal).
As an astringent for non-serious causes of diarrhea, cats are given a decoction of oak bark to drink (after 1-2 times the diarrhea should stop).

If during the day the cat's condition has not improved, the feces are still slimy, and the accompanying symptoms persist or increase, you cannot continue self-treatment. In this case, the pet must be urgently taken to the veterinarian, who will examine the patient, diagnose and determine how the animal should be treated.

How to treat kittens

Little fluffies are treated a little differently than adult cats.

First, there should be no self-treatment here.. The owners do not have time to find out the cause of mucus in the kitten's feces, because in a small body, any disease develops faster and stronger than in an adult. It is necessary to help the baby as soon as possible, and only a veterinarian can do it qualitatively.

What can be assigned to a kitten:

the first day is unloading (only water or a very weak chamomile decoction);
for viral diseases - antiviral serum;
with bacterial - antibiotic therapy;
if the kitten is poisoned - the drug Atoxil;
in the presence of worms - antihelminthic drugs;
probiotics to normalize the intestinal microflora;
antispasmodics for severe pain syndromes;
to restore the water-salt balance - Regidron.

After the therapy, the kids quickly recover, their digestive system returns to normal and the mucus in the feces disappears. Of course, provided that the owner sounded the alarm in time and consulted a doctor.

Feces with mucus in a cat is almost always a signal of an onset of the disease. It is impossible to ignore such phenomena, because this threatens with serious problems with the health of the pet. And the fault for all the suffering of a pet will lie only with a negligent owner who did not notice the alarming symptoms in time or ignored them.

A change in the normal state of the animal may indicate violations in the work of one organ or a number of health problems. It often happens that the owners, when cleaning the cat's toilet, find feces with blood in the cat's tray. Why does my cat have blood in stool? And what should the owner do? This does not bode well, but do not panic about this prematurely.

There may be several reasons for the appearance of extravasation in feces. Let's look at them in detail.

Blood in the feces of a cat: causes and treatment

Several factors influence the determination of the causes of blood in the stool:

periodicity of the phenomenon;
its amount in faeces;
color of spotting;
the presence of mucus;
related symptoms.

A common cause of blood in a cat's stool is dry food, which irritates the intestines and can lead to gastrointestinal disturbances.

If there is a small bloody discharge of a reddish color without mucus, then it is most likely that the cat has constipation or has swallowed a foreign object. It is worth changing the diet and watching the feces. If everything remains the same or worsens, then without fail show the pet to the veterinarian.

What pathologies can occur with such symptoms?

This list is not exhaustive. These pathologies are most often found in cats, but other diseases are possible, accompanied by similar symptoms.

What to do if the cat has blood in the stool

If a cat has feces with blood and mucus, then it is necessary to observe related symptoms, that is, the behavior of the animal: its appetite, body temperature, activity. It is also recommended to give up dry food for a while to check the possibility of an allergic reaction or a violation of the microflora.

When is a mandatory visit to the veterinary clinic recommended? If after a while (no more than 2 days) the pet continues to empty feces with extravasation, then you need to contact your veterinarian. In special cases, do not wait a day.

With the following related symptoms, urgently take the cat to the clinic:

Vomit.
Loose stools with bright red blood and mucus in a kitten or cat.
Frequent urination.
Intense thirst or loss of appetite.
Apathy, sickly appearance.
Elevated temperature.

Such additional signs may indicate a serious pathology and the need for urgent medical attention. Bloody excrement in itself is a deviation from the norm, and in combination with other signs, they are a mortal danger for your beloved pet.

If a cat has feces with blood and mucus, then it is necessary to observe related symptoms, that is, the behavior of the animal: its appetite, body temperature, activity. Source: Flickr (Ryan_Bodenstein)

Pathology treatment methods

What are the treatment methods for detecting extravasation in the stool in an animal? Naturally, the treatment process directly depends on the diagnosis. Usually, it is impossible to determine the true cause of spotting in the stool without additional diagnostic procedures. What diagnosis do veterinarians make in this case?

A detailed analysis of blood, urine and feces.
Analysis for the presence of allergens.
Intestinal research.
Ultrasound and other diagnostic methods.

Treatment can be long, sometimes surgery is necessary.

Procedures to alleviate the condition of the cat:

Changing the diet (temporary or permanent exclusion of dry food, dietary nutrition, etc.).
Antibiotics in the form of tablets or injections for bacterial infections.
Tablets to relieve constipation.
Medicines for helminths in the presence of cystospores in the feces of a cat.
Disinfectant enemas.

Remember that all procedures must be performed in strict accordance with the recommendations of the doctor. Do not give your cat antibiotics without the approval of the veterinarian, and do not delay the trip to the clinic.

Preventive actions

So that the animal does not experience discomfort when emptying the intestines, and the situation does not reach the development of serious pathologies, a few simple rules must be observed. Every pet owner needs to know these preventive measures:

Systematic deworming.
Limit your pet's access to poisons for rodents and other pests.
Feed your cat properly (choose a diet, do not overdo it with dry food, do not overeat).
Do not forget about fresh water, which he needs for normal digestion.
Visit a veterinary clinic.

If cystospores or extravasation are found in the feces, be sure to take them for diagnosis.

No one knows your beloved ward better than you, so only you can notice changes in his behavior. Blood in the stool of a cat or kitten, as a rule, indicates some kind of disorder in the body system. A qualified veterinarian can find out the cause of this disorder, prescribe treatment and save the animal. A grateful animal will definitely give you its love, affection and attention.