Blood in Cat Stool - Causes and Treatment For Hematochezia

Like humans, cats are susceptible to a lot of health risks. From time to time, a cat may suffer from cases of infection such as feline urinary tract infection, bladder infection and many more. Cats may also experience a condition called hematochezia.

Hematochezia is a condition characterized by the presence of blood in cat stool. Typically, the blood is bright red in color and is fresh. Hematochezia should not be mistaken for another medical condition where cat blood in stool is hardened, making the stool look tarry, dark, and black. This kind of condition is called melena. Both hematochezia and melena are common in cats.

The presence of blood in the stool of the cat may be associated with a minor disorder in your pet. However, in some instances, it may be a sign of a more serious problem. In younger cats, hematochezia may be a sign of the presence of parasites in the animal's intestines.

Factors that may cause the presence of fresh blood in the cat's stool are the following:

o Cancer of the lower bladder, medically known as neoplasia
o Trauma to the lower bowel or the lower anal area
o Presence of polyps or benign tumors in the rectum or colon
o Dietary intolerance
o Coagulopathy or blood clotting disorder
o Bacterial infections such as those caused by the bacteria E. coli, salmonella, and clostridia
o Viruses
o Protozoa
o Parasites in the intestines such as hookworms, tapeworms and round worms
o Colitis or inflammation of the bowel
o Ingestion of poisonous substance

Your first reaction upon seeing blood in your cat's stool may be alarm and anxiety. After all, who would not be alarmed at seeing blood in stool? Fortunately, although this condition in cats can be extremely alarming, there are certain remedies that may help solve the problem.

Since hematochezia may at times be caused by allergy or intolerance on the diet, you might want to consider changing the diet of your pet. If the animal has been on commercial and canned food, you may change its diet to homemade food. It is especially recommended to give your pet a bland diet, one that is rich in fiber and contains low levels of fat. Fatty foods are a no-no as they may lead to potential health disorders in cats.

If you are certain that the cause of hematochezia in your pet is the presence of parasitic worms, you may give it deworming medications. You may also give the animal antibiotics and other drugs to alleviate inflammation in its intestines and to control the rate of its food movement in the intestines.

If no improvement is seen in the feline despite the measures you have taken to stop the presence of blood in the cat's stool, the best thing to do is to consult the veterinarian. The vet can administer proper medical procedures to rule out the real cause of the presence of blood in the cat's stool. He can also prescribe the right treatment that is best for the animal.