Causes of Bloody Poop in Cats

When cleaning out out my cat Celeste's litterbox a few years ago, I was alarmed to notice streaks of blood in her poop. Over the course of the days that followed, I noticed that her poop had red streaks in it almost every day. Of course, I was worried about my kitty's health and took her to the vet for an evaluation.

I found out that bloody stool-- a symptom known clinically as hematochezia-- is a common problem affecting cats. Hematochezia is not a disease in and of itself, but a symptom of another underlying condition. The causes of bloody cat poop range from very minor to life-threatening. Here are some of the possible causes of bloody poop in cats.

Infection

Some cats develop bloody poop in response to infection. Hematochezia can be symptomatic of a bacterial infection, viral infection, tapeworms, roundworms, or other infectious agents. Your vet can determine the cause of the infection and the best possible treatments.

Dietary Intolerance

If you've recently changed your cat's food, a dietary intolerance may be at fault for your kitty's bloody stools. Some cats develop digestive problems in response to dairy, gluten or other allergens in cat food. Switch back to your previous brand of cat food if your cat develops bloody stool after starting a new diet. If the bleeding persists, call the vet.

Tumors

Tumors and other growths in your cat's colon can cause bloody poop. In some cases, hematochezia is a sign of colon cancers and rectal cancers, which are most often fatal for cats. Other times, cats develop hematochezia as a result of benign (non-cancerous) polyps. These are not directly harmful to your cat, but should be removed to prevent further bleeding or the development of bowel cancer.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Inflammation in the bowels, often caused by autoimmune disease, can lead to bloody stool. If your cat suffers from colitis or a similar condition, you may notice recurrent bouts of blood-tinged diarrhea. Cats with this condition may require steroids to keep symptoms manageable.

Do not try to self-diagnose these conditions. Instead, take your cat to the vet for a proper evaluation to determine which of these problems is causing your kitty's symptoms. If you follow proper treatment guidelines, your cat is likely to recover quickly and completely from his digestive disease.