Member

Posts: 30
From:Cleveland, OH USA
Registered: Jan 2004

posted 01-21-2004 08:29 AM         

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Hey there. Was scooping Max and Murphy's boxes this morning and discovered some bright red blood in some poop. Obviously, I'm not sure whether it's Max's or Murphy's. Does anyone know what this could be? Should I take both boys in to the vet? Thanks for any help.

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Member

Posts: 944
From:Columbus, Tx ,USA
Registered: Dec 2003

posted 01-21-2004 08:34 AM         

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Take them both to the vet asap. Its a good sign if its fresh looking blood. that means that its not beeing stored in there and slowly passing...but, blood is not a good sign period.

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Member

Posts: 30
From:Cleveland, OH USA
Registered: Jan 2004

posted 01-21-2004 08:36 AM         

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Thanks so much. I'll be calling right now for an appointment. Have you ever encountered this with any of your cats? Any ideas of what it could be?

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Member

Posts: 30
From:Cleveland, OH USA
Registered: Jan 2004

posted 01-21-2004 08:46 AM         

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I just got off the phone with the vet. She told me that it was probably just one of them trying to pass a difficult stool. She also said that I should examine the stools over the next couple of days and to call back for an appointment if I see it again.

If it's there in a couple of days, she said she'd prescribe a laxative...but that she'd want to look them over to be sure it's not a parasite first (although that seems unlikely to me as they're both indoor cats).

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Member

Posts: 790
From:uk
Registered: Aug 2003

posted 01-21-2004 09:15 AM         

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Hi, Indoor cats can still get fleas and worms. While your out walking fleas can jump onto you clothes without you knowing and you take them back to your home where they are happy to breed and lay eggs on your cats.

Worms can be picked up also by you just walking along the street which you carry back to the home on your shoes the all it takes is for your cats to sniff or lick where you have walked in the house or if fleas brought all they need to do is clean themselves and the worm cycle begins.

Stll always treat for worms and check cats coats and skin regularly for any signs of fleas.

Mike.
boro_lad1976@hotmail.com

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Member

Posts: 30
From:Cleveland, OH USA
Registered: Jan 2004

posted 01-21-2004 09:23 AM         

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That's good advice, Mike. Thank you very much. It might be a good idea for me to take them in to check for worms just in case. I do check for fleas every once in a while.

My vet also asked if both of my guys are eating regularly and whether or not they have been acting lethargic. They are eating regularly and have not been acting lethargic. So I guess we'll see. Thanks again for the advice.

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Member

Posts: 107
From:sherman oaks,california,USA
Registered: Dec 2003

posted 01-21-2004 11:31 AM         

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hello, i had the exact same problem with my two cats last week. My friend works at my vet and told me to bring in a stool sample when i brought in one of my kitties to get nuetered. She says sometimes there can be blood in the stool caused by straining. Well you should get a fecal done, but dont be too worried, as long as you get a fecal done you should be ok. Both of mine are fine and i have not found any blood since. hope all goes well with your kitties!

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Posts: 996
From:sheridan, wy
Registered: Aug 2003

posted 01-21-2004 01:46 PM         

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One of my kitties had blood in her stool and it turned out to be from Inflammatory bowel syndrome. I know it is worrisome, but it isn't always life threatening.

My kitty had mucous in her poop too. Did you see mucous or just the blood?

[This message has been edited by fleafly (edited 01-22-2004).]

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Member

Posts: 30
From:Cleveland, OH USA
Registered: Jan 2004

posted 01-21-2004 01:52 PM         

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Thanks Winnie and Fleafly.

Fleafly...this might sound like an idiotic question, but what did the mucous look like? From what I could see through the litter granules, it looked like it was just blood. I'm going home in a little while, so I'll check the boxes and report back tomorrow.

Did your cat ever get over the IBS? Did he/she require medication? I'm wondering if that's the human equivalent of Irritable Bowel Syndrome which, I know from my sister, is a lifelong disease requiring dietary changes and (in extreme cases) surgery.

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Posts: 996
From:sheridan, wy
Registered: Aug 2003

posted 01-22-2004 11:46 AM         

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Well the mucous looks like mucous! You will be able to tell if it is there. It will look slimy and mucousy. IBS in cats is similar to in humans. In my cats case I think it was stress induced b/c two of the other cats would harrass her. I put her on high fiber food and it seemed to help. Sometimes they use steroids to treat it also. My kitty actually lives with a friend now and seems to be doing well. One day he saw blood in her poop, but hasn't since then. Her blood looks bright red also, but usually (not always) there is mucous in there too.

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Member

Posts: 30
From:Cleveland, OH USA
Registered: Jan 2004

posted 01-22-2004 11:55 AM         

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Hey there! Good news...no blood in the poop this morning. Although there was only one poop in the box, so I think that it would be best for me to keep an eye on it over the next couple of days.

Thanks for your message, Fleafly...it's good to know that even if it's IBS, it's not necessarily serious. If I keep seeing it, though, I'll probably take them to the vet just to be sure it's not serious.

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