Why does my cat's poop have traces of blood?

She may have a common intestinal parasite called Coccidia’ thaqt can cause a show of blood and mucus in the stool.

A fecal exam is in order.

Take a fresh sample in a ziplock bag to your vet for testing and if it is Coccidiosis it is cured quickly with an inexpensive medication. It is species specific and not transmitable to humans.

I would take in a stool sample and if it checks out then more tests might be in order.

Could be a number of things but blood in stool is never a good sign, though it’s probably easily treatable. Get thee to a vet with the stool sample mentioned above.

Is the blood bright red and very liquidy? Or is it dark and less liquid like? What is she vomitting up…water, food, fur..? Does she go outside at all? How many times and how often has she had blood in her stool (more than once… or twice)? Push on her stomach.. does she seem to be in pain from that? Does she look fatter/bloated?
There are many things that could be cause of this…some serious and some not so serious that go away on their own.

At her age, why not just let her live out her life? Obviously, you Mom is thinking the time is right for her to go. Let her be. This is like your cat needs a living will.

@Coloma and @Austinlad Like I said above my mom won’t take her to the vet except to euthanize her, that includes taking her feces with her to the vet. She thinks because she’s old she’s going to die soon no matter what and there’s no hope.
@PluckyDog It’s dark red and not liquidy. She vomits up food and water and the food is only partially digested. She almost never goes outside, she hasn’t been out since around june. I just started noticing the blood. She never seems to be in pain. Over the past 2 years she been going threw stages of being sort of skinny then gaining weight and getting a little fat.
@skfinkel I don’t just want to leave her like this. She doesn’t seem to be in pain but cats are good at hiding pain and that’s their natural instinct.

If your cat’s in otherwise good health, she could live another five years (if this problem doesn’t get her). See if there is a low-cost vet clinic in your area – perhaps ask your local animal shelter or a rescue group. I know my vet contributes to a fund that helps pay for veterinary care for people who can’t afford it. If you find one, they might be willing to check a stool sample if you can get it to them.

And as for your mom’s argument, how does she know if the cat needs to be euthanized if she won’t take it to the vet? Is she going to wait until the cat’s visibly sick and in pain? That seems cruel.

@daytonamisticrip

Well…if thats the way it is, then I would say better to euthanize her a little too early than a little too late.

What you describe does not sound good at all.

I’m sorry.

Part of pet ownership is the responsibility of seeing they get proper medical care and attention. You could also suggest your mother consider the same rules for her own personal medical needs.

It sounds like she is bleeding from the stomach or small intestine (melena).

General causes of Melena:

- Stomach Ulcers (the most probable cause in cats)
– Infectious agents
– Certain drugs
– Ingestion of blood
– Cancer
– Coagulopathies (bleeding disorders)
– Foreign bodies in the stomach or intestines
– Infiltrative and inflammatory gastrointestinal diseases
– Gastrointestinal ischemia (lack of blood supply)

If she were my cat, I’d be taking her to the vet. It is your parent(s) responsiblity to do so.

Until then, all you can do is give her very bland food that is easy on her stomach and watch for changes and any signs of it getting worse.
– Vitamins A, B6, and E will help to maintain and repair the very important mucosal barrier in her stomach.
– A few drops of fish oil in her food will help; it is an extremely rich source of omega-3 fatty acids which will help her stomach.
– A couple of drops of Licorice extract will sooth her stomach muscles.

I hope some of this helps.

@daytonamisticrip

A 14 year old cat is not that old. Many cats live into their late teens and twenties.

May I ask if you are old enough to have any resources (car and money) to take her to the vet yourself? She needs to see a vet.

I’m only 13 so I have no car obviously. I have no money so I can’t call a cab.
I know she needs to see a vet. But if she’s going to be fine I don’t want to have my mom take her to be euthanized. Basically the only choices I have for my cat are having my mom bring her to the vet to be euthanized or let her stay home. If this is something that will cause her to suffer sadly I want her to be put down. But if it’s something my cat can get past I want her to stay here.

What a terrible attitude your mom has. Your cat could have anything from ulcers to hemorrhoids, and none of these are fatal or even serious. She could also have more serious, but curable, things. If your mom won’t take her—can’t you?

Didn’t you ask a question like this about your cat several months back? I remember someone . . .mom wouldn’t give pet medical care. Get a friend to take you to the vet’s.

Your vet will be the best source for an accurate answer to this question.

You may be only 13 but you are very intelligent and must know someone who could help you. A friend’s mom, a teacher, your pastor, a neighbor. Your mother’s attitude about the cat is very harsh and I do believe a vet might even help you without charging you. Use the internet. Call local vets and explain your predicament. See if there are any veterinarians you can talk to, or who might make a house call, or a veterinary student at university, or someone who could find a way to help you. 14 is not old for a cat. It is not young either. I lost a cat to illness at 13 and another lived to be 21.

Thank you all for helping.
@anartist My mom doesn’t let me go anywhere so I’ll try to get a one of my buddies to take her when my mom isn’t home.

@daytonamisticrip Good for you! Good luck. Let us know what happens.