Cats passing blood

[Saphire]

My 8 year old cat has recently started pooing on the carpet and she is also passing blood. Does anyone know what could be wrong with her?

[molly]

It sounds as you should take her to the vet.

[Kit]

I absolutely agree with molly. Passing blood could just be the symptom of severe gut inflammation, or it could be something more serious. Definitely not something to ignore. My cat started doing it a few years ago (no blood though) and I was very upset as I was pregnant at the time, wouldn't have been a good idea to have an incontinent cat, especially with a crawling baby later on. The vet reckoned it was an infection, and after antibiotics he gave her some "good" bacteria (bit like Yakult). It settled down, and no probs since.

[Saphire]

Thanks for your replies. I'm obviously thinking the worst but I've got my hands on a cat basket now and will take her to the vets tomorrow.

[revontuuli]

If there is a small amount of fresh blood sitting on top of the poo, it could be that your cat needs its anal glands squeezing. Normally the glands empty themselves, but sometimes they get blocked and the vet needs to do it. The cat doesn't need an anaesthetic, it's a simple procedure. Another sign of this is if your cat grooms her back end so much that she gets bald patches - this is a sign of the irritation the cat is feeling. Dogs are known sufferers with anal gland problems, but it is less well-known that cats also sometimes have the problem. It may be sorted out with one trip to the vet, but can tend to recur periodically.

[molly]

How is your cat now?

[Saphire]

Thanks for asking Molly. The vet couldn't find anything obvious that was wrong with her. She wormed her and gave her a course of anti biotics, took a blood sample and a stool sample for tests. She said it may be to do with her thyroid gland. In a way I hope that she does find something wrong (nothing too serious tho) so that it can be treated and she may stop doing it, otherwise we're gonna have to get rid as we have 2 young boys and have to think of hygene if she's just gonna mess on the carpet. It would break my heart to let her go though.

[molly]

Would she use a tray? If she was feeling a bit under the weather it could have been she simply didn't feel like going outside.Then she's got into the habit of pooing on the carpet.Perhaps you need to take time to retrain her. Watch her like a hawk (not easy with 2 small boys, I know) then when she looks like she's about to do her business scold her and immediately whisk her outside (or to her tray).It seems heartbreaking to have to get rid of her. My own cat a thyroid problem earlier this year and I'm sorry to say he had to be put down. He was 17years.I do hope that was not the problem.