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I recently switched my year old cat back to his original wet cat food I and Love and You. He has only been back on this food for about a week now, but the issues I have had with his stool were present even before the switch. I was hoping the switch back to cat wet food as opposed to the human grade food I was feeding him would help, but so far it hasn't seemed to. I have pretty much had this issue from day one with him, on and off. Sometimes he goes normally and his stools appear fine and I have no issues with any kind of 'spots' on the rug. However, more often than I would like, he goes softer and I will find a spot of liquidy poop on the rug. Honestly, it doesn't look like poop, it's usually more clear in colour and a lot of times there is a spot of blood in it. I have looked closely at his bum and it does not appear to be irritated in any way. It is not swollen or red and he does not scoot. He goes to the bathroom normally and is regular, going everyday.

The last time I took him to the vet was in November and during this visit I did mention this concern to my vet. In fact, this issue was one of the reasons I took him to the vet. During the visit I mentioned this concern to the vet and he did not seem to care at all. He did not check my cat's anal glands, which I was expecting him to do. His response was, "I don't do routine anal exams." Well, I'd like to know what you DO do because you are a vet and I think that is part of your job! So mad at him, he was awful, and not helpful at all. He said that most cats don't have anal gland issues so I shouldn't worry. They did take a stool sample and told me he was clear and there were no parasites. Now, I'm not saying my cat does have an anal gland problem, but obviously something is not right. I don't think it's normal for your cat to go soft on a regular basis and to see even a small spot of blood. The reason I haven't gone back to the vet sooner is because I thought this issue would get better as he aged. I thought it was happening because he was young and adjusting to everything.

Does anyone have any idea what could be causing this? Should I stop feeding my cat wet food? I give him 1-2 wet foods meals per day along with dry. He just seems to be super, ultra sensitive. They told me when I adopted him he had a sensitive stomach, but I didn't think it was THIS bad. Also, what about treats? If his stomach is that sensitive does that mean I shouldn't give him any treats either, or just very sparingly? Is there anything I can give him that might help? I have a probiotic powder I used to put on his food, but I haven't in a while. Sometimes I felt like that also made him go soft.

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    this is serious,if your cat bleeds from the intestines you need to take the cat to the vet.if your vet is unable to diagnose and treat the cat you go to an other vet,as of now you should treat against internal parasites as this is one of the most common causes for bleeding and watery stool.
    – trond hansen
    Commented Jun 8, 2023 at 4:42
  • I was not overly concerned because, as I have said, it is not every time and it is a very tiny amount. Literally it is a speck of blood, and this can happen to humans sometimes too if you strain when going to the bathroom. His stools aren't watery. He goes normal sometimes and other times he goes a bit softer, but this can also be caused by the food I am feeding him. I think when he gets too much wet he goes softer I have noticed. Which is why I asked if maybe I should just stop feeding him wet.
    – LonelyRollingStar
    Commented Jun 8, 2023 at 5:45
  • Also, his stool was checked and they told me he was clear and had no parasites. Unless they are just that incompetent at their job, which honestly I wouldn't be surprised because I was not happy with that vet office one bit. On another note, if it was internal parasites would there not be other symptoms as well? I will look more into this myself.
    – LonelyRollingStar
    Commented Jun 8, 2023 at 5:50
  • I just want to reiterate in order to get a better understanding of the situation, this issue has been ongoing since day one with him. I adopted him in September and have since noticed these issues with him using the litter box. He has gone periods with normal stools. His stool was tested and I was told he was clear. He has been active and living a normal cat life otherwise. His weight is the same and he doesn't appear to be losing any.
    – LonelyRollingStar
    Commented Jun 8, 2023 at 6:06
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    If you are utterly dissatisfied with the quality of pet care your vet is providing, you really need to choose another vet.
    – agarza
    Commented Jun 8, 2023 at 13:04

2 Answers 2

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My first suggestion is to treat your cat for intestinal worms. It's the easiest thing you can do with a chance of solving the problem and without too much risk involved.

If that doesn't solve the problem after 2 weeks, I suggest you take a photo of this abnormal stool (or several pictures every time it happens) and show it to your vet.

The important keys word is not that he has loose stool once in a while (that doesn't sound serious at all), but that he has clear stool with blood in it. That is (at least to me; I'm not a vet) a clear indication that there's something unusual going on in the intestines of your cat.

If he were a human, there surely would be tests and a colonoscopy in order, but I have no idea if you can even do that with cats and how much of the intestines you can see (even in humans you can only see the end of them). If your current vet refuses to do any of that, please consider getting a second opinion from a different vet. You can call them first, explain the situation and ask them what to do. They will tell you whether to bring your cat for tests.

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  • From what I have read it seems that he may have some kind of intestinal worms. The thing that I find odd though is the length of time this problem has been going on, so I'm not entirely sure that really is the issue. That vet I only went to once and don't plan on going to again. I decided to use the same vet my aunt and cousin's use. The location is more inconvenient since it is farther away, but they already have an established relationship with her so I feel more comfortable going there. I already have an appointment set. I'll know soon enough what the cause is. I appreciate the advise.
    – LonelyRollingStar
    Commented Jun 11, 2023 at 8:21
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As with humans: blood coming from anyplace that shouldn't be bleeding is reason for a doctor/vet visit. NOW. It may be something very serious indeed, up to and including cancer. And even if it's "nothing", it's an infection risk, and infection with gut bacteria can kill. Don't guess, let the vet evaluate.

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  • Yes, but it is only a drop and it is not every time. Drop probably isn't even the correct word, a tiny pin head of a spot is more like it. I thought maybe it could have to do with him straining when trying to use the bathroom. Since, as I have said, this issue has been a problem since day one, I'm sorry if I don't seem more anxious about it. But it seems I'm not going to be able to resolve the issue myself so I'll have to make a vet visit. Thanks for your information.
    – LonelyRollingStar
    Commented Jun 8, 2023 at 17:36
  • Not saying you're callous. And it's possible the issue isn't even blood; maybe the cat's been nibbling on the border of your red carpet or something. ("Hazel, stop chewing on the cat tree!") But if you're concerned enough to ask, a vet visit is probably called for, if nothing else so you know what's going on.
    – keshlam
    Commented Jun 8, 2023 at 19:35
  • That's funny, because I actually do have red carpets, although I've never seen him chew on them. He does love to scratch at them though and he gets a little crazy with the steps at times where he attaches himself to the step and kicks. Who knows, maybe he has accidentally ingested some of the rug? This is a point I could bring up to the vet as well. Thanks for the tip.
    – LonelyRollingStar
    Commented Jun 11, 2023 at 8:06

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