Hi everyone I have a nine year old female cat named Shashi. She has never had any medical issues and has always seemed happy and healthy. I have had her since the day she was born and both of her parents were always healthy. But today when cleaning out her litter box I had noticed some bright red blood in her stool. She is acting normal eating fine and drinking like she always has. I guess my question is should I wait a few days and see if it stops or take her in immediately? I am scared because three different times I have taken an animal into the vet for a normal standard procedure or check up they ended up dying. My 2 year old son and the cat are best of friends and it would break his little heart. I did one of those websites where you pay and ask a vet online, but the only answer i got was bring the cat in. I would like to try something else if possible but if I need I will bring her in. Someone help please....
PS. She was recently put thru some stress we had just gotten a new bunny (but she loves the bunny. And about two weeks ago I changed her litter box (it was used for a sick cat in the past but cleaned several times.) PLEASE HELP
A pet with blood in the stools needs to be seen IMMEDIATELY. Don't wait. Take the stool sample along as well.
Please call your vet right away. Blood in the stool is not good, and it's not the sort of thing that can be diagnosed online.
Don't let fear of the unknown or of the past paralyze you. Explain your fears to your vet once you get there. Vets don't want their patients to die, as a rule. But sometimes an ordinary checkup can reveal something extraordinary, and while the problem can sometimes be taken care of, sometimes it can't. The best answer for that is to take a pet in for regular care and to make friends with the vet so you can understand what's going on.
Please give Shashi a hug from this cat-lover... AFTER you've called the vet.
Sounds like Shashi is a big and important part of your family so therefore deserves to go in to the vet. Since you are not a cat owner that just views the cat as a pet cat, then I suggest taking her in and find out what it is and if you can help her. You hav no idea where the blood is coming from. Maybe she just got some type of parasite that can be cured if caught in enough time. Now you state you changed her litter box. I would question the littr box of the "sick" cat. Maybe it is something she caught from that. Some illness can not be "washed" away no matter how many times it is cleaned. So this in itself worries me. By the times animals "act sick" it is usually too late to do anything, so please do not wait for that to happen. I know it is hard when you have had other bad vet memories, but your other animals dying had NOTHING to do with going to the vet. They were just sick. They would have died regardless. The only thing is SOME illness can be helped if caught early. Vets and doctors are enot miracle workers. The thought process you are using is the same one many old people carry about hospitals. That they are associated with death. The truth is, the people who die in the hospital would have died just the same at home. They die because they come when it is too late and expect the medical community to "fix" them; only after it is too late. SO do nto expect this of your vets either. Take the cat early when something MAY be able to be done than latr when NOTHING can be done and you AGAIN will need to make the Vet/Death association. (((HUGS))) and good luck!
If you are hesitant to take her in, I would give the vet a call, let them know what is going on. It could be the result of a lot of things and it may or may not be something to worry about. The vet may want to see her, but if she is acting otherwise normal they may be fine with watching for a couple of days at home for any repeat. Make sure to let the vet know you do have the bunny too and there was some stress and anything else you can think of, eating, sleeping, where she is in the house, is she indoors only or also outside, etc that may have changed. You can probably take in a stool sample to have it checked without having to take her in. Of course if there are any other changes I would take her in, but a phone call first might give you peace of mind and let you avoid taking her if it isn't necessary.
the best thought I can offer is get a diagnosis. If you are not sure with the first
diagnosis then go to another vet. You can treat your beloved cat as you wish if you know what's going on.
I am a veterinarian and my advice is: call the vet, make an appointment, get her seen and take a poop sample with you. I don't know what happened with your other cats, but too many times the only time people take their pets to see a vet is when the pet is practically on death's door- than they end up saying things like, "We took them to the vet but there was nothing they could do." and "She always was healthy and then she was so sick all of a sudden." Nobody can give you a diagnosis or offer advice or prescribe treatment over the phone or the computer. And at least having a check-up once a year can sometime find things that are more easily dealt with before they turn into huge expensive problems.
I used to work for a vet, and one of the most important things I learned about cats is that they don't usually let on that they are sick until it's too late to do anything about it. Blood in the stool is not a good sign, and almost never caused by just stress alone. Take the cat to the vet right now.
I would bring in the cat. I had a cat do that and it turned out to be a UTI - and he was male which can be prone to have them. Yes, it was $300 bill but was told if did not take him in could have died. Not meant to scare you, but I would take in the cat. Perhaps call in to the vet first.
Cats with worms often have bloody stool so I would be very careful around your son until you know it isn't worms. Some can be passed from animal to human most often toddlers who often put their hands in their mouths after playing with a kitty who has them. I know why you are worried about taking in the cat but for both kitty and son it may be the right thing to do.
Put the poop in a baggie and take her in. I don't think that you taking a pet to the vet made them die. If she is sick, and can be helped, the earlier the better. It may be nothing, but if it is something, better to know early and prepare your son, than not.
If she is not having diarrhea I wouldn't worry about it. It's just a bowel irritation. I would watch it since she's eating/drinking and acting normal. If anything just bring in a stool sample and have it checked out first before bringing her in. If she's having diarrhea give her a bland diet for the first day or two, if no improvement or getting worse then I would bring her in.
If I were you, I would bring the cat in. Blood in the stool is not a good thing. I look at it this way, if it were me or my child and that happened, would I go to the doctor? Then I would make the same judgement for a pet. I think if you don't, you may regret it in the long run. A cat can't tell you what's wrong and you have no idea what's happening on the inside of your cat.
I'm the kind of person that would rather be safe than sorry, so I would take her in....especially if she and your sons are best buds............it could be just an infection, and if so, you need to get it before it takes her over......it could be nothing, but it's best to find out now, before you wait and then feel really awful.........
Take her in......and hopefully it's just something she ate or something small...
Take care and good luck.
Bring the cat to the vet this morning!! Do not wait, do not ask moms online. Earlier intervention can prevent the pet from dying. If there is a fresh bowel movement in the box, you may also want to bring in a small sample for them to run a stool test.
First of all did you take the previous 3 animals to the same vet? If so, find a new vet. See if you can just take in the stool so they can test it, then if need be take the cat in.
