Daily Kitten Chat Forum » Cats & Kittens

1. 

   I'm a little concerned about my 4 1/2 month old kitty. I've had her about 5 weeks now and she's happy and otherwise healthy, but whenever she goes poop, her rectum is rather bloody. Her stool does not have blood in it.

   She eats well (dry food) and drinks water (almost excessively). She comes running whenever I turn on a faucet and cries to have the tub turned on so she can have a drink and/or play in it. She plays well with her new brother and sister. The only thing that I can see maybe out of the ordinary is that I can't keep her from eating the adult food from her older cat siblings, which she ocassionally does. I'm feeding her Iams Kitten Food, because it's the only thing she will eat, I went through three brands already before she would actually eat the kitten food.

   She doesn't sound like she's struggling when she goes (I can't see her the litter boxes are covered).

   Any ideas?

   Posted 2 years ago by livykitty #

2. 

   I would check with the vet. A bloody rectum after every poop does not sound normal in a kitten or any cat.

   I would also think about introducing at least some wet food into her diet. Do you have fresh water always out for her (or a water fountain if she prefers moving water)? That's a real necessity for all cats, ESPECIALLY if they are being fed all dry. If she is drinking excessively, I think it's very possible the dry food is dehydrating her and making it hard for her to pass faeces.

   However, best thing if you're worried is always to consult your vet.

   Posted 2 years ago by jcat #

3. 

   One word: whipworms.

   Posted 2 years ago by Skyron #

4. 

   For a cat to stay hydrated on dry they need to have a bit over 1.5 cups of water per cup of dry. Very very few cats will drink that much.

   Cats have a very low thirst drive so drinking excessivly (even though they are fed dehydrating dry) can signal health problems.

   It would be best to ditch dry competly or at least feed 1/2 wet even though it probably isn't causing bloody stools. A few links on why:

   http://www.rawfedcats.org/toxic.htm
   http://www.blakkatz.com/dryfood.html
   http://www.rawfedcats.org/index.htm
   www.fnes.org
   http://www.littlebigcat.com/index.php?action=library
   http://catinfo.org/
   http://www.rawfedcats.org/
   http://rawfed.com/myths/cats.html
   http://www.rawlearning.com/rawfaq.html
   http://www.catnutrition.org/index.php
   http://yourdiabeticcat.com/

   Posted 2 years ago by furryfriends50 #

5. 

   Skyron, I had to go look up whipworms, ugh! The Wikipedia entry says in cats they have to be distinguished from lungworm, so LK I guess that's two different types of worm your baby might have...

   Posted 2 years ago by jcat #

6. 

   Pls get her checked at the Vet's. Bloody rectum is not good news.

   Posted 2 years ago by Khom #

7. 

   I'm not one to easily suggest not going to a vet, but with money issues going on everywhere these days, try treating for worms first? I've seen bloody discharge from rectums a lot, if there isn't actually any blood in the poop itself, I'd stake my left kidney on whipworms/hookworms.

   Posted 2 years ago by Skyron #

8. 

   Now I'm even more concerned because she is also very gasy. And my older male cat (the one she is closer to) is now showing some small blood around his rectum after pooping. I have cold, fresh water for them available all the time. And I put new cold water down at least three times a day. Each time I refill the bowl, it is nearly empty. And the baby drinks probably a cup all by herself (she's only 3.8 lbs). I will add more wet food into their diet (I can't give wet food to one without having crying tantrums from the other) and give my vet a call. The unfortunate thing is too that it is very dry in here (I guess I should move the humidifer out into the common area!) and we just got a horrible storm. These trio are also very picky about their food, and I can't give my male too much wet food because he has bad teeth (he already lost one because of gum disease -a freak occurrence in cats).

   Thanks so much for all your insight and support. Anything else is appreciated, and I will surely keep you all updated!

   Posted 2 years ago by livykitty #

9. 

   Actually as far as food goes dry does not do anything for a cats teeth. When eating dry the food cracks on contact with the tooth or is swallowed whole. If you've ever had to clean up cat barf you know that most of the food is still whole. Wet food may do nothing for teeth but neither does dry. The only food that does is raw.

   Watch Amiga eating some raw and you'll see how it does clean teeth:

   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDfPdZoB ... re=channel

   A raw fed cats teeth (the cat pictured is chester, one of mine):

   http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn298/furryfriends50/A%20Raw%20Dinner/DSCN7186.jpg

   http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn298/furryfriends50/A%20Raw%20Dinner/DSCN7188.jpg

   http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn298/furryfriends50/A%20Raw%20Dinner/RSCN7185.jpg

   Posted 2 years ago by furryfriends50 #

10. 

    Well, if the older cat is also now showing a bloody rectum, that suggests he's also picked up the worms. So do check out that angle too!

    Posted 2 years ago by jcat #

11. 

    This may be off the wall, but do you think it could by any chance have any thing to do with her last vaccination? I only noticed the blood after she got her distemper booster. I tried calling the vet, but alas he was out all day at an farm animal emergency. I checked the box after my older male cat used it and his poop (I know this may be TMI) was very moist and appeared very soft. His rectum was still slightly bloody after. The kitten buries her, so she makes it a bit more difficult.

    Posted 2 years ago by livykitty #

12. 

    One of our kittens had that same problem at that age and had to have her anal glands expressed.

    Posted 2 years ago by Rhindon #

13. 

    That doesn't sound fun!

    Posted 2 years ago by livykitty #

14. 

    LVK, how're your kits?

    Posted 2 years ago by Khom #

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