Bloody stool-housecat

Question
My 4-yr-old housecat has had bloody mucous showing up more and more often in her stool.  Unfortunately, when she has this she refuses to use the cat box, preferring my carpet instead.  She does not go outside at all, and she has been on Felidae cat food exclusively for a couple of years.  Any thoughts?

Answer
Hello Julie,

Most likely, your cat has a urinary infection, inflamed bladder or urinary tract, or bladder stones. These problems are relatively common in cats: their bladders can become inflamed from bladder stones or for other various reasons, and the inflammation can lead to a secondary infection. Your cat should be examined by a veterinarian, as urinary inflammation and infections can cause crystals to form in the urinary tract, which can be lethal.

Your veterinarian can also examine him for signs of other problems that could cause him to have blood in his urine, such as kidney disease.

Hope this helps,

Vantressa Brown