blood in feline stool

Question
My cat is 9 years old, she has been going to the bathroom in my tub or on my floor with blood in her stool.  She is normally really good at going in the litter box.  I clean it every day to insure cleanliness.  I am very worried about her.  Can you tell me what it might be that is causing it.

Answer
Hi Vicki!  Blood in the stool can be caused by various ailments.  Your best bet would be to take a stool sample into your veterinarian to have it tested.  Bloody stool can be caused by intestinal parasites (treated with dewormers), infection (treated with antibiotics), intestinal ailments like Irritable Bowel Syndrome (treated with steroids and anti-inflammatories), a foreign body in the intestinal tract (like string, or other things kitties have a tendancy to ingest), or Mega Colon.  Mega colon happens in older cats and is treated with Cefulac Syrup and Cisapride, which are oral medications.
As you can see, the causes for blood in the stool are all treatable, so don't you panic!  Your veterinarian will perform a fecal testing with a stool sample.  The feces will be studied under a microscope to identify any intestinal parasites or abnormal bacteria.  If the fecal testing is clear, your veterinarian may want to perform blood work and an x-ray to see if there is anything relevant that can be seen that is causing the bloody stool. The condition will be treated accordingly.  I hope this helps and best of luck.
If you have time, please let me know how she does!
Hilary