My cat has bloody stools. Could Biotin supplements be the cause?

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! The photo is very helpful- I can definitely see the blood and mucus in the stool. Certain liver and pancreatic conditions can cause this, as well as intestinal inflammation. Additional tests I recommend are pancreatic and liver function tests, bloodwork to determine nutrient absorption by the intestines, x-rays, and even an ultrasound. The most aggressive diagnostic would be an exploratory surgery with biopsies. You can talk to your vet also about changing your cat’s diet and adding probiotics. I hope this helps and am happy to answer any other questions you have!

It is possible that this particular stool was difficult to pass and you helping to remove it may have caused a small amount of bleeding from the rectal tissue. Cats can become constipated, and if she has been passing less stool than usual, straining to defecate and had a decreased appetite I would recommend seeing a veterinarian. There are some other things that can cause blood in the stool as well including intestinal parasites, colitis or even inflammatory bowel disease. If the blood is persistent you should make an appointment to see your veterinarian as well.

Since cats are obligate carnivores, they do not need the carbohydrates in dry food. Even grain-free dry food have carbohydrates since they are necessary to make a dry food. This is the best website I have found about cat nutrition. http://catinfo.org Merrick is a great food, so you might try stopping the dry food before you make any other diet changes, but my cats have been doing well on Wellness as another option for you. I have not had a chance to try it yet, but since you are in CA, Just Food For Dogs has started making food for cats as well. https://www.justfoodfordogs.com For a probiotic suggestion, I would consider VetriScience probiotics. https://www.vetriscience.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=900714120 Good luck! I hope that was helpful and answered your questions. Thanks for using PetCoach.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Barb. I'm glad to hear that she is still eating and acting like herself. If a cat experiences a bit of difficulty passing a bowel movement, they will strain. This can irritate the colon resulting in bright red blood streaks on the feces. Contact you veterinarian in the morning. Fecal testing will likely be recommended to rule out any intestinal parasites causing the blood. A diet modification may be needed to make it easier for her to pass stool if this becomes a repeated problem for her. You can add canned food for the extra moisture content or your veterinarian may recommend a higher fiber food or supplement. I hope this information helps!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Fig! A diet change absolutely can be a cause of bloody stool. Blood in the stool indicates inflammation in the colon. Other possible causes are: intestinal parasites, viral or bacterial infections, pancreatitis, inflammatory bowel disease, stress. I would change her back to the original food and hopefully the blood goes away. If the blood persists for the next 2 days I would have her examine by your Vet before the holidays. She may need antibiotics to help her get through this. I hope this helps and I wish Fig a speedy recovery!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Bloody stools can be observed with conditions such as colitis, gastroenteritis, dietary indiscretion, intestinal parasites, among many other possibilities. I recommend that you have Smokey evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They may choose to check for parasites and to start medications for diarrhea depending on the results. Good luck! Hoping for a speedy recovery!

I hate to hear that Daisy is having these problems. The malt paste acts like a lubricant and makes it easier to pass the stool. The blood in the stool can be related to MANY things including parasites, disease of her organs, inflammatory bowel disease, improper diet and cancer. I would recommend to have Daisy examined by her veterinarian to see if the cause can be determined. In the mean time, I would recommend to add canned food into her daily diet (at least one can a day with extra warm water mixed in). If this helps, switch her over to an all canned food diet. Sometimes the stool is too sticky and the water will help. I would also recommend to switch ALL her food to something that is generally easy to digest. The brand I recommend is Royal Canin and they even make a sensitive stomach formula which would be a good initial option. I hope she starts feeling better quickly and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.