Vomiting, blood in stool.

MikyPiky

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My cat Charcoal has been showing some alarming signs. We got him as a stray so we don't know his exact age, but the vet guessed him to be around 5 years old.

A couple days ago he threw up a few times. We thought it was a hairball and didn't stress it, but after that he completely lost his appetite and was acting depressed. This has happened with him in the past, and we always assumed it was just an upset stomach cause it only lasted a day max.

He was also having diarrhea, but later in the day he started getting back to normal. Eating again, snuggling and purring, just acting like normal. He's been acting normal since, but he threw up twice a couple hours ago. It looks like a hairball to me. He still has diarrhea which I just noticed, and it has a small bit of blood (I think. I can't tell %100), which really scared me. His gums are red and he is hydrated.

Oh also, he doesn't have any parasites from my knowledge. He has been treated and hasn't showed any symptoms for years.

I'm trying not to worry about it. I really hope it isn't something serious. Does anyone have any ideas as to what is wrong with Charcoal?
 

tarasgirl06

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My cat Charcoal has been showing some alarming signs. We got him as a stray so we don't know his exact age, but the vet guessed him to be around 5 years old.

A couple days ago he threw up a few times. We thought it was a hairball and didn't stress it, but after that he completely lost his appetite and was acting depressed. This has happened with him in the past, and we always assumed it was just an upset stomach cause it only lasted a day max.

He was also having diarrhea, but later in the day he started getting back to normal. Eating again, snuggling and purring, just acting like normal. He's been acting normal since, but he threw up twice a couple hours ago. It looks like a hairball to me. He still has diarrhea which I just noticed, and it has a small bit of blood (I think. I can't tell %100), which really scared me. His gums are red and he is hydrated.

Oh also, he doesn't have any parasites from my knowledge. He has been treated and hasn't showed any symptoms for years.

I'm trying not to worry about it. I really hope it isn't something serious. Does anyone have any ideas as to what is wrong with Charcoal?
A couple of questions. Does Charcoal go out? If so, he may have ingested something bad. Since he's thrown up "a few times" in one day and has diarrhea with possible blood, my advice, and anyone's here on GCS, would be a vet appointment ASAP, and/or a phone/Zoom call to your vet to send pix and describe symptoms. Please let us know how he does! Always err on the side of caution, please, where your cat is involved.
 

Whenallhellbreakslose

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There could be a number of reason's for Charcol having blood in his stools. Irritation or inflammation of the lining of the lower GI tract, having pylops/cysts/tumors, or food allergies or sensitivities are a few possibilities. Also, did you have this kitty checked for parasites? I know you don't think he has it, but it is possible he does. I had a kitten taking in from the streets who had strange reddish color fowl smelling stools. I took her to the vet and it turned out she had Giardia. She had to be put on multiple rounds of treatment before she was clear of it. The signs associated with parasite infections are usually fairly nonspecific, such as a dull coat, coughing, vomiting, diahreaa, stools with mucus or blood, loss of appetite, pale mucous membranes, or a pot-bellied appearance.

I would take Charcoal to the vet to see what the root cause of his bloody diahreaa. I agree with tarasgirl06 tarasgirl06 please err on the side of caution. Here is an article on this subject. Best of luck to you.🙂 What to Do if There's Blood in Your Cat's Stool
 
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MikyPiky

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Does Charcoal go out?
He is a strictly indoor cat.

Also, did you have this kitty checked for parasites? I know you don't think he has it, but it is possible he does.
No, he hasn't been checked for parasites in a while, that's why I said I wasn't completely sure he was parasite free. I hope it is something less serious like parasites.

I'm definitely going to take any precautions to make sure he's okay. The fact that he's acting completely normal after a day of acting depressed gives me hope that he's getting better, maybe? I'm just trying not to panic. Do you think I should call our vet and explain his symptoms?
 

tarasgirl06

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He is a strictly indoor cat.


No, he hasn't been checked for parasites in a while, that's why I said I wasn't completely sure he was parasite free. I hope it is something less serious like parasites.

I'm definitely going to take any precautions to make sure he's okay. The fact that he's acting completely normal after a day of acting depressed gives me hope that he's getting better, maybe? I'm just trying not to panic. Do you think I should call our vet and explain his symptoms?
It wouldn't hurt to call your vet and explain/send pix if appropriate. But it sounds as though he is feeling better, which is excellent. As long as he is eating/eliminating normally and does not seem depressed, I'd think it might just have been a bad day, like we all have from time to time. Better safe than sorry, though, don't you think?
 

tarasgirl06

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For sure! I never want to take chances.

I'm going to closely monitor his stool and if it continues to be bloody I'll call a vet. Hopefully he's okay. 🙏
Please keep us in the loop on his health! Hoping he is well. Sometimes there are occasional things like this which are temporary and not anything (much) to worry about (unless you're like me, and you do anyway).
 

Whenallhellbreakslose

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Yes, please do contact your vet and mention Charcoal's problem with blood in the stool. This could be a case of food sensitivity/allergies or it could be the other things I mentioned in my previous post. Keep a close eye on Charcoal and don't hesitate to visit here if you need more advice or want to post an update. Best of luck to you. 🙂
 
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