Colitis & dietary causes
The most common cause of bright red blood in stool. Colitis from diet changes, food intolerance, or stress causes inflammation of the colon lining. Most cases respond to dietary management and short-term medication.
Cat Symptom
My Cat Has Bloody Stool — Expert Online Vet Help
Blood in your cat's stool is alarming but has many treatable causes. Get a same-day expert assessment to determine whether parasites, colitis, or something more serious is involved.
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Moderate urgency — consult a vet within 24–48 hours
When to worry about bloody stool
Expert online help when your cat has bloody stool
Licensed vet video assessment of your cat's digestive symptoms
Same-day appointments — most seen within 1–3 hours
Prescriptions delivered next business day when appropriate
$65 flat fee — no memberships or hidden charges
Guidance on urgency based on blood appearance and volume
Clear treatment steps you can follow at home
Bloody stool in cats can appear as bright red blood (hematochezia) on the surface or dark, tarry stool (melena) from digested blood. The appearance and associated symptoms help distinguish minor colitis from serious conditions like coagulopathy or intestinal tumors.
TelaVets connects you with a licensed veterinarian who can assess your cat's symptoms, stool description, and overall condition via secure video — often the same day.
Signs to watch for when your cat is having bloody stool
- Bright red blood on or in stool
- Dark, tarry, black stool (melena)
- Diarrhea with blood
- Straining in the litter box
- Vomiting alongside bloody stool
- Lethargy or weakness
- Pale gums (possible anemia)
- Large volume of blood (emergency)
Common causes of having bloody stool in cats
- Colitis (inflammation of the colon)
- Intestinal parasites (hookworms, coccidia)
- Sudden diet change or food intolerance
- Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
- Stress-related colitis
- Bacterial infection
- Rat poison ingestion (coagulopathy)
- Intestinal polyps or tumors
Why is my cat having bloody stool?
The type and amount of blood in stool, along with your cat's overall condition, determines urgency and treatment approach.
Parasites & infection
Hookworms, coccidia, and bacterial infections damage the intestinal lining and cause bloody diarrhea. Fecal testing confirms the diagnosis and guides targeted treatment.
Serious conditions
Dark tarry stool suggests bleeding higher in the GI tract. Rat poison ingestion causes life-threatening coagulopathy. Large blood volumes, pale gums, or collapse require emergency in-person care.
How our vets assess this online
Our vets assess bloody stool through a detailed video consultation — reviewing stool appearance, volume of blood, and your cat's overall stability.
- Review of stool color, consistency, and amount of blood
- Assessment of energy, appetite, and gum color on video
- Discussion of diet, toxin exposure, and recent changes
- Evaluation of vomiting, straining, and litter box habits
- Recommendations for fecal testing, dietary changes, or emergency referral when anemia or toxin exposure is suspected
Treatments we may recommend
Based on your cat's assessment, our licensed vets may recommend:
Prescription gastrointestinal diet
Anti-inflammatory medication for colitis
Deworming for intestinal parasites
Antibiotics for bacterial colitis
Probiotics and fiber supplements
Vitamin K therapy guidance if rodenticide exposure is suspected
Referral for bloodwork, coagulation testing, or imaging when serious bleeding is suspected
All medications are prescribed only when clinically appropriate by a licensed veterinarian and dispensed through our FDA-compliant pharmacy.
Preventing bloody stool in cats
Transition diets gradually over 7–10 days
Keep rodenticides and toxins completely inaccessible to cats
Schedule regular fecal parasite screening
Minimize stress during household changes
Seek prompt vet care at the first sign of blood in stool
Why pet parents choose TelaVets
Licensed DVMs Only
Every consultation is with a licensed Doctor of Veterinary Medicine — not a chatbot or technician.
$65 Flat Fee
One transparent price covers your full video consultation and treatment plan. No facility fees or surprise charges.
Same-Day Appointments
Most pet parents are connected with a vet within 1–3 hours of booking, 7 days a week.
Next-Day Prescriptions
When medication is appropriate, prescriptions are issued same-day and delivered to your door next business day.
Stress-Free Home Visits
Your pet is assessed in their calm home environment, which often makes symptoms easier to evaluate on video.
Secure & Private
Encrypted video calls and HIPAA-compliant records keep your pet's health information protected.
How TelaVets works
Book your consultation
Pick a same-day or upcoming slot — appointments available 7 days a week.
Connect with a licensed vet
Your vet assesses your pet via secure video, asks detailed questions, and reviews their history.
Get your treatment plan
Receive a diagnosis, personalised care plan, and same-day prescriptions delivered next-day.
What Our Pet Parents Say
Join thousands of happy pet parents who trust TelaVets for their furry family members care
"Fantastic service! My dog gets extremely anxious at the vet, so having a virtual appointment from home was a game-changer. The vet was kind and helpful, and getting his medication delivered the next day made the whole process stress-free and more affordable than going to the clinic."
DL
David Long
Verified Pet Parent
"The vet I spoke with Dr. Ricksaw was very knowledgeable and nice. He took the time to go through all of my options and ideas with me. Reassured me that all we were doing for my dog's anxiety was good and gave me a couple of new ideas as well."
CH
Courtney Hughes
Verified Pet Parent
"I would definitely use them again. I'm cat sitting for 2 weeks and needed to see a vet. I was so worried about the kitten. I used Televets the cat got his prescription and all is good. Excellent service!"
M
Maria
Verified Pet Parent
"Dr Corey was amazing, helpful, compassionate and well versed. I would highly recommend using this. It is so much easier than trying to get a 3 legged cat into a carrier, take him to a doctor's office and stress him out, love it!!!"
JG
Jackie Gardner
Verified Pet Parent
"I had a TelaVets Zoom appointment and couldn't be more impressed. They spent a lot of time with me, walking through every option to help my cat recover from her skin issues. I've also reached out about getting her medication through Chewy.com, and they've been extremely helpful every step of the way."
LD
Lara Durand
Verified Pet Parent
"Dr. Moppin is a dedicated professional who truly cares about his furry patients and their humans, too! It's such a relief that Dr. Cole took the time to listen and address my concerns thoughtfully. Thank you for taking care of our cats 🐈"
WW
Wanida Walker
Verified Pet Parent
"This service was amazing! My dog ran out of his medication before we were able to get in with a new vet and they were able to help get him a short term supply quickly. I would definitely use them again!"
AT
Amanda Tobias
Verified Pet Parent
"Knowledgeable, professional caring provider! Needed urgent Vet care on a weekend and TeleVet kept me from having to miss a day of work, as well as half the price of local weekend options. Thank you!"
JH
Jana Humble
Verified Pet Parent
"Dr. McGinnis was very knowledgeable and listened to my cat's issues. She addressed the problem and may have come up with an answer after 5 years of trying with local vet practices."
MK
Marilyn Kerr
Verified Pet Parent
"Fantastic service! My dog gets extremely anxious at the vet, so having a virtual appointment from home was a game-changer. The vet was kind and helpful, and getting his medication delivered the next day made the whole process stress-free and more affordable than going to the clinic."
DL
David Long
Verified Pet Parent
"The vet I spoke with Dr. Ricksaw was very knowledgeable and nice. He took the time to go through all of my options and ideas with me. Reassured me that all we were doing for my dog's anxiety was good and gave me a couple of new ideas as well."
CH
Courtney Hughes
Verified Pet Parent
"I would definitely use them again. I'm cat sitting for 2 weeks and needed to see a vet. I was so worried about the kitten. I used Televets the cat got his prescription and all is good. Excellent service!"
M
Maria
Verified Pet Parent
"Dr Corey was amazing, helpful, compassionate and well versed. I would highly recommend using this. It is so much easier than trying to get a 3 legged cat into a carrier, take him to a doctor's office and stress him out, love it!!!"
JG
Jackie Gardner
Verified Pet Parent
"I had a TelaVets Zoom appointment and couldn't be more impressed. They spent a lot of time with me, walking through every option to help my cat recover from her skin issues. I've also reached out about getting her medication through Chewy.com, and they've been extremely helpful every step of the way."
LD
Lara Durand
Verified Pet Parent
"Dr. Moppin is a dedicated professional who truly cares about his furry patients and their humans, too! It's such a relief that Dr. Cole took the time to listen and address my concerns thoughtfully. Thank you for taking care of our cats 🐈"
WW
Wanida Walker
Verified Pet Parent
"This service was amazing! My dog ran out of his medication before we were able to get in with a new vet and they were able to help get him a short term supply quickly. I would definitely use them again!"
AT
Amanda Tobias
Verified Pet Parent
"Knowledgeable, professional caring provider! Needed urgent Vet care on a weekend and TeleVet kept me from having to miss a day of work, as well as half the price of local weekend options. Thank you!"
JH
Jana Humble
Verified Pet Parent
"Dr. McGinnis was very knowledgeable and listened to my cat's issues. She addressed the problem and may have come up with an answer after 5 years of trying with local vet practices."
MK
Marilyn Kerr
Verified Pet Parent
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Frequently asked questions about having bloody stool in cats
having bloody stool in cats can have many causes. Our licensed vets use your pet's history, symptom pattern, and a visual assessment via video to narrow down the most likely cause and recommend appropriate treatment.
If your cat's having bloody stool has lasted more than 24–48 hours, is severe, or is accompanied by other concerning symptoms (lethargy, loss of appetite, vomiting), book a consultation immediately.
Yes. Our vets can assess your cat's symptoms via secure video, ask detailed diagnostic questions, and prescribe appropriate treatment — all without a clinic visit.
If medication is clinically appropriate, our licensed vets can issue prescriptions same-day with next-day delivery to your home.
Mild having bloody stool often isn't an emergency, but if your cat shows severe distress, difficulty breathing, collapse, or other alarming signs, seek emergency in-person care immediately. When in doubt, book a consultation — our vets will help you assess the urgency.
Get expert help for your cat's having bloody stool today
Same-day appointments — $65 flat fee — licensed vets