Do you think blood in stools is always bad? Even just a little bit?

I've had a few cats that have had traces of blood in their stool at various times (sometimes lasting for a wk or so). The vet didn't find anything & said it can sometimes be caused by stress or a few other factors that are hard to control. The vet also reiterated that it only takes 1-2 drops of blood to make a blood streak on the stool and that many people overestimate how much blood they're seeing.

I've had other times where I noticed blood and also found worms which I then treated him for. However, I'm talking about when nothing else is found to be wrong.

We were talking about this at work the other day (I work for a vet.) She said if it is bright red it usually means the blood is from the end of the digestive tract/large intestine and is most often nothing really bad-- it can be caused by constipation, parasites, small scrapes, anal sac problems, etc. but if the blood is dark or almost black it is more of a concern/more serious. However I would still check with a vet on any pet where you see blood in the stool.

It can mean nothing but I would keep an eye on it. If the stool is hard it could just be straining to get the poop out.
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Originally Posted by Nekochan

We were talking about this at work the other day (I work for a vet.) She said if it is bright red it usually means the blood is from the end of the digestive tract/large intestine and is most often nothing really bad-- it can be caused by constipation, parasites, small scrapes, anal sac problems, etc. but if the blood is dark or almost black it is more of a concern/more serious. However I would still have a vet exam done on any pet where you see blood in the stool no matter what.

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This is exactly what many vets have told me over the years...

My vet says a small amount of bright red blood in the stool can be caused by a minor irritation in the bowels and is nothing to worry about. If it is more than a small amount or doesn't resolve itself in a short time (days), I would worry. That yours is recurring is curious. I wouldn't call that normal but

Like others have said. Amount and color. If its a bright red small amount I wouldn't worry unless it continues. Anything else, call your vet.

I have 1 cat who gets bright blood in his stools periodically. He has been seen by a vet and had his poops tested for parasites. The vet thinks he has a "stressy colon". He is healthy.

Same with me - my boy sporadically has a trace of bright red blood and was checked over by my vet. It's certainly worth telling your vet about, and obviously you're monitoring the situation, as will your vet, but don't panic....