Updated On September 23rd, 2025
Pet's info: Cat | American Shorthair | Female | unspayed
i just got a kitten about 8 weeks old and played with it for about a couple hours. It went to the bathroom and had diarrhea with bright red blood. Now I am worried about not only the kitten but myself and my children catching something. What do you think it is?
1 Answer
Published on September 7th, 2017
Hello, and congratulations on Poppy! Young kittens can have things like worms that may cause diarrhea, but other factors, like a diet change or stress, could also be the culprit. Bright red blood streaks in the stool is not entirely uncommon when animals have diarrhea as they sometimes strain to push out remaining soft stool, which can burst small blood vessels in the rectum. The blood itself is probably nothing to worry about unless is continues, but Poppy should be evaluated by a vet for the diarrhea. They will check a stool sample for parasites, like worms, and give her the proper treatment. While it is unlikely that you or your family will contract parasites from Poppy, it is always best practice to wash well after playing with her and after cleaning her litterbox until she has been dewormed in order to minimize the risk of transmission. Most kittens do have worms, and need at least two deworming treatments. I recommend contacting your vet in the morning. Good luck, and I hope Poppy grows to be a happy, healthy cat!
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