10 Reasons Why Your Cat Is Leaving Red Spots On The Floor

Has your precious cat been leaving red spots on the floor and you can’t seem to determine the cause?

This article quickly guides you through understanding why this happens and what actions you can take for your cat’s health and well-being.

1. A Minor Wound

Studies have shown that cats have the intelligence and mentality of a two-year-old toddler.

And that usually means trouble.

Your cat could have cut itself against a sharp corner or stepped on some bits of glass that it broke.

If you have two or more cats at home, cat fights can happen over territorial disputes.

This can cause some minor injuries to your cat’s tail, body or paws.

To avoid these conflicts, ensure each cat has its own space and resources with ample safe hiding areas.

Cats that roam outdoors are also more prone to get injured due to many environmental factors.

Some scratches or wounds may not be serious to warrant a visit to the vet but they can leave blood spots around the house.

If there’s no more blood but a foul smell from your cat after a few days, it could indicate an abscess from a wound, which can be life-threatening.

It’s essential to seek veterinary care in such cases.

2. Urinary Tract Infection

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) happen frequently in cats.

UTIs occur when there’s inflammation in the cat’s urethra. This is a tube that carries pee out of the cat’s body from the bladder.

If the urethra becomes inflamed from infection, foreign material or stricture, this makes peeing for the cat very painful.

Cats can experience UTIs due to:

• Stress and anxiety
• Bacterial infection
• Spinal cord issue
• Crystals in the urine
• Endocrine disorder

This may be due to our domesticated cats having evolved from desert dwellers which didn’t have the luxury of having a reliable water source.

Cats don’t have a strong level of thirst as compared to other mammals.

This is due to their having evolved from desert dwellers. And when you’re in the desert, you don’t have the luxury of having a reliable water source.

Cats tend to get their hydration from the bodily fluids of the prey they consume.

In our house cats, their water sources are directly from the bowl we fill for them or the extra moisture in canned food.

Your cat’s urine is very concentrated due to the lack of fluids which also explains why it has a strong odor.

Symptoms of UTI in cats include:

• Peeing outside the litter box
• Straining to pee
• Having little to no pee
• Drinking more than usual
• Blood in the pee (Hematuria)
• Meowing loudly when peeing

It is said that male cats are more prone to getting UTIs due to having narrower urethras which are more prone to being blocked.

A few months ago, I took my cat to the vet due to poor appetite and increased drinking.

The vet carried out a blood-stained pet diaper and said nonchalantly that my cat had a UTI.

Fortunately, after a course of antibiotics, my cat fully recovered.

Some cats benefit from anti-inflammatories, anti-anxiety medications or a diet change to help resolve UTIs.

A blocked cat is an emergency and should be taken to the vet immediately.

3. Bleeding From The Mouth

You need to check your cat’s mouth for signs of bleeding if you notice red spots around the house.

It could be due to an injury in the mouth.

If you notice your cat bleeding from the mouth, it may have bitten into something sharp, hard or severely irritating that could have cut its gum or broken its tooth.

Sometimes a traumatic injury or an oral mass could cause bleeding from one of the cat’s teeth inadvertently poking or biting itself abnormally causing it to bleed.

Did you know that up to 90% of cats aged four and older have some form of dental disease?

Dental diseases such as gingivitis and periodontitis are two of the most common oral problems that your cat can suffer from.

I tend to see this happen frequently in cats with FIV/FeLV or other auto-immune or latent viral conditions, such as feline herpes.

Gingivitis is a gum disease that can cause the gum lining to become inflamed and start to bleed.

If left untreated it can lead to periodontitis which affects the gum tissue that secures the tooth.

There’s a chance of your cat losing many of its teeth when this happens due to bacterial build-up eroding the teeth under the gumline.

Common symptoms of dental disease in cats include:

• Bleeding gums
• Smelly breathe
• Lack of appetite
• Excess drooling
• Tooth decay
• Pawing at the face

One good way to prevent dental issues in your cat is to start brushing its teeth.

I know trying to brush your cat’s teeth might seem like a near-death experience but it’s for your cat’s good.

There are also enzymatic water additives, periodontal powders mixed in with food and dental chews that are available for cats to help combat dental disease.

Kittens can experience some mild bleeding from their gums when they are teething.

When kittens lose their baby teeth and grow adult ones, their gums can get irritated or swollen, sometimes causing a little bleeding.

Between ages 3 to 6 months, these teeth will start to fall out and be replaced by 30 adult teeth.

4. Bowel Issues

It can be worrying to know that your cat is bleeding from the anus but many of the ailments are treatable.

The most common causes are constipation or diarrhea.

When your cat is suffering from constipation, it will be having problems moving its bowels. and defecating.

This is due to the stools being very hard and dry which gets stuck in the intestines.

Your cat will have to strain a lot to force out its stools and this can cause micro tears in its rectum.

The same goes for having diarrhea.

Watery poo tends to stick to your cat’s fur and make it smell bad.

Chronic diarrhea can also anal fissures in your cat which are tears in the anal lining too.

Outdoor cats are also more prone to picking up intestinal parasites which can lead to bloody stools.

5. Anal Gland Problems

Issues with your cat’s anal glands can also cause blood to drip from your cat’s anus.

You can’t see your cat’s anal sacs as they are located just behind the entrance of your cat’s anus.

The sacs contain an oily dark brown liquid that cats use to mark their territory and lubricate their stools.

The anal glands can become impacted or inflamed, when they aren’t properly emptied or by a bacterial infection.

Keeping the area around the anus clean from dried fecal material, maintaining a healthy weight on the cat and possible diet change with probiotics may help keep this problem from happening.

Some cat owners like to rub Vaseline on their cats’ sore bums to help heal and protect the tender skin in that area.

6. Hematoma Of The Ear

A hematoma is a blood pocket that can form on any part of your cat’s body including in the ears.

Hematomas can differ in size, but they are often visible on the inside of your cat’s pinna, the part of the ear you can see.

The most common cause of hematoma in your cat’s ear is mainly due to trauma or injury.

Impact to the ear can rupture the tiny blood vessels within the pinna, resulting in internal bleeding that creates a pocket of blood

Common causes of trauma to the ear include:

• Ear mites
• Fights with other cats
• Ear infection
• Skin allergies

Your cat’s ear will be swollen due to the hematoma. The pocket will be somewhat squishy to the touch due to the accumulation of blood.

Please do not attempt to squeeze it as it can be painful for your cat.

If your cat happens to scratch and break open a hematoma, that can leave red spots around the house.

A trip to the vet would be a good idea to help the hematoma and the cat’s comfort level to get better quicker.

7. Bleeding From Surgery Wound

Has your cat been through any form of surgery recently?

If it has, then the blood spots could be coming from the incision site.

After the surgery, the vet will firmly stitch or staple up the opening to allow the tissues to heal and stop the bleeding.

When your cat is back from the vet, it can break or loosen the sutures by running or jumping around.

Or if your cat isn’t wearing a cone, it can break the sutures when grooming that area.

Any sort of infection in the wound area can also cause some inflammation and bleeding to happen.

It is always best to confine your cat to a room for some time to allow the wound to heal well.

Keeping your cat calm and using a cone or recovery suit so that it doesn’t loosen the sutures will help decrease any post-surgical healing complications.

8. Pregnancy Complications

A cat can develop complications when pregnant.

Any form of vaginal bleeding from pregnant female cats is abnormal. It is also important to note when the bleeding occurs.

If the bleeding happens during the early to mid stages, there’s a high chance that your female cat has had a miscarriage.

If the bleeding happens toward the end of the gestation period, that could mean that your cat is going into labor and is ready to give birth.

You can usually start to feel the kittens moving in the pregnant belly 2 weeks before the due date.

Furthermore, your cat can also get cystitis from the additional stress of being pregnant.

Cystitis is a condition that affects your cat’s bladder and urinary tract.

It is similar to having a urinary tract infection which can cause your cat to leak urine and blood in it.

9. Flea Infestation

These red spots could also be caused by a flea infestation on your cat.

Fleas are parasites that live in your cat’s fur and feed off its blood. Your cat can get fleas while it is roaming outside or from other pets at home like your dog.

Symptoms of a flea infestation include:

• Excessive kitty scratching or itching
• Frequent licking or biting at the skin
• Red or irritated skin
• Hair loss or bald patches
• Flea dirt (small black specks)
• Visible fleas moving on the cat’s body
• Pale gums (Anemia)
• Visible white worms in the stool

If your kitty has fleas, you can spot them as little moving black dots on your cat. Look out for flea dirt too which is essentially flea droppings.

Flea dirt is usually dark brown in color, like ground pepper, but can turn red when coming into contact with moisture.

To eliminate fleas, bathe your cat with anti-flea shampoo and then apply a flea treatment like Frontline or Advantage.

This medication will only enter the surface of your cat’s skin and eliminate the fleas when they feed on your cat.

You can also use a flea comb dipped in dawn washing detergent to remove as many fleas as possible.

If live fleas are found, thoroughly vacuum the home, including wooden floors, baseboards and furniture and launder any pet bedding or blankets.

10. Tumors

One less common, yet significant, cause of red spots on the floor from your cat could be tumors.

Tumors can develop in various parts of a cat’s body, including the skin and even internally.

When these tumors are located near the surface of the skin, they can lead to the appearance of red spots on the floor when it bleeds.

Other symptoms to watch for:

• Unusual lumps or bumps on the cat’s body
• Blood in urine or feces
• Changes in eating habits or loss of appetite
• Unexplained weight loss or lethargy
• Visible discomfort or pain

Sometimes a tumor may be on the cat’s belly that you may not see or covered in fur if you have a long-haired cat, so investigate any areas of matted fur.

Why Is My Female Cat Leaving Tiny Blood Spots?

If your female cat has not been spayed, she can go into heat (estrus cycle) as early as 6 months of age.

Cats in heat tend to be more vocal, restless or affectionate during this period.

While it’s unusual for cats to bleed significantly during their heat cycle, minor spotting can occasionally occur.

The red spots seen during your cat’s heat cycle are generally not a cause for alarm.

They are usually lighter and less frequent compared to other causes of bleeding, such as injuries or medical conditions.

The red spots will go away once your cat is out of her mating cycle which can last about 3 weeks.

It is necessary to sterilize your cat to prevent unwanted behavior and pregnancies.

Spaying your female cat also reduces her chance of getting breast cancer and pyometra.

Should You Take Your Cat To Your Vet?

If you are not sure why your cat has been leaving these red spots, it is always best to visit a veterinarian for a proper check. Remember to assess your cat based on the below factors.

Determining the Bleeding Source

Carefully inspect your cat to locate where the bleeding is coming from. The source of the bleeding is vital in understanding the underlying cause.

Evaluating the Severity of Bleeding

Assess whether the bleeding is minor (a few drops) or more severe (flowing). The extent of bleeding helps in deciding the urgency of veterinary care. Be sure to note any smell or blood clots.

Duration of the Bleeding

Consider how long the bleeding has been occurring. Prolonged bleeding suggests a more serious issue that needs immediate attention.

Observing for Additional Symptoms

Watch out for other symptoms like vomiting, unusual lumps, frequent fatigue, changes in litter box habits or quick weight loss. These signs could point to a more serious health issue.

Nora Quill

Nora is a passionate writer with a love for books, animals, and gardening.

Her writing is inspired by her two cats and a loyal dog, who serve as her muses, as well as the tranquility she finds in her garden.

With a knack for storytelling, Nora offers a unique blend of book recommendations, heartwarming animal tales, and gardening insights.

Whether you’re interested in paws, petals, or page-turners, Nora’s world is a treasure trove of engaging content.