diff --git a/python/morpheus/morpheus/utils/column_info.py b/python/morpheus/morpheus/utils/column_info.py
index eaef229666..80f9a73db3 100644
--- a/python/morpheus/morpheus/utils/column_info.py
+++ b/python/morpheus/morpheus/utils/column_info.py
@@ -469,9 +469,9 @@ def _process_column(self, df: pd.DataFrame) -> pd.Series:
             The processed column as a string Series.
         """
 
-        first_col = df[self.input_columns[0]]
+        first_col = df[self.input_columns[0]].astype(str)
 
-        return first_col.str.cat(others=df[self.input_columns[1:]], sep=self.sep)
+        return first_col.str.cat(others=df[self.input_columns[1:]].astype(str), sep=self.sep)
 
 
 @dataclasses.dataclass
diff --git a/tests/test_column_info.py b/tests/test_column_info.py
index c40e7854ac..f117ca9d9f 100644
--- a/tests/test_column_info.py
+++ b/tests/test_column_info.py
@@ -149,8 +149,11 @@ def test_string_cat_column():
                                               ],
                                               sep=", ")
 
-    with pytest.raises(Exception):
-        string_cat_col_with_int._process_column(df)
+    actual = string_cat_col_with_int._process_column(df)
+
+    expected = pd.Series(["New York, 10001", "Dallas, 75001", "Austin, 73301"])
+
+    assert actual.equals(expected)
 
 
 @pytest.mark.use_python