Cat ate string from toy

[kittykate]

Hi, my cat ate a couple of inches of string from a cat toy. You know the stretchy kind that they make the toys out of. How worried should I be about this and what can I do to help my kitty?

[Diamondsmum]

Uh uh... My instinct is to get her to vets.. String can cause MAJOR issues in the stomache.. & upon exiting..

[want4rain]

before spending the money, give the vet a CALL. my cats have eaten the weirdest things and its come out fine. strings can cause a HUGE problem but hey, Bendyfoot's dog ate razor blades.... and passed them. call the vet and find out if you shoudl wait a few days or if they want to see your cat right away.

-ashley

[Dr Lee]

I agree with want4rain - call the vet. Here is some basic info though...


String in cats can potentially be very serious. However small amounts can pass though or be thrown up. The intestinal tract is a linear tube from the mouth to exit. If the string obstructs the intestinal tract (through a process called plication) then this linear tube is stopped. Thus nothing can pass and vomiting ensues. Vomiting is thus one of the hallmark signs of a foreign body obstruction.

Best wishes!

[kittykate]

Thank you all so much. I was planning on calling the vet this morning. I went and checked the litter but he hasn't yet gone to the washroom since I cleaned it before bedtime last night. He is still really active 12 hours on, in fact right now he is whipping around the house with his favourite toy (a piece of rolled up paper)!

[Love4himies]

If he hasn't had a bowel movement by the end of today day, I would take him in. The vet can check pretty easily for blockages.

[Soter]

yeah, i agree with love4himies

if he doesn't go soon... off to the vets

Soter

[BenMax]

Hopefully your kitty has passed a stool. I would sift through it to see if it passed. If your cat seems to strain while trying to pass, if you notice something that is out of the ordinary - go see the vet immediately. By the way, my brother in laws dog ate $500 and the paper clip. It did pass - and the money was still good - go figure.

[bendyfoot]

any vomitting, constipation or lack of appetite, and I'd be going in asap. otherwise I would take a wait and see approach and carefully monitor the litter box (and yeah, check the poos to see what came out with them!)

[kittykate]

Thanks again everyone! I have been talking to some people at work who have lots of cats to get their opinions and they all say the same thing. Not to mention my cats growing up used to eat tinsel (!) and were fine. My other half just had me thinking horrible thoughts about it! I am hoping to have a little present in the litter box when I get home!

[bendyfoot]

Well, it's a good idea to be very cautious...I worked in vet clinic for about 5 years and saw more than a few cases of "string gut"...all of which required emergency abdominal surgery...

It's not necessarily a life-or-death issue (heck, my dog ate a razor blade once as W4R remembered), but it is something that warrants VERY close watching until you're sure it's resolved.

[kittykate]

Hey all, just an update. I got home from work and my cat had used the litter but there was no string. I called the vet's and they said that I should monitor him closely but it was a good sign that he was eating, drinking and playing. He went again last night and there was no visible signs of straining, he even did his usual run up the stairs 'i'm lighter! woohoo!'. There was no string in that one either though...This morning he was bugging me for food and he had eaten everything I gave him last night.

[Love4himies]

Sounds like he is doing well.

[lisaneal]

My Dod Will Eat Rubber Bands If She Fonds Them!!! They Pass Right Through...yuk

[Karin]

Originally Posted by lisaneal

My Dod Will Eat Rubber Bands If She Fonds Them!!! They Pass Right Through...yuk

Is a "dod " a new breed?