I don't know if this is an emergency or not because Pumpkin is acting just fine....

[dianajune]

I posted before about some of his behavioral issues, including yowling at night, etc etc. But this takes the cake.

I bought my little boy a new toy which he absolutely loves. However, while he was playing with this toy he also played with the tiny box it came in and got into some of the papers that came with it.

He ate some of the instructional pamphlet that was in that box. I've been tearing through that part of our living room, trying desperately to find if there are any other fragments I may have missed.

The paper appears to be light weight and breaks down around the wet edges where he chewed it. I'm hoping it will pass through his system ok but I am scared. I would hate to think that something I got him to help him be happy and move around more could be harmful.

I'm including a picture of what's left of that pamphlet. I never saw him do this before. Please tell me he will be ok...please. I am a basket case because of this and everything else that's going wrong in my life.

Thanks.

 

[stephanietx]

It's not an emergency at this point in time. IF he becomes lethargic, stops eating, starts vomiting, and/or stops using the litter box, then get him to the vet for an x-ray to check for a blockage. Until then, watch his poop to see if he passes it.

 

[dianajune]

It's not an emergency at this point in time. IF he becomes lethargic, stops eating, starts vomiting, and/or stops using the litter box, then get him to the vet for an x-ray to check for a blockage. Until then, watch his poop to see if he passes it.

Will he be ok? I am so scared and feel so bad that this happened. I got this toy to help him.

Can cats eat paper and be ok?

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

I used to have a cat who ate every paper we left out, including all our mail! So we quickly learned we couldn't leave anything with paper out in the open. then our next cat chewed on anything cardboard. I think many cats like to chew on cardboard and haven't ever heard of it causing any harm. I think your cat will be just fine. Better paper than plastic or string, IMHO.

How does he like his new toy. I bought that bird and the duck and neither of my cats seem to care about them in the least. I'm the one who ends up playing with them, trying to get the cats interested in them. That little duck is the cutest!

 

[IndyJones]

Kabuto used to eat reciepts when he was younger, he is now 16 and it never efected him other than the odd scolding from me.

 

[dianajune]

I used to have a cat who ate every paper we left out, including all our mail! So we quickly learned we couldn't leave anything with paper out in the open. then our next cat chewed on anything cardboard. I think many cats like to chew on cardboard and haven't ever heard of it causing any harm. I think your cat will be just fine. Better paper than plastic or string, IMHO.

How does he like his new toy. I bought that bird and the duck and neither of my cats seem to care about them in the least. I'm the one who ends up playing with them, trying to get the cats interested in them. That little duck is the cutest!

I'm hoping the paper he ate will break down. It seems to be doing that around the edges. It's a glossy light weight paper and should pass through him.

Several years ago I found a small piece of plastic in his poop but he was ok. This was back when Walmart used plastic bags and those tiny plastic shreds in the handle were a pita to deal with. I was pretty good about removing them before I got home but missed that one and it passed through his system. just fine.

I gave Pumpkin his laxatone, miralax and antacid after this happened and am giving him extra Laxatone to make sure it passes through.

I called his vet and was told basically the same thing I'm being told here - to keep an eye on him and what to look out for.

Pumpkin LOVES his new toy. The only thing I had to do - besides getting those papers out of his way, of course - was to remove the feather tail. He tried to eat them in the past. I may get the duck for him too.

He also got a new laser toy with different patterns for the light. His favorite seems to be the smiley face.

I'm saying all of this because so far, Pumpkin is not acting ill and it looks like he will be ok. i don't know how much time I need to keep monitoring his poop. He's eating ok, no vomiting. He was all over the living room with that laser toy a few minutes ago. I never saw Pumpkin act like this before around paper and there was something about the box it came in...he didn't want to stop playing with that either. I doubt it has catnip in it.

 

[dianajune]

Kabuto used to eat reciepts when he was younger, he is now 16 and it never efected him other than the odd scolding from me.

Pumpkin never did anything like this until today. However, in the past I couldn't let him near plastic shopping bags or Dad's corn broom whenever we visited him. About a day or two after one of our visits I found a small piece of straw from that broom in his poop. I made sure that I hid Dad's broom during subsequent visits. He likes chewing on corn husks too. Yuck.

 

[dianajune]

Pumpkin is doing well so far. Does anyone know how long it would take for the paper to work its way through his system? This happened over 24 hours ago.

He had a decent poop overnight. Just mush...no sign of paper but then again, maybe it wouldn't be obvious?

He is eating and drinking ok and is peeing good too.

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

I don't think it will be obvious since paper can turn to mush when wet. I never noticed any in my paper eating cats poop.

 

[IndyJones]

It could just disolve in the stomach acid too. Cats have stronger acid than people, thats how they can digest small bones and tendons from rodents.

In fact, cats can digest a whole mouse ecept the fur and nails.

 

[heatherwillard0614]

He should be ok I would just continue to monitor him for the day or so as to make sure he doesn't become lethargic or throwing up that he continues eating and drinking normally and going to the bathroom normally. I would think the first 24 to 48 hours would be where you would definitely notice if there was a blockage.
As Long as he doesn't act lethargic, throwing up, not eating/drinking, not going to the bathroom or trying but not producing anything he should be fine. And I don't think you will see obvious signs of the paper in his feces.
I do believe since it has been over 24 hours though he should be fine. I am not a vet though this is my thoughts on the matter though

 

[dianajune]

I don't think it will be obvious since paper can turn to mush when wet. I never noticed any in my paper eating cats poop.

That's good to know. Thank you!

 

[dianajune]

It could just disolve in the stomach acid too. Cats have stronger acid than people, thats how they can digest small bones and tendons from rodents.

In fact, cats can digest a whole mouse ecept the fur and nails.

Pumpin was a runner before I adopted him in Pulaski NY in the Winter of 2012-2013. Someone abandoned him near where I used to live and I couldn't bear the thought of something happening to him. We kind of adopted each other. Thinking about what he probably ate before I adopted him not only breaks my heart but also makes me feel like throwing up!

I love him to pieces!

 

[dianajune]

He should be ok I would just continue to monitor him for the day or so as to make sure he doesn't become lethargic or throwing up that he continues eating and drinking normally and going to the bathroom normally. I would think the first 24 to 48 hours would be where you would definitely notice if there was a blockage.
As Long as he doesn't act lethargic, throwing up, not eating/drinking, not going to the bathroom or trying but not producing anything he should be fine. And I don't think you will see obvious signs of the paper in his feces.
I do believe since it has been over 24 hours though he should be fine. I am not a vet though this is my thoughts on the matter though

Thank you! I will continue to watch him but he's still acting normally and s/b ok. At the moment he is napping but I will give him some of his tummy medicine soon.

 

[dianajune]

Here's an update:

Pumpkin had a bowel movement overnight that was nearly twice the amount I posted from yesterday. He's been eating, drinking, peeing etc and has been playing with his newest toy. That's the good news.

The bad news is he threw up a short time ago but not a whole lot....just some kind of brown liquid and one piece of kibble. I gave him his tummy medicine after this happened - laxatone, miralax and his antacid - which he took w/o a fuss. He then ate a little and went back to his favorite hangout in the bedroom

He's not acting sick otherwise, so I'm guessing it's not related to his paper incident from over 48 hours ago. He had a good poop and it was mushy, not hard or anything like that. He's on these medications because of a hx of hairballs, tummy upset (hence the antacid) and constipation. Sometimes I wonder if cats can get IBS like people do. I have it (IBS-D).

I will continue to monitor him but I don't think that today's hurling episode had anything to do with that paper. What do you think?

 

[heatherwillard0614]

The fact he is having bms is good. Since you mentioned he is still eating drinking and acting like his normal self I would agree with thinking the vomiting he had is attributed to his tummy problems and not the paper incident.
This being said I am not a vet. So I can only go by the information in the thread but in my opinion I don't think there is anything wrong due to the paper incident.

Also cats can get IBD

Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Cats | VCA Animal Hospitals

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a syndrome rather than a disease. The syndrome is caused by a specific reaction to chronic irritation of the stomach or intestines. Inflammation is the body's response to an insult, injury or foreign substance.

vcahospitals.com

 

[IndyJones]

If its been over 24 hours I honestly wouldnt be concerned at this point. Thats rough how long it takes for something to "pass".

 

[heatherwillard0614]

If its been over 24 hours I honestly wouldnt be concerned at this point. Thats rough how long it takes for something to "pass".

This is very good to point out. It has been over 48 hours now so he should very well be fine. No obstruction from the paper he ingested.
I would take him to the vet though if you are suspecting he has IBD.

 

[dianajune]

The fact he is having bms is good. Since you mentioned he is still eating drinking and acting like his normal self I would agree with thinking the vomiting he had is attributed to his tummy problems and not the paper incident.
This being said I am not a vet. So I can only go by the information in the thread but in my opinion I don't think there is anything wrong due to the paper incident.

Also cats can get IBD

http://[URL]https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/inflammatory-bowel-disease-in-cats

[/URL]

I will discuss this at length during Pumpkin's next checkup, which is coming up soon. I'd like to know how to keep him from doing something like this in the future. He never went after paper towels, won't play with tp and stays away from regular sheets of paper. The only thing that Pumpkin liked as far as paper is concerned is that crinkly stuff that comes with his boxes from Chewy, etc.

 

[dianajune]

The fact he is having bms is good. Since you mentioned he is still eating drinking and acting like his normal self I would agree with thinking the vomiting he had is attributed to his tummy problems and not the paper incident.
This being said I am not a vet. So I can only go by the information in the thread but in my opinion I don't think there is anything wrong due to the paper incident.

Also cats can get IBD

http://[URL]https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/inflammatory-bowel-disease-in-cats

[/URL]

I will discuss this at length during Pumpkin's next checkup, which is coming up soon. I'd like to know how to keep him from doing something like this in the future. He never went after paper towels, won't play with tp and stays away from regular sheets of paper. The only thing that Pumpkin liked as far as paper is concerned is that crinkly stuff that comes with his boxes from Chewy, etc.