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Cat ate a dryer sheet

post #1 of 31
10/25/09 at 1:18pm
Thread Starter 
For some god awful reason my cat LOVES dryer sheets..we always try to keep them away and throw them away after a load of laundry. Threw one in the bathroom trash can without thinking about it and I'm pretty sure he has eaten the entire thing...we usually catch him in the act and are able to take it away from him.

So now he is vomiting..he did just use the kitty box so I don't think its been very long since he ingested it. Got him hairball relief and gave it to him along with a can of wet food(read online). When hes throwing up its like its still stuck in his throat so I'm hoping it hasnt gone too far. If all isnt better by tomorrow morning, we will take him to the vet but until then is there anything anyone can suggest to help him get it out of him? He's not the brightest kitty but we love him to death anyways
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post #2 of 31
10/25/09 at 1:39pm
I wouldn't wait with something that might be poisonous and might even be killing him.
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post #3 of 31
10/25/09 at 1:42pm
I agree, the chemicals on it are going to make him ill and the texture (even if not wadded up in the stomach) would make it hard for any food to pass. Your kitty needs to go ASAP.
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post #4 of 31
10/25/09 at 1:53pm
I agree, your cat should see a vet today if it's possible for you, at the very least please give your regular vet a call to see what he/she suggests that you do.

You shouldn't trust information that you read online, it's best to consult a professional. Giving him food if something is stuck in his throat might not be the best idea.
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post #5 of 31
10/25/09 at 2:03pm
I'd have my cat to the emergency vet instead of wait & see what happens.
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post #6 of 31
10/25/09 at 2:11pm
Worst than the chemicals in it, the biggest problem in eating the whole thing, is abdominal blockage - If he had just eaten a little piece, I would just watch... In fact, this happened to my cat a week or so ago, but it was a piece of it... But the whole thing? I would take this kitty to the ER vet pronto - I would not risk it. BTW - take the box of the dryer sheet with you (mine (bounce) was not toxic, BUT THERE IS A RISK OF BLOCKAGE. A different sheet might have different chemicals and be toxic.
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post #7 of 31
10/25/09 at 2:22pm
Sending mega prayers and vibes that your boy is okay
Maybe you can add a little vinegar to your laundry instead of using laundry sheets - it's a trick that I learned when running a laundromat for my sister. The vinegar makes cloth a similar pH to our skin's, so the clothes feel softer
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post #8 of 31
10/25/09 at 9:24pm
ahh - your cat looks like a female to me - only females have three colors (from what I've read), and the picture that I'm looking at in this thread looks like a 3-color cat ????
help me here

I'm now trying to remember the information I read on the colors and genes ... ??
g
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post #9 of 31
10/25/09 at 9:25pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by GloriaJH View Post
ahh - your cat looks like a female to me - only females have three colors (from what I've read), and the picture that I'm looking at in this thread looks like a 3-color cat ????
help me here

I'm now trying to remember the information I read on the colors and genes ... ??
g
I cannot help you but I can say I have a white, grey and black cat who is DEFINATELY male
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post #10 of 31
10/25/09 at 9:29pm
I'm sure the poster knows what their adult cat is. Besides that's is either a very large and robust female, or a typical male - look at the face (broad nose and space between eyes) and feet. Females, at least moggies, tend to look a bit more petite in those areas as well as body shape. The color pattern is called tabby and white - I have a couple of them myself, both boys. There's a lot more than "three" colors in their fur if you count all of the shades.


To the OP: Please update and let us know how he's doing.
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post #11 of 31
10/25/09 at 9:37pm
I don't want to hijack this thread - maybe I'll start a new one while I try to find the gene study I read - and, maybe it only was on Calicos ?? Thanks Sharky, and strange_wings!

On Topic: I hope you were able to get him into the ER - please let us know.
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post #12 of 31
10/25/09 at 10:31pm
Thread Starter 
we actually found the soggy wadded up dryer sheet in the bathtub. He stopped vomiting and has been acting fine. Going to continue monitoring him and see what the vet says tomorrow.

And HE definitely is a male!! A very handsome one at that!

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post #13 of 31
10/25/09 at 10:37pm
So Cute!!! Is he a Scottish Fold? Or his ears are just folded by coincidence?
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post #14 of 31
10/25/09 at 10:38pm
Looks like a big goofy kitty in those pics.

I'm glad to find out that the dryer sheet was in the tub! I hope the stuff on it didn't make him ill. While a lot of stuff says "non-toxic" they don't mean that it couldn't make a small animal sick - they're referring to people. Cats livers are different than many other animals livers - which makes them a lot easier to poison. I've also remember reading of someone's cat getting into laundry detergent a few years ago - that didn't go so well.
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post #15 of 31
10/25/09 at 10:49pm
Thread Starter 
Yes he is a scottish fold. Such a loyal and mellow cat.

I'm going to start using one of those dryer balls instead of sheets. Don't even want to risk hit with how much he loves them.
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post #16 of 31
10/25/09 at 10:52pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by carolinalima View Post
So Cute!!! Is he a Scottish Fold? Or his ears are just folded by coincidence?
My mother has a cat identical to your lucky...except one of her eyes is crossed lol.
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post #17 of 31
10/25/09 at 11:07pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by strange_wings View Post
Looks like a big goofy kitty in those pics.

I'm glad to find out that the dryer sheet was in the tub! I hope the stuff on it didn't make him ill. While a lot of stuff says "non-toxic" they don't mean that it couldn't make a small animal sick - they're referring to people. Cats livers are different than many other animals livers - which makes them a lot easier to poison. I've also remember reading of someone's cat getting into laundry detergent a few years ago - that didn't go so well.
Bounce is non-toxic to cats and dogs - http://www.fsafood.com/msds/vault/001/001949.pdf but there is a risk of intestinal blockage - the link is for the safety data sheet. The ingestion can cause mild vomiting and diarrhea, which was the case on this kitty... thank goodness he vomited - BUT this is for BOUNCE, which is what my kitty Hope ingested (a piece of it about a week ago) - I am not sure about other brands.
Hope was so proud showing me the left overs
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post #18 of 31
10/25/09 at 11:26pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by shannonc View Post
we actually found the soggy wadded up dryer sheet in the bathtub. He stopped vomiting and has been acting fine. Going to continue monitoring him and see what the vet says tomorrow.

And HE definitely is a male!! A very handsome one at that!
What great news!! whew!
RE: my inquiry - I thought I had the color thing nailed down - ha! - I'll be going back for a "refresher course" - I've been looking for the link that talked about the gene and colors of males/females - I think what I was reading was information about Calicos, and that it is rare to have a male Calico ---

Please apologize to him for me - loved the Pics! He's just beautiful! I guess HE sure showed me!!
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post #19 of 31
10/26/09 at 12:27am
that's not three colours on the cat - just different shades and warmths of brown.

Why do people use drier sheets in their driers? I've never heard of them
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post #20 of 31
10/26/09 at 12:39am
Quote:
Originally Posted by WellingtonCats View Post
that's not three colours on the cat - just different shades and warmths of brown.

Why do people use drier sheets in their driers? I've never heard of them
Really? Here in the US we use them instead of adding softener into the washer machine... In Brasil we use Softener in the washer, in the rinse cycle. I guess it is because here a lot of people don't have washer and dryers at home - we have common areas in buildings, so we can't really watch for the rinse cycle - so it is easier to just put a sheet (softener) inside of the dryer instead... They do the same thing.
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post #21 of 31
10/26/09 at 1:48am
Quote:
Originally Posted by carolinalima View Post
BUT this is for BOUNCE, which is what my kitty Hope ingested (a piece of it about a week ago) - I am not sure about other brands.
Hope was so proud showing me the left overs
I wonder why dryer sheets are so appealing to some cats? Mine show no interest (not that the sheets are left down, but I do drop them while carrying laundry sometimes). Do you think it is because we try so hard to keep them away that makes them so tempting?
I don't use Bounce brand - costs more, smells too strongly, and they make me itch. I'm guessing plenty of other people use cheaper brands, too. I prefer a dollar store brand that barely smells and I use them because I use an unscented laundry detergent - and because past trials with fabric softeners hasn't went well. The dryer sheet adds a faint smell and helps with static.

This is definitely one of those often overlooked dangers that can catch people unaware. Another one I have to really look out for is screws - when taking anything apart we have to keep the screws close and shoo the cats away because they'll try to eat them, yet most people probably don't think of these as being problematic. The weird things cats will try to eat...


Gloria - True orange/red with other colors besides white are only on females -calico and torties. The pictures did bring out the richness of the brown in the OP's kitty - who has some very nice contrasting in his colors. Maybe on your monitor that looked orange-ish and that threw you off a bit?
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post #22 of 31
10/26/09 at 2:53am
Quote:
Originally Posted by carolinalima View Post
Really? Here in the US we use them instead of adding softener into the washer machine... In Brasil we use Softener in the washer, in the rinse cycle. I guess it is because here a lot of people don't have washer and dryers at home - we have common areas in buildings, so we can't really watch for the rinse cycle - so it is easier to just put a sheet (softener) inside of the dryer instead... They do the same thing.
Interesting. A lot of our washing powders have softeners already added in them I think. And since a lot of Kiwi's aren't really big on clothes dryers anyway. I guess it eliminates the need. I guess I don't know what it's like to have soft clothes Thanks!
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post #23 of 31
10/26/09 at 6:06am
Oh yes, he is adorable Happy he is feeling better!
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post #24 of 31
10/26/09 at 6:48am
Most new dryers say not to use the dryer sheets, since the oily chemicals in it will coat the sensitive dryness sensors in the circuitry.

We quit using the sheets and switched to softener in the wash when we got new machines.
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post #25 of 31
10/26/09 at 6:57am
Quote:
Originally Posted by mrblanche View Post
Most new dryers say not to use the dryer sheets, since the oily chemicals in it will coat the sensitive dryness sensors in the circuitry.

We quit using the sheets and switched to softener in the wash when we got new machines.
Good thing I have an older one? But this thread did get me to check the box of dryer sheets I have - no where on the box does it say non-toxic even once. It does give a flammable warning though... and says to keep out of reach of children.

I think this will be the last box of them I use.
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post #26 of 31
10/26/09 at 8:29am
Quote:
Originally Posted by shannonc View Post
we actually found the soggy wadded up dryer sheet in the bathtub. He stopped vomiting and has been acting fine. Going to continue monitoring him and see what the vet says tomorrow.

YAY!!!!!!

That picture of him on the red pillow is hilarious.

On the other subject, I have a male cat who's brown, black and white.
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post #27 of 31
10/26/09 at 8:58am
Quote:
Originally Posted by strange_wings View Post

Gloria - True orange/red with other colors besides white are only on females -calico and torties. The pictures did bring out the richness of the brown in the OP's kitty - who has some very nice contrasting in his colors. Maybe on your monitor that looked orange-ish and that threw you off a bit?
I absolutely forgot about how the monitor can distort the color - and - I guess even the camera, and the slight changes that happen when a file is exported/imported is always something to be considered. That's a good point to remember.

RE: female calico/torties - thanks for the help - now, at least, I don't think I'm going totally loony. I'm really glad that my thinking that only females have three colors was corrected!! whew! I guess I won't be spreading that "fact" anymore.
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post #28 of 31
10/26/09 at 9:41am
Thank heavens kitty is ok after eating the dryer sheet. I am psychotic about removing mine from the dryer because the dog likes to steal them and hide them among his mass of blankets and pillows (yeah he has more bedding than I do) But Im also weird about my clothes having to smell like they were washed so I use everything Gain detergent softner liquid and sheets so that way everything smells good. Plus when I run the washer and dry it makes the whole house smell like Gain and I love the smell of that stuff!! I even put sheets on the bottom of the dresser drawers so the stuff that sits longer smells good...But Im just weird like that.

**Carolinalima- why do you have to watch for the rinse cycle? Doesnt your washer have that thinger in the washer that you put the liquid softner in that dispenses itself? Im just curious cuz Ive never seen a washer with out that thinger in it**
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post #29 of 31
10/26/09 at 12:12pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by 3CatsN1Dog View Post
Thank heavens kitty is ok after eating the dryer sheet. I am psychotic about removing mine from the dryer because the dog likes to steal them and hide them among his mass of blankets and pillows (yeah he has more bedding than I do) But Im also weird about my clothes having to smell like they were washed so I use everything Gain detergent softner liquid and sheets so that way everything smells good. Plus when I run the washer and dry it makes the whole house smell like Gain and I love the smell of that stuff!! I even put sheets on the bottom of the dresser drawers so the stuff that sits longer smells good...But Im just weird like that.

**Carolinalima- why do you have to watch for the rinse cycle? Doesnt your washer have that thinger in the washer that you put the liquid softner in that dispenses itself? Im just curious cuz Ive never seen a washer with out that thinger in it**
Remember I left Brazil 13 yr ago.... Now here..... I have only lived in apartment buildings - never seen a washer machine with a softener compartment... ever... They are not fancy...
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post #30 of 31
12/4/11 at 4:39pm

The Cat has Pica it is a common condition in cats it is alo a condition that mentall challenged people can have there is no cure just a warning that you must be careful all the time as onetime the cat may get something wrapped around its intestine and dye it is not treatable you can ask your Vet

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