Cat just ate dental floss...

I think my cat just ate some tooth floss...I got home and the bathroom bin was turned over...I was only gone a couple of hours so she didn't eat it that long ago. She's acting fine, it's the kind of floss that expands when you use it and comes apart...anyway...is there any way to make her throw up before she digests it?

She's acting fine...ate her dinner...I just read that hydrogen peroxide can help her throw up but only 3%...I have 20% but if I diluted it with a ton of water? It's still an acid though! That seems like a terrible idea. Isn't that how serial killers dissolve their victims?!?!

I also read that holding her by the scruff and sticking your finger down her throat could work...um...I'd give her cat grass but she ate it all and I'm failing to regrow it (how can anyone fail at growing grass? But I am...). I also read that it'll probably come out naturally and she'll be okay...I don't really have the money to take her to the emergency vet at this time of night...and I doubt a tiny piece of tooth floss would show up in an x-ray...cutting her open *just to check* doesn't seem like a good idea...

I don't know....should I just wait and see? It was probably about 10cm...

http://www.sunstargum.com/typo3temp/pics/71269e5e62.jpg

It's that one if it matters ^^^ doesn't have a minty coating and can come apart...maybe her stomach acid will break it

http://www.justanswer.com/pet-cat/1qc3t-cat-swallowed-dental-floss-last-night-efforts.html

this thread seems quite helpful...high fibre foods to move it along? Well she ate some Felix pate for dinner, so hopefully this will create that "pillow" the vet spoke about?

I just remembered I have some mild cat laxative the vet gave me when she was a tiny kitten because she wasn't going to the bathroom for a few days. Active ingredient is metoclopramida. It's a year old but maybe I should put a couple of drops on what's left of her dinner to help her move everything along?

High fiber sounds like a good idea, but I would not try to make her vomit or give her a laxative.  Just watch her closely, and as long as she continues to act normal, eat and poop normally, it should be OK.  Good that it is the kind that comes apart because otherwise it would be much more dangerous. 

it only *can* come apart...it doesn't always :/ depends if it's pulled and expanded enough...

but wait and see is the best thing right??

if something were to go bad...when do you think that'd be? It's 10pm now and I guess she ate it around 7pm...I go to work at 6:30am and I'll be back around 5pm and she's alone all day...

Check and dissect all poops in search of the floss. If kitty stops pooping or starts straining then you have a problem. String can cause an accordion affect in the intestines bunching it up. Most string usually wads up and causes no problems. Don't panic. Try coconut oil to ease passage.

Do not induce vomiting. My vet says that eating floss is one of the more dangerous things cats way so I would call your vet and see what they say.

This happened to me and I called the vet in a panic. His advice was to give plenty of petroleum jelly and monito r. She passed it in her poop with in a day or two. I broke open her poop rolls and found the floss waded up in a roll.

ok...well...i'm at work now :/ she was fine this morning too. i will see how she is when i get home and check her poop...how long does it take for cats to pass something like this usually?

tdonline - give petroleum jelly...you mean feed it to her?!

Yes, just like you would give her hairball gel. I wrote PJ because that's what I use for hairballs, but you can use hairball gel just as well. Basically something to grease the journal along.

oh, i've never even heard of hair ball gel, but i've never had a long haired cat. i'll give her vaseline tonight, thanks!

how long does it take for cats to pass things usually? if she's fine when i get home from work, almost 24 hours later, is she out of the danger zone?

If you are sure your cat ate the floss then you monitor till you find it. I've heard of it taking weeks to come out. If your cat stops eating, vomits, bloody stools, or straining in the litter box then you need to see a vet ASAP. If you see part of the string hanging out DO NOT pull it. Take kitty to vet. Only about 1/4 tsp. of petroleum jelly a day since your cat isn't used to it. Can cause diarrhea...same with coconut oil.

The brand ne is petro malt.

Hi, I don't want to alarm people but my cat just came very close to dying from swallowing dental floss. I never use string dental floss but somehow she found some from a visitor. I use the floss picks. The 1st day my Dor was trying to vomit but wasn't eating so it was just suds n bile. No blood. By the morning she was so still and crying when she got sick again. I rushed her to the vet. He found a string under her tongue and refused to cut or pull it. He said she had to major surgery immediately. The vet said this was a risk as cat bowels are extremely sensitive to surgery! Also the floss can act like a saw on her insides. He also was worried about her bowels not holding the stitches after surgery and infection. He said she wouldn't be out of danger for at least 5 days. Dental floss is really tough stuff and doesn't digest or break. He took an 8" piece out of her and gave it to me later. He kept her for 4 days and her temperature finally came down. If your cat eats dental floss take them to the vet. Xrays didn't show the floss. It is really vicious stuff. I sent home and threw every box of string floss away-just use floss picks. Its been 10 days and I am still watching her litter box and food intake. She is so fussy I can't believe she ate floss. It might have been the intense smell of me on it. Throw away your string floss. It can be a killer for dogs and your cat.