I got a package that is opened by a plastic strip about 1/2"x 8" long..I opened it on my bed and saw that my older cat was interested in the strip...started teasing him with it...put the delivered items away and threw out the bag, forgetting about the strip..I came downstairs and both cats followed...went to bed not even knowing the strip was on my comforter...about 6:00 am both cats are on my bed pestering me to feed them..Im laying there and here the older one chewing on something and realize its that plastic strip..so I think to myself, whats the harm...
I go downstairs pour some coffee and the older one comes down and he starts gagging..then spits up some flegm..then it dawns on me..I run upstairs and sure as heck, the strip is gone..im thinking to myself, how did he get that thing so small in his mouth that he could swallow it..being the eternal optimist I figure he will pass it in a day or two...( this actually happened when he was much younger with a 6" piece of monofilament fishing line)..he ate normally and acted normally...but as the day wore on I started getting nervous so I called the vet and talked to one of the Drs...she said, things to watch for were, him being lethargic, lack of appetite, eating and then throwing up or not pooping..also said to check the droppings in the littler box....another half hour goes by and I decide to take him in...a male Dr exams him and says he is normal...basically tells me what the female Dr said..he said worse case scenario is I have to take him to our local emergency pet clinic and they do a scope to get it out to the tune of about $1400...gave (sold) me a dozen cans of a gastro cat food that is high in fiber and also said to add a teaspoon of pure pumpkin for bulk..
Came strait home and sent my son out for the pumpkin..fed him (them) the first of the food but without the pumpkin..they liked it..the next morning, 24 hours after he swallowed it..he is still acting normal and I feed them with the pumpkin...this time they eat it ..but in the later feeding in the day they aren't crazy about it...but I wait them out and they finally eat it..this morning they wake me up like normal..go down and feed them the new food with the pumpkin..the younger one eats a little but the older one just walks away..so now I have to figure out ..is this loss of appetite or him being finicky..so I call him over and offer him some treats..he eats them..then I go and put some hard food on top of the new food and he eats that..so I know he isn't losing his appetite..
about 11:00AM I check the litterbox and lo and behold...there is a turd with a long thing hanging from it...I put it into a plastic sandwich bag and its about 90% of the strip he swallowed..Im guessing the remainder I missed in another dropping or it hasn't come out yet..still need to call the vet in the morning as he asked me to..
I know Im not 100% out of the woods yet but I wanted to tell this story..Although Ive had this cat for about 6yrs and the younger guy for just over 2 yrs I guess Im still a novice..for those new at owning cats just know this...while cats and dogs are supposed to be polar opposites, cats will chew, cats will bite, cats will drink out of the toilet..watch what falls onto your floor..
I go downstairs pour some coffee and the older one comes down and he starts gagging..then spits up some flegm..then it dawns on me..I run upstairs and sure as heck, the strip is gone..im thinking to myself, how did he get that thing so small in his mouth that he could swallow it..being the eternal optimist I figure he will pass it in a day or two...( this actually happened when he was much younger with a 6" piece of monofilament fishing line)..he ate normally and acted normally...but as the day wore on I started getting nervous so I called the vet and talked to one of the Drs...she said, things to watch for were, him being lethargic, lack of appetite, eating and then throwing up or not pooping..also said to check the droppings in the littler box....another half hour goes by and I decide to take him in...a male Dr exams him and says he is normal...basically tells me what the female Dr said..he said worse case scenario is I have to take him to our local emergency pet clinic and they do a scope to get it out to the tune of about $1400...gave (sold) me a dozen cans of a gastro cat food that is high in fiber and also said to add a teaspoon of pure pumpkin for bulk..
Came strait home and sent my son out for the pumpkin..fed him (them) the first of the food but without the pumpkin..they liked it..the next morning, 24 hours after he swallowed it..he is still acting normal and I feed them with the pumpkin...this time they eat it ..but in the later feeding in the day they aren't crazy about it...but I wait them out and they finally eat it..this morning they wake me up like normal..go down and feed them the new food with the pumpkin..the younger one eats a little but the older one just walks away..so now I have to figure out ..is this loss of appetite or him being finicky..so I call him over and offer him some treats..he eats them..then I go and put some hard food on top of the new food and he eats that..so I know he isn't losing his appetite..
about 11:00AM I check the litterbox and lo and behold...there is a turd with a long thing hanging from it...I put it into a plastic sandwich bag and its about 90% of the strip he swallowed..Im guessing the remainder I missed in another dropping or it hasn't come out yet..still need to call the vet in the morning as he asked me to..
I know Im not 100% out of the woods yet but I wanted to tell this story..Although Ive had this cat for about 6yrs and the younger guy for just over 2 yrs I guess Im still a novice..for those new at owning cats just know this...while cats and dogs are supposed to be polar opposites, cats will chew, cats will bite, cats will drink out of the toilet..watch what falls onto your floor..
It's amazing how much we change out lifestyles for our kitties. I walk from the bathroom to the kitchen to put dental floss in a closed garbage can instead of just dropping in the trash in the bathroom.