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Michelle Helen Dec 7, 2009

Dear Teddy Bear Friends: This past week my cat got sick and was admitted twice to the emergency vets. They thought he ate a pill that was dropped on the floor. X-rays and barium did not show anything. $3000 later, they send him home still sick but not vomiting...later that night, we noticed a little poo hanging from his behind. Mike tried to remove it and he pulled, and pulled and pulled... out came a 15 inch craft ribbon!!!. My baby ate a ribbon that we use to play with the cats!! So this even a small cat can eat the most bizarre things. My called my vet and told her what happened. She said he was very luck and the barium must have pushed it through. She said if it was found, it would have been a $1600 operation!! So I wanted people to learn from my experience.

KJ Lyons Dec 7, 2009

Michelle,
So sorry to her about your kitty, but so glad you found out the problem! Amazing that she would eat 15" of ribbon?! Usually cats are so fussy about what they eat.
Karen

dangerbears Dec 7, 2009

Thanks for the story, Michelle. I'm so glad that your kitty is OK now.

This is a very important reminder since cats don't have the ability to spit anything out. Those barbed tongues are great for grooming fur, but they only work in one direction - toward the gullet.

I'm always very careful with spools of thread and pieces of thread -- and especially threaded needles -- but I would not have thought about ribbon in the same way, and there's a 12" piece of it on my craft table right now. (Off I go.)

Becky

SueAnn Help Advisor, Banner SponsorDec 7, 2009

Wow, I'm certainly glad that story had a great ending . . . ahem - so to speak.  Thanks so much for the warning.

Laura Lynn Banner SponsorDec 7, 2009

Oh my goodness, thank you Michelle!  I'm so sorry about your baby, but glad she is OK!  :hug:

momanimallover Dec 7, 2009

That's great that your kitty is fine now! I remember when I was young our one cat had tinsel hanging out of her back end

thumperantiques Dec 7, 2009

Michelle, glad your kitty is okay!!!

Brenda, I was just coming on her to warn about tinsel.  We had a cat that loved it, so we found a tinsmith near where we lived and he sold thin metal icicles in lots of 50, we switched and we still use them, rather than tinsel. Those kitties are notorious for getting themselves into trouble LOL!

                            hugs,

                            Brenda

Us Bears Dec 8, 2009

One of my dogs had the same problem with tinsel.  It squeaked when you pulled it out.
(This was the same dog who had the problem with "indoor plumbing." )

Yeah, I'd say it's a good idea to keep an extra sharp eye on your pets during the holiday season, at least until you are sure they won't get into anything they shouldn't.

rosebearcottage Dec 8, 2009

Wow!!! Thank you for posting this message. My furry friends like to play with thread, etc. I never would have thought one would digest ribbon.

Pat Klein Dec 8, 2009

I've assisted at more then my share of those surgeries...always after hour emergencies.

The problem with string objects and cats is that once they start to swallow...it's a one way trip...they've triggered the swallowing response and they have no choice but to keep on swallowing, and swallowing, and swallowing, regardless of whether they want to or not.   

The danger occurs if instead of going through in a clump, in the small intestine it travels through linearly then tends to get stuck at one end and the intestine tends to gather up along the thread, ribbon, yarn, etc. drawn up like a purse string.  Which is what it is called:  purse string strangulation... .  This cuts off the blood supply to the intestines and they 'strangle' themselves.  These kitties begin to vomit, cannot keep anything down and need to get into surgery ASAP before the intestine starts to die. 

This Xmas if you even think there is the possibility that your pet has swallowed something like tinsel, ribbon, (and we all know dogs will eat anything ) pinecones, etc.  Cat laxative is your best friend.  Lots of it!  Dogs get the tube full and cats pretty much the same thing too as much as they can take of it over a 24 hour period. 

Keep it handy for emergencies...we have avoided dozens of abdominal surgeries with the judicious use of cat lax at our clinic... .

BUT and here is the big BUT...if your pet is vommitting...SEE THE VET IMMEDIATELY...your pet may have an  obstruction.

Pat

eteddys Dec 8, 2009

Michelle,
Glad you kitty is fine.  I have a funny story to tell.  My son came out of the bathroom this morning.  He had an odd look on his face.  He said, "Mom, I didn't tell you but, on Saturday, I choked on a Lego piece.  I coughed and decided I was OK because it went down.  I told Sissy and she said to just drink a lot of water.  But, don't worry, it came out."    So, it's not cats that get in trouble eating things they shouldn't, my 13 year old son ingested a Lego piece.  This doesn't surprise me in the least.  I found a sizable rock and a penny in his diaper when he was a baby.  When will he grow up?

Hugs,
Alison

Gijzette Dec 8, 2009

Michelle,

I'm glad your kitty is okay. Yes, we have also experienced the tinsel problem. Luckily it passed through. I love the look of tinsel but will not use it as long as I have cats.

Hugs,

momanimallover Dec 8, 2009

I never really cared for the look of tinsel unless you spent hours putting it on nicely. When I moved out I never used it but my mom LOVES it. I'm thinking the tin tinsel that Brenda mentioned looks really nice

Bubble-Up Bears Dec 9, 2009

It's bothersome that nothing showed up on the X-ray!
Thank goodness all turned out OK. Your kitties on your Avatar are such beauties!!and obviously well cared for.
I don't use tinsel but there are still things on my tree that can be harmful if swallowed by a pet. My tree has the Scccat Sprays set up so my cats, one a 4 month old kitten we just adopted and he is into everything and he won't go near the tree thanks to the sprays.
I hope your cat is doing better and this is the end of his sickness. 

thumperantiques Dec 9, 2009

Brenda,
     If you are interested in the tin tinsel, if can be purchased from  http://www.leevalley.com/home.aspx  It's in the 64 page holiday Christmas cataloge on page 17, at the top right.

                                                                              hugs,

                                                                              Brenda

Jellybelly Bears Dec 9, 2009

Thanks Michelle, I am sorry about your kitty   I had the same problem with my dog up until last Chrstmas while he was still young enough to find the tinsel tasty, also ribbons...but they all came out no problems thank goodness. 
Great idea Brenda, I never knew this kind of "tinsel" existed.

Michelle Helen Dec 9, 2009

Debbie wrote: My furry friends like to play with thread

Debbie: thread is very dangerous. It can wrap around the intestine and part of the intestine dies off. It creates big, big problems. That is what my vet told me this past week. With all of us sewing out bears, it is so important to make sure our pets stay away from it....Also it never occurred to me that my cat would eat ribbon. I play with all my cats with ribbons (well...not anymore...).

TamiL Dec 9, 2009

Oh yes, I remember when I had my beloved Sasha, I had to be so careful of ribbons, strings, etc, she tried to eat everything!!! Hope your little baby is doing much better now..... :hug:

Linda Dec 9, 2009

My sister once found a thread hanging out of the dog's mouth  and pulled it out before it disappeared.......on the end was a threaded needle!!!!! Same dog was left at home one Christmas, and when they got home they thought the chocolates hanging on the tree looked funny, on closer inspection they found that Gypsy had been all over and sucked all the chock out of every one she could reach! :crackup: