My Cat Ate/swallowed A Foot And Half Of Yarn!

[Beachbunny]

My cat ate about 18 inches of yarn last night. When my husband said she ate some yarn, at first I thought she was just chewing the end and swallowed some, but the whole piece was gone. I never expected her to do that. It seems like it probably went down in one long piece sine it happened so quickly. Will it hurt her? Does she need to go to the vet?

Beachbunny

[BambinA]

My cat ate about 18 inches of yarn last night. When my husband said she ate some yarn, at first I thought she was just chewing the end and swallowed some, but the whole piece was gone. I never expected her to do that. It seems like it probably went down in one long piece sine it happened so quickly. Will it hurt her? Does she need to go to the vet?

Beachbunny

Observing her sign for 1-3 days by yourself. For a period of 3 days, she does not need to see a vet yet.

[Old Man River]

My cat ate about 18 inches of yarn last night. When my husband said she ate some yarn, at first I thought she was just chewing the end and swallowed some, but the whole piece was gone. I never expected her to do that. It seems like it probably went down in one long piece sine it happened so quickly. Will it hurt her? Does she need to go to the vet?

Beachbunny

Observing her sign for 1-3 days by yourself. For a period of 3 days, she does not need to see a vet yet.

Bambina, I guess the obvious question is how do you know if the cat needs to go to the vet? Last week my dog (the poodle) swallowed what looked to be the top of a pen (or something similar). I have watched the dog closely, and she doesn't appear to have passed the object swallowed, but doesn't appear to be in any distress either.

Maybe the same will be true for the cat swallowing yarn. When is it appropriate to bring the dog/cat to a vet when they swallow something (other than what they are supposed to swallow).

Thanks.

[sleepyjohn]

If M. Mangetout can swallow a Cessna 150 I dare say your cat can manage a foot and a half of yarn.

[Sheryl]

Bambina, I guess the obvious question is how do you know if the cat needs to go to the vet? Last week my dog (the poodle) swallowed what looked to be the top of a pen (or something similar). I have watched the dog closely, and she doesn't appear to have passed the object swallowed, but doesn't appear to be in any distress either.

Maybe the same will be true for the cat swallowing yarn. When is it appropriate to bring the dog/cat to a vet when they swallow something (other than what they are supposed to swallow).

Thanks.

Assuming the thing swallowed was not in itself a poisonous, then what you need to watch for is intestinal obstruction or perforation (the second most likely when the thing swallowed was sharp...doubt yarn would do it).

Obstruction signs: cat will stop eating, cry as if in pain, vomit or try to vomit. Vomiting alone is common enough in cats but usually is a one time thing and then they are fine again. If you see a lot of vomiting, and/or if the cat stops eating for more than a day, or seems to be in pain, then these are signs to go to the vet.

Perforation: this is a medical emergency, cat will go into shock. She'll most likely hide somewhere and be very weak, listkless and obviously very ill.

In the meantime, if your cat will take it, would help to give her something to help ease the yarn's passage outward, i.e.:

lactulose or any kind of oil. Any vet or vet shop likely to have lactulose and there is also a tuna-flavored brand (used to help cats pass hairballs, which is in many ways a similiar process to passing a bunch of yarn).

[Beachbunny]

Bambina, I guess the obvious question is how do you know if the cat needs to go to the vet? Last week my dog (the poodle) swallowed what looked to be the top of a pen (or something similar). I have watched the dog closely, and she doesn't appear to have passed the object swallowed, but doesn't appear to be in any distress either.

Maybe the same will be true for the cat swallowing yarn. When is it appropriate to bring the dog/cat to a vet when they swallow something (other than what they are supposed to swallow).

Thanks.

Assuming the thing swallowed was not in itself a poisonous, then what you need to watch for is intestinal obstruction or perforation (the second most likely when the thing swallowed was sharp...doubt yarn would do it).

Obstruction signs: cat will stop eating, cry as if in pain, vomit or try to vomit. Vomiting alone is common enough in cats but usually is a one time thing and then they are fine again. If you see a lot of vomiting, and/or if the cat stops eating for more than a day, or seems to be in pain, then these are signs to go to the vet.

Perforation: this is a medical emergency, cat will go into shock. She'll most likely hide somewhere and be very weak, listkless and obviously very ill.

In the meantime, if your cat will take it, would help to give her something to help ease the yarn's passage outward, i.e.:

lactulose or any kind of oil. Any vet or vet shop likely to have lactulose and there is also a tuna-flavored brand (used to help cats pass hairballs, which is in many ways a similiar process to passing a bunch of yarn).

Thanks Sheryl,

Most of the time she is an outdoor cat, but I've spoiled her so much that she is inside half the time and outside half the time. Anyway, the point is that I don't usually see her do her business, but she is eating.....and pretty good. She's not whining or anything and is her usual ornery self, but I think I need to have her wormed so maybe I'll have her checked out.

I was thinking that she wouldn't be able to digest the yarn just like a hairball......so maybe I'll talk to the vet about the medicine used for that to be on the safe side.

Beachbunny