Cats Swallow The Darndest Things

You know how most cats won’t take a pill even if you bury it in fillet mignon?

And what’s up with cats who turn their nose up to variety after variety of premium cat foods?

Some of these feline princes and princesses act like they own the world when it comes to the food they demand.

Until it’s a milk jug ring. Or a plastic bag. Or Beanie Baby stuffing. Or leaves. Or a sewing needle.

These cats that refuse to eat anything but the finest tuna on the finest china also hamper-dive and eat wash cloths.

Exhibit A
Here’s a barium study radiograph of a cat we saw recently who began vomiting with great urgency one evening…

Barium Study

The cat was taken to general anesthesia for esophagoscopy to retrieve the obstruction.

Esophagoscopy

There was clearly a lot in the esophagus, but the obstruction could not be removed due to tension at the back end of the obstruction.

An approach to the stomach was made, and a knot of string was found just on the inside of the stomach from the esophagus. This was keeping the foreign material from being expelled via vomiting.

Feline Foreign Body

Are we to believe this tasted good to the cat?

Exhibit B

Ashley, one of our all-star assistants, has a cat who has proven to be a repeat-offender in the foreign body department: Beanie Baby stuffing & a dish towel. Why? If you know the inner workings of the feline mind, please enlighten us.

Multiple surgeries were required to solve Oscar’s multiple offenses.

The take-home message: If your cat shows the slightest inkling of eating things she/he shouldn’t, all attempts to prevent the behavior must be taken. The consequences of eating obstruction-causing objects can be very costly, both to the cat-owner and the cat.

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