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My cat ate a cooked chicken bone. Is it an emergency? What to do?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Male | unneutered | 2 years and 3 months old | 7 lbs

What should I do about my cat eating a cooked chicken bone?

5 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

Published on April 23rd, 2018

Unfortunately there is nothing you can do about this situation. It's not recommended to induce vomiting because the bone could get caught in Furman's esophagus, and/or cause damage on the way up. You can only watch him to see if there are any problems from this ingestion. If you see any blood in his feces, he becomes anorexic, he start vomiting, there is blood in his vomit, he has diarrhea, and/or he becomes lethargic, you will need to take him into a vet immediately. It can take up to 72 hours for signs of an obstruction or perforation to appear, so watch him closely over this time. Best of luck, I hope this helps.

9Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Claudia Fioravanti
Veterinarian
Published on November 25th, 2017
No, I think it is best to have her checked over sooner rather than later to understand wether you need to worry about her or not. Cooked bones can be very dangerous and cause gastric or intestinal perforation and peritonitis .. so I would not take this risk. She could also be started on some medications to help reducing the risk of perforation . Hope all goes well !
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Ana M, DVM
Veterinarian
Published on November 21st, 2018
Thank you for submitting your question regarding your cat. Vomiting bones is a very serious condition. The bone fragments can block or tear her intestines which can be life threatening. You can see if there is a low cost clinic available or one that takes payment plans. She really needs medical care. You can try to feed her some bread to try to pad the bones as they pass. Good luck!
2Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Tomasz Wnuk
Veterinarian
Published on May 13th, 2018
All you should do at this stage is to monitor Negus at home for signs of vomiting and abdominal pain (hard, uncomfortable belly when you touch it). If you see any of these symptoms, please take Negus to your vet right away. However, most likely the bone will be digested and you will not see any symptoms whatsoever.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Dr. Paula Simons
Veterinarian
Published on May 28th, 2020
I'd monitor your cat very closely for vomiting, diarrhea, inappetence, abdominal pain, or lethargy. If any of these signs occur, your cat should see a veterinarian ASAP. Bones can be damaging to the stomach or intestines if they do not break down well.
2Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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