Cat ate fabric. How did it reach small intestine so fast without X-ray?

Especially in the case of objects that are not metal or bone, which show up quite obviously on x-ray, it can be difficult to distinguish foreign objects in the stomach on x-rays, and sometimes when the results of the x-rays are equivocal we have to make the decision to go to surgery to find out for sure whether there is a blockage. Sometimes it is helpful to put a contrast agent into the GI tract, such as barium or even air, as they can aid in making the diagnosis. However, sometimes even board-certified surgeons and board-certified radiologists are not certain whether there is something foreign in the stomach, and even they make mistakes. Or sometimes we will go in to the abdomen, open the stomach, and indeed find something foreign, only to find out that it is something (like paper) that would have likely passed normally. It can be a very tough call and unfortunately sometimes we don't get a definitive answer until we go in and look.

Poor girl. Unfortunately the only thing you can do now is to monitor her for any signs of a foreign body obstruction, which includes excessive vomiting, lethargy, lack of appetite, or small stool size. If you see these symptoms then a vet visit is recommended to have testing done and determine if she will need surgery to remove the cloth that she ingested. I hope that she will be ok. Best of luck to you moving forward with Nala, and keep a close eye on her in the next few days for any changes. Take care.

It would be best to seek veterinary care in person ASAP as linear foreign bodies can cause a lot of GI issues if left untreated. Your vet can help monitor Silence, and let you know if he requires surgery or if it looks like things are passing.

Just monitor her for the moment; unfortunately strings and any type of linear foreign body can sit in the intestine and stomach for ages before coming out!. As long as she eating fine and drinking ok and passing feces and urine normally and being normal in terms of demeanor and activity level she will be ok and she won't need any check up. You could potentially give her some mineral oil (2mls every meal )like paraffin oil to lubricate the gastrointestinal canal and help to get rid of the strings if there. Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation (where you can post pictures ) if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

Poor Dexter! Thank goodness you were able to see the string and get it out safely. As long as there was no major resistance when you were pulling it out and he is acting normal now, he should be just fine. If you see any vomiting, difficulty eating, or if he seems painful or lethargic during the next 24 hours, then I would recommend having him checked by a vet to see if there is any internal damage.

Unfortunately, we cannot say if the bell will pass or not. I wouldn’t make him vomit as it can actually hurt his esophagus coming back up. I would recommend monitoring the cat and if you notice any vomiting or diarrhea or if he becomes lethargic at all I would recommend bringing him into your regular veterinarian for x-rays. You can always bring them into the veterinarian to have them do an x-ray to see if the bell is actually in his stomach since they should show up on the x-ray. Then you can see if he actually swallowed it or not. Unfortunately, this may result in surgery. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

I would have Charlie seen by a vet right away for this. A piece of shirt this long can easily cause a linear foreign body, and if it does create an obstruction, he would need surgery to remove it. It's best to avoid that completely, and the vet can determine if it's safe to give him a shot to induce vomiting to get it out of his stomach. Good luck!