My cat ate human hair, now straining. When should I call the vet?

Oh no, Nina! Fortunately it was a small piece, but yes, this could still be a cause for concern for causing an intestinal obstruction. Closely monitor Nina for signs of vomiting, lethargy or a loss of appetite. If you observe anything abnormal, you will need to take Nina to a vet immediately for evaluation. Also monitor her stool to watch for signs of the hair tie passing. You may not see it, but it doesn't hurt to look to be sure that it passes. I hope that all goes well!

I would recommend monitoring for now and if you begin to see symptoms at home such as vomiting and lethargy, then I would recommend having a veterinarian take a look at Mollie so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction!

Hello. My guess is Io will throw this back up in the next few days, but otherwise, I would just take a wait & see. If you are really concerned, you can take her to your vet to have her stomach emptied out ( peroxide does not work in cats ), but there is a good chance this will be irritating enough to her stomach that she will vomit on her own soon. Otherwise, please consult with your veterinarian & thanks for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Yes you always have to be worried with potential foreign body ingestions. Hair ties are pretty small so the chance that they can cause blockages are slim, but they can still get stuck in the intestines and cause problems There are two possibilities at this point: 1) There is another hair tie still in there ( this will take some deductive reasoning in your part) that is stuck. 2) All hair ties have been expelled and your pet now just has an upset stomach due to dietary indiscretion. The odds are good because it is very small and had no sharp edges. With small foreign bodies it is recommended feed the pet a bulking agent like 1/2-1 loaf of bread or canned food that will help bind any additional objects within the GI tract and potentially help expel them out of the system. Good luck with your kitty and I hope that things will progress uneventful in the next couple of days. - Dr.H

Depending on his size and the amount of hair ingested, it is unlikely that it is creating a gastrointestinal obstruction. I would suggest to give some mineral oil (3mls twice daily up to 10 kg, 5mls if over 15kg) and soft food. Monitor his defecation for the next 24 hours. If it is a small amount of fresh blood a veterinary check up is not needed for the moment. I would definitively recommend a veterinary check up if the signs persist or you notice diarrhea, vomiting, lethargy or inappetence.

You should be looking for vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, and anorexia. Those are signs of a foreign body ingestion causing an obstruction. You can also take PJ into a vet now to get x-rays to look for them. Best of luck.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This could have been due to a partial obstruction. If she vomited all the obstructing material (string) then she may be ok. However, if she continues to vomit, this may be due to an obstruction and further therapy may be needed. If the issue continues, I recommend that you have her evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Best of luck!