My cat ate wool. Is it dangerous even if she's eating normally?

A two inch long fluffy string likely will not cause a foreign body obstruction. It willl ikely pass the natural way. Should your cat start vomiting, get lethargic or get diarrhea within the next week then you should have her examined by your vet.

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!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It is possible that this was causing her an obstruction and now she has thrown it up and defecated some of it and has thankfully relieved her obstruction. That is good as surgery is needed in most cases as they are not able to pass it or throw it up on their own. You can continue to monitor her for signs of an on-going obstruction such as vomiting, abdominal pain, inappetence or lethargy and if observed, have her examined then as soon as possible as that may represent an emergency. Otherwise, if she is back to her normal self and no more symptoms show, she may be ok. Good luck!

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. If Juna is obsessed with anything stringy, you will have to be vigilant about ensuring that she does not have access to anything she could possibly chew and ingest. When cats eat anything linear or stringy, they are at a HUGE risk of a linear foreign body obstruction, which is a surgical emergency and is life threatening. This occurs when a piece of the string/ribbon/yarn gets anchored in one part of their GI tract (ie under their tongue, in the stomach, etc) and the rest of the intestines end up scrunching up around it as they try to contract and move it along. The string can ultimately saw through and perforate the intestines, causing a septic abdomen. I recommend purchasing cat toys that are very durable and do not have any sort of fabric/string/yarn associated with them, and encourage Juna to play with those. If you ever notice that she is vomiting, hiding, uninterested in eating, and you believe she may have ingested any string, please have Juna seen by a veterinarian immediately so diagnostics (abdominal x-rays) can be done to evaluate for a foreign body obstruction in her intestines. I hope this is helpful, and good luck!

Luckily is was only a short piece of fringe. Usually when cats eat strings and yarn that cause intestinal perforations the length is longer than two inches. If there is a medical problem she will become painful, stop eating and may not poop regularly. She should be out of the woods in another day or two. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Maisy.

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Ingestion of cotton stuffing from toys and such can be an issue if it causes an obstruction in the intestines. This can be extremely uncomfortable and even result in a torsion or perforation. Fortunately, if it a small enough amount, it will typically pass. I recommend keeping a close eye on Jasper for vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, or lethargy as these may be signs of an obstruction. I’m happy to answer any other questions you may have!

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Lani. If she did eat this plastic handle, yes it can cause problems, but given that she is acting normally, I would keep an eye on her for now. If you see vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, or lethargy, then I would be worried and have her seen by a vet. I hope this helps!