My cat pooped string after surgery. Should I worry about more string?

It is common for dogs and cats not to pass stool for several days after these types of surgeries - probably due to the drugs used during anesthesia and the lack of food intake before and after the surgery. I usually don't get concerned until 5 days have passed as long as the cat is eating normally, is not vomiting, and is not straining or attempting to defecate. I bet Jones will go in the next couple of days!

Once he threw up the balloon and the entire length of string, he should be fine. The offending foreign body has left his gastrointestinal system. However you should really check your house for any more items like that including string, as a linear foreign body (string causing an intestinal blockage) is a serious problem and would need surgery to remove. So since your kitty regurgitated the entire string and balloon he should be okay.

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!

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.

Yes, this would not be uncommon but I would continue to monitor for any additional vomiting and for normal bowel motions for the next few days as a precaution in case not all was vomited up. Objects can stay in the stomach for months and do not always cause clinical signs (these are mostly related to actual obstruction of the GI tract so many small objects do not cause significant pain or vomiting if food can move around them)

Hi Sam! I can understand being worried about G. If he is the same as usual, I wouldn't be too worried. I would suspect you may have missed it. Continue to monitor him, and if he does start to appear to be sick, have him seen by a vet. 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!