My cat swallowed a feather. Should I worry if she's acting normal?

Keep a close eye on him. He may cough it back up like a hairball but luckily cats systems are not strangers to feathers as cats often prey on birds. Feathers are usually flexible enough that if they don't cough them up, they will pass on their own, and are digestible at least to some degree. If he shows any signs of illness though, off to the vet.

Hi there and thank you for using Pet Coach to address your concern. If Chester is acting normal and there is no vomiting, abdominal pain, lethargy or inappetance then I would monitor for now. If you do start to notice any of these changes, I would get Chester in to see a veterinarian to have an examination and abdominal x-rays or abdominal ultrasound to see if there is an intestinal obstruction due to the ingested toy. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns. I am also available via consultation if needed.

Oh no, Snow! Tinsel and feathers run the risk of causing an intestinal obstruction/blockage by means of a linear foreign body. In these cases, the material gets stuck in the stomach or intestines and essentially causes the intestines to bunch together like an accordion. Sometimes this material can also get stuck under the tongue, so if you can safely open her mouth to look under the tongue, that would be helpful. If you see material under the tongue or if it has been less than two hours since Snow ate the feathers and tinsel, consider taking her to the vet to have vomiting induced. If it has been longer than two hours since the time of ingestion, you can closely monitor her for signs of vomiting, lethargy, and inappetence, as these can indicate an obstruction. If you do see any of these signs, Snow should be seen by her vet immediately because obstructions are a surgical emergency. That said, it is also quite possible that she passes this material in her stool.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I would recommend that you monitor her for signs of a gastrointestinal obstruction such as vomiting, nausea and/or abdominal pain. If any of these are observed, have her evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Otherwise, she could be just fine. Have a great day!

Hello, thank you for your question. Feather are usually something that can be fairly well digested in the GI tract. If your dog is eating well and continuing to produce normal feces I would not worry about the piece of feather. She will likely pass this on her own. If she begins to strain to defecate or you notice any blood or mucous, I would recommend having her evaluated by your veterinarian. Hope this helps, good luck!

A small piece should be able to pass sometime in the next 12-36 hours. Monitor for lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite or abdominal pain. These are symptoms that should be addressed by your veterinarian.

Hi and thanks for your request. I would strongly recommend to monitor her for the next 48hours to see if appetite and urination/defecation are normal. There may be some pieces ''on the way out''. Small amount of liquid paraffin (2mls per meal) and a bland diet based on boiled chicken and rice would be ideal for the next week.