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My cat swallowed toy feathers and tinsel. What should I watch for?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Domestic Mediumhair | Female | spayed | 3 years and 9 months old | 14.5 lbs

Hello, my cat swallowed some toy feathers and tinsel-like strands off of a feather wand toy today. Will she be okay? Is there anything that I should watch out for?

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

Lauren Jones VMD

Answered By Lauren Jones VMD

Veterinarian

Published on March 24th, 2017

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.
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