My cat swallowed a string and isn't pooping much. What should I do?

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.

Oh naughty Loki for eating string! If he is more lethargic than usual and isn't eating, I would take him into the vet right away. It is possible there is still more string instead his intestines, and he should be examined by a vet now. If there is still string in his GI tract, then he will need surgery to remove it.

That's not good. Open Apollo's mouth to see if may be caught around his tongue or back teeth. You may not get a good view, so take him into the vet in the morning to have them check if it's there. If it is there, it can be removed, and prevent problems. Otherwise, he may have swallowed it completely, and you have to monitor him for signs of a linear foreign body. If you see vomiting, diarrhea, anorexia, or lethargy, take him into a vet right away. Best of luck.

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. The symptoms of linear foreign body are usually evident within a few days (1-3 days) after ingestion. The most consistent symptom is vomiting, which can be persistent (every few hours) or infrequent (for example every other day). As long as Tommy is not vomiting and he is not showing any other worrying symptoms like poor appetite, abdominal pain, difficulties to defecate you should continue monitoring him at home for another few days. If after that time he remains asymptomatic, it will mean that he is out of trouble.

You can ask as many questions you like! I would take her into a vet to be safe, as these strings can often get caught in a cat's mouth around the tongue. The other problem with strings is that they can cause a linear foreign body. If you can get her into a vet now to induce vomiting, then you can prevent an obstruction from happening. The vet can also check her mouth to see if it's stuck in there.

It sounds like Louie has been eating a bunch in tinsel. The problem with eating tinsel is that it can be caught in his GI tract as a linear foreign body. I would remove it from the home, or keep her away from where it is at all times. If she continues to throw up, stops eating, becomes very lethargic, or has diarrhea, those can be indications she does have a linear foreign body. She would need to see a vet then for x-rays and possible surgery to remove the tinsel.

1.5 " of a string should not really be a problem and will likely come out the natural way. It is too short to cause a linear foreign body obstruction. If you check her poo for the next 3-4 days you should be able to find it eventually. Apart from that I would monitor her for diarrhea and possibly retching/vomiting. If that occurs, please see your vet right away.