Why is tinsel harmful to cats? What holiday decor is unsafe?

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.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! The tree itself will not harm him, nor will drinking the water. The only thing that possibly could harm him if he eats ornaments, ornament hooks, pine needles or tinsel. That can cause an stomach or intestinal obstruction. You can use a motion detector noise deterrent near the tree that goes off as he approaches it that scares him away. You can confine him when you are not home and use a water bottle to squirt him when he is out. Overall Christmas trees and cats are commonly an issue. I hope this helps and I wish you and Bandit the best!

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.

Christmas tree flocking is made out of plastic and is not much of a concern once it's dry, unless your cat ingested a large amount that could cause an intestinal obstruction. If a large volume was eaten or if it was wet when it was ingested you should contact your veterinarian. Otherwise I think it's okay to monitor for any vomiting or decrease in appetite.

This tinsel may be able to pass without problem, but there could be a chance it could cause a linear foreign body. I would keep an eye on her. If you see any vomiting, diarrhea, anorexia, and/or lethargy, I would take her into a vet immediately. Best of luck.

It may not be toxic but it can cause an obstruction. Given that Misha is throwing it up, he should see a vet now. Please take him into an ER vet clinic; if there isn't one in your area, there will be a vet on call for emergencies. The information to reach that vet is found on a clinic's answering machine or website.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I would recommend not allowing the cats to drink from the tree stand; if the tree was sprayed or treated with anything while at the tree farm, it could leak into the water that they are drinking. I would gate off the tree, or cover the top of the stand with aluminum foil. Good luck!