Why did my cat vomit green hairballs with a string? Should I worry?

Yes you always have to be worried with potential foreign body ingestions. Hair ties are pretty small so the chance that they can cause blockages are slim, but they can still get stuck in the intestines and cause problems There are two possibilities at this point: 1) There is another hair tie still in there ( this will take some deductive reasoning in your part) that is stuck. 2) All hair ties have been expelled and your pet now just has an upset stomach due to dietary indiscretion. The odds are good because it is very small and had no sharp edges. With small foreign bodies it is recommended feed the pet a bulking agent like 1/2-1 loaf of bread or canned food that will help bind any additional objects within the GI tract and potentially help expel them out of the system. Good luck with your kitty and I hope that things will progress uneventful in the next couple of days. - Dr.H

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!

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)

If she only vomited one time and seems perfectly fine then I don't think there is a cause for concern. If the vomiting continues, she has a decreased appetite, or is lethargic then she should be examined by a vet for treatment.

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.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Tatum! The vomiting could be from residual irritation from the ribbon or there could be more ribbon that is causing an obstruction. It is also possible it is completely unrelated to the ribbon in general: intestinal parasites, hair ball, ate something else gross (plant, etc), pancreatitis, food allergy/intolerance, reaction to a new food/treat/table food. You can continue to watch him but if he continues to vomit or stops eating that is an emergency and he needs to see a vet for an exam and an X-ray to check for a blockage. I wish you the best!

Thanks for the images. It doesn't appear to be blood. Blood in vomitus is usually much darker. That appears to be a mix of chewed or partially digested food, bile and hair. Monitor for continued vomiting, lethargy or loss of appetite. These are symptoms that should be addressed by your veterinarian. Consider a short fast, maybe 12 hours, then offer a bland diet in small, frequent amounts for a day or two. Transition slowly to the regular diet afterwards. If Luna will allow, increase brushing or grooming to decrease the amount of hair ingested. You can also use Laxatone or PetroMalt paste to help her pass hairballs.Find either in the local Petco.