My kitten ate string and is now lethargic. Does she need a vet?

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.

What you are describing does fit with an intestinal obstruction. The only other thing that we also commonly see is vomiting. The most concerning thing is that you report that he is acting extremely lethargic. Cats are very good at hiding their pain, so when they get this depressed, it indicates a severe problem. If you also think that he may have eaten a small toy, then I would recommend taking him to the vet as soon as possible. It would be less concerning if he was still active and eating, but a bowel obstruction can cause severe pain and quickly lead to life-threatening complications. I hope that helps and Binx gets better soon.

Hi and thanks for posting on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Ingested string is a very serious concern as it has the potential to cause an obstruction in the gastrointestinal tract which may require surgery. You will need to visit your nearest emergency veterinarian to induce vomiting as soon as possible. After 2 hours, inducing vomiting will have little to no effect as the string will have likely passed through her stomach. Best of luck to you and Oreo!

Poor Ekko! These signs can be caused by an obstruction (especially if he ingested bones and feathers) or a toxicity (perhaps something that the bird had eaten or made the bird sick). I recommend having Ekko seen by a vet as soon as possible to figure out what is going on and begin the appropriate treatment.

Poor Willow! It does sound like she isn't feeling well. It would be best to bring her to a vet ASAP to check for issues such as a foreign body from eating any kitty litter, GI upset, illnesses, etc that could be causing the symptoms you are seeing, especially if this has been ongoing for more than a day.

Hello, and thanks for your question about Luna. This history concerns me - I start to get concerned any time a cat skips more than 1 meal, and if Luna is also lethargic and with the history of eating foreign objects, my concern for a foreign body / GI obstruction is very high. I recommend having Luna seen by your vet as soon as possible. Even if they don't think it's necessary to take her to surgery, helping her stay hydrated can do wonders for helping foreign material pass successfully through the GI tract! Hope this helps, and all the best to you and Luna!

I strongly recommend getting your cat seen by your vet right away. Lethargy is a worrying sign after such an incident and she must continue to eat or she can develop liver disease in a matter of days. There may be more hair that cannot get back out or that may be causing an intestinal blockage. If this is the case, without treatment it can be life-threatening. Your vet will do an exam, x-rays, possibly lab work, and base don these results will be better able to tell you what is wrong and how best to treat it.