Almost Horror Story/cat Proofing Reminder

ArtNJ

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We have an almost never used room, door stays closed. There is a sewing machine in there that gets used once every 4 months or so, and its never cat proof. I *KNOW* the cat cant be allowed in there unsupervised. I go in there to stretch for a run because we recently removed most of our upstairs carpet. Cat came in while I was in the middle of a stretch and I figured "as long as I pay attention". But I did not. Five seconds later -- just five -- I hear chewing noises and look back at the cat -- who now has a sewing needle dangling from his mouth. After a chase around the house, it turns out that the needle was attached to 14 inches of thread. Remarkable, though it appeared to have gone down his throat, the thread came out with little resistance when I pulled on the needle and no apparent harm done - although, freaky enough to get 14 inches of swallowed thread attached to a needle. That would have been exploratory surgery at best if swallowed I assume.

Looked away for 5 seconds...
 

di and bob

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Cat's tongues are designed to pull food/prey towards the throat, and unfortunately anything else that is in the mouth. You are so very lucky to have been present when your curious cat played with his newfound string. Thank you so much for your post, we need frequent reminders of the dangers found in seemingly innocent situations! You are so lucky to have seen him so quickly!
 

rubysmama

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So glad your cat is ok. And thanks for the reminder that everything is a toy to a cat, and that some "toys" can be very dangerous.
 

Kflowers

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That was so close. It's really hard when you're trying your best and slip. But kit is safe, tell yourself that every time the nightmare wakes you up.

I put all thread spools, needles, and dental floss in old instant coffee jars (plastic the labels soak off) with a screw on lid. Same for safety pins. I have a smaller snap top container for straight pins. Scissors stay in drawers.
 

inkysmom

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My former friend/coworker had one of her cats not acting right for weeks. Not eating well, occasionally throwing up, mysterious infection. Brought her to two vets but tefised a lot of tests to keep costs down, got her antibiotics.
Finally weeks later agrees to an x rays. Poor cat had a needle lodged in her throat pr esophagus for weeks from when my friend was hemming pants to start a new job.
Stupid woman didn't keep track of her needles and then was too cheap to let the cat be properly diagnosed and let her suffer for weeks.
I know I don't sound very sympathetic but during those weeks she had plenty of money to buy other things. The cat just wasn't a priority.
She also buys expensive purebreed cats from internet sites then sells or gives them away months later because she decides she has too many cats or they fight or pee on her furniture or are inconvenient. No such thing as a forever home. And if she can't afford vet care then she shouldn't be buying new expensive purebreed cats. Especially wben she's giving away others or surrendering some to shelters and letting her one old cat eat needles and suffer for weeks.
She's always talking about her cats eating things they shouldn't. It's called .put away dangerous objects.
She's very irresponsible and shouldn't own animals. Her dog is untrained and mounts other dogs at the park then she screams at owners of large dogs that they shouldn't bring large aggressive dogs in the park . When their dogs did nothing at all and her dog is the obnoxious one. She hates dobermans and pit bulls just because they exist.
So that's why she's a former friend.
 

betsygee

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Oh, what a story! I'm so glad it turned out well. And as others have said, thanks for the reminder that everything has to be cat-proofed!
 
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ArtNJ

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Some people shouldn't have animals for sure - inkysmom inkysmom . I do have sympathy to good people that make mistakes. I made this one -- looked away for 5 seconds when I knew the cat wasn't in a safe place. And unfortunately my brother made a fatal mistake years ago, assuming that a closed tub of handyman glue (or whatever it was) was safe. It wasn't -- drippings on the side. He should have known better -- but I can how it was an easy mistake to make given the closed tub. A little paranoia is important.
 
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inkysmom

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I wasn't at all trying to compare your innocent mistake with my selfish former friend. And I'm sorry if I gave that impression, it certainly wasn't what I meant at all!
I've made plenty of mistakes over the years. My beautiful Maine coon mix has to have surgery for a blockage because my dog chewed up yet another toy and the stuffing was all over the floor. Lovey likes to eat stuffing, hair, paper, strings, etc. Before I could clean up the demolished toy he ate the stuffing and got a blockage. I took him to the ER when he was throwing up nonsnon-. X rays didn't show it so they sent him home. Had to bring him back the next day for an ultrasound and he was much worse and weaker. By then I'd found some vomit with stiffstu in it so was able to insist he stay.
I've also accidentally overdosed him on opiates for pain, either used the wrong size syringe or misread it and gave him triple the dose by mistake, twice in a day. When I finally realized it I panicked and called the vet hospital. He was fine, jusr very sleepy.
Then I accidentally gave him his ear drops in his mouth. He's on a bunch of medication now because of cancer so I had the ear syringes separate, but he thrashed and fought and cuffed me so much the syringes all got mixed together.
Luckily he was fine from that too. He's pretty tough but I've used up at least three of his nine lives I think.
I've also had cats sneak out and once Lovey snuck into the bathroom just before I went away for a day or two and spent two days in there. He had water and kitty litter nut nno food. That's four lives;
With cats especially it's easy to make mistakes, they're small, fast and sneaky!
My ninety pound dog just can't hide in as many places no matter how much he might try.
 

lalagimp

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I've also accidentally overdosed him on opiates for pain, either used the wrong size syringe or misread it and gave him triple the dose by mistake, twice in a day. When I finally realized it I panicked and called the vet hospital. He was fine, jusr very sleepy.
Then I accidentally gave him his ear drops in his mouth...
I forgot about that.

And my boyfriend put ear drops in his own eye once.
 

lalagimp

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We need to upgrade all the window screens whenever we stop renting.
Bad habit of Tommy either breaking the mesh, or popping the entire thing out of the window. We found him on the roof once. Wasn't our roof. We were a in a unit. Right now we have a broken down bird cage in panels, covering all the windows that get opened around the house.
 

inkysmom

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Lalagimp I'm sorry but I laughed when I redr that. :)

That must have hurt your boyfriend's eye though.

I have all my pets' medications on different shelves and different places from each other's, and from my own. Still terrified I'll accidentally give the wrong meds to the wrong animal or myself! But meds for a ninety pound dog or human dose could probably kill a nine or eleven pound cat.

The medicine I take for migraines causes mental confusion, forgetfulness and trouble with word finding. So I feel stupid but it's better than awful migraines all the time.
When I don't sleep enough, which is always I can't always remember if I've given meds or not. Scary to have to worry about accidentally taking or giving pets meds twice.
My little cat likes to make holes in all the screens to let flies in so he can catch and eat them . And he's allergic to flies. Sigh.
 

Kflowers

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When you have a number who are getting medicines, and especially if you are taking some yourself, part of the solution is the problem. You've got to put them up where the guys can't get to them. They tend to be in small bottle with tiny print, the print is somehow smaller if you too are sick.

You might try this. Put each pill bottle in a large jar (I use instant coffee jars, or jelly jars - screw on tops.) Label each jar with the name of the medicine, who gets it, when they get it. When you got the Rx filled and where. You don't need to put the vet's number on the jar because it's right there under the Emergency vet's number on your fridge.
 

Tami1891

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Ok so... I just went through this over the past 24 hours. My daughters kitten ( who is very busy) swallowed a sowing needle ( thread attached). She was historical. We tried to retrieve it before it went down... he wasn’t having it. So I immediately did some reading. And while tons of sites said vet ASAP... we couldn’t ( due to time). So I did more research... I read where tuna soaked bread will help ( I gave him 4 pieces). He got an extra can of kitten food ( 3 total). I checked his throat, tongue, and milk ( bc I knew he’d drink it over water). And we waited. I prayed last night. This morning I made sure he mewed for me. I gave him more tuna soaked bread. His attitude was as it always is. I made sure I could hold him with no pain. He was fine. I contacted a vet. He said if he’s acting fine, eating and drinking he should be ok. To continue to watch for things like blood in stools, loss of appetite, not drinking, change in personality. None of that ever happened! I checked his stools this morning. No needle! I checked his stools this afternoon... AND THERE IT WAS. It was safely surrounded in stool ( and a little piece of fabric he must have swallowed from her kit). He was completely fine. He never knew it was there. And he is still running around like crazy... like always. We love Leo. And we are so glad he’s ok. My daughter has learned ( the hard way) to be more careful with her supplies.
2EF5987B-8630-4EF5-AFEE-6534509A8B44.jpeg
 
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ArtNJ

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I am glad your cat is ok! Incredible story. Sometimes we get so lucky. I found a hook from a Christmas ornament inside a poop once, and I just have no idea how that is even biologically possible. Incidents like this (plus the ability to survive big falls) is probably where the whole cats have 9 lives thing comes from I suspect.

I respectfully submit we could have done without the picture though :flail:
 
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rubysmama

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So glad your kitten is ok Tami1891 Tami1891 . Welcome to TCS, btw. :wave2:

And A ArtNJ , a Christmas ornament hook! How scary! Once I adopted Ruby I changed all my tree ornaments from hooks to twine, just to be safe..
 
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