Cat ate feather

londonthecat

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Hello everyone!
Sorry for asking another question, but London did something again. I turn away for one second and he swallowed a feather. It is synthetic and from his favorite toy. I’m not sure if the quill was sharp. It was a medium sized feather and he swallowed the whole thing. He hasn’t thrown up yet, as he ate it about 10 min ago. Should I take him to the vet? If not, what are some signs I need to watch out for?
Thank you for reading!
Hopefully I can help London soon.
 

Caspers Human

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Exactly how big was it? In inches or centimeters?

If it was small enough to fit on the palm of your hand (2 to 3 in. long) it'll probably be okay if your cat doesn't have any other problems.
It'll probably pass through his digestive system in a couple-three days.

Do you have a 24-hr. pet emergency hotline in your area? You could always give them a call just for reassurance.

He, very well, might barf it up in a while... or it could come out the other end.

Be on the lookout in case it does come out the other end. You might need to "help" it come out! :fear:

Betcha' it's going to tickle like crazy when it comes out! ;) ;) ;)
 

danteshuman

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Because it is synthetic I would take your cat to the vet. They will probably give your cat a strong laxative. If you have more feathers on the toy, take it with you to the vet.

Your cat may not need the vet but this strikes me as one of those better safe then sorry scenarios.
 

Caspers Human

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It depends on what people mean when they say "synthetic."

If it was made out of something like Nylon or PETE, no problem. It'll pass out on its own.
The bristles on your toothbrush are made of Nylon. Plastic Coke bottles are made from PETE.

Both, Nylon and PETE can be drawn into threads and woven into cloth. Your fleecy windbreaker is probably made of recycled PETE that came from used Coke bottles.

I highly doubt that any manufacturer would make cat toys out of toxic materials. They'd find themselves in hot water so fast their heads will spin!
 

amullins17

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Hello everyone!
Sorry for asking another question, but London did something again. I turn away for one second and he swallowed a feather. It is synthetic and from his favorite toy. I’m not sure if the quill was sharp. It was a medium sized feather and he swallowed the whole thing. He hasn’t thrown up yet, as he ate it about 10 min ago. Should I take him to the vet? If not, what are some signs I need to watch out for?
Thank you for reading!
Hopefully I can help London soon.
If he seems okay, I truly wouldn’t worry about it. Outdoor cats eat birds, and any approved cat toy you buy will be much less harmful than anything from a real bird when it comes to bones, sharp points etc. They wouldn’t be included otherwise.

My kitty destroys and shreds and eats the feathers on her toys constantly. I just assume she’s swallows them and then two days later there’s a suspiciously long poop in her litter box…

If you have a good vet and need some reassurance, call. But don’t worry unnecessarily or think you’re a bad catmom. You’re not.
 

danteshuman

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It is the synthetic part that has me worried. You can google what the signs that your cat has a bowel obstruction. The ones I remember are pain or if the cat stops eating.

When my cat Jackie decided to be a kamikaze idiot and ate about 6 inches of a thick bouncy cord off his wand toy I gave him olive oil. I gave him 1/2 of a teaspoon of olive oil mixed into his wet food 1-2 times a day until he passed it on the third day. However those were very stressful 3 days! I wish I had just taken him to the vet and asked her to fish it out of his stomach or given him a super laxative! I had to do the olive oil thing when my idiot bit and snapped off 2/3’s of a quip ..... I had to make sure my idiot passed it. Don’t feel bad about your cat eating the feather. I have to hide all string, rubber bands, q-tips & wand toys with a string from my cat. All of those items are safely stored or tossed in the trash can with a lid because I can’t trust my guy. 🤦🏻‍♀️

⭐ Protip: put their poop in a ziplock bag so you can examine/squish it without having to touch it.
 

Norachan

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Protip: put their poop in a ziplock bag so you can examine/squish it without having to touch it.
Oh, you're a genius!

londonthecat londonthecat the toy probably isn't toxic, because toy manufacturers understand that cats are going to bite and chew the toys. Are you sure it's a synthetic feather, not a natural feather dyed bright colours? Natural feathers are will be much easier to come by and cheaper than a plastic or nylon replica. I think it's more likely to be a natural, dyed feather.
 
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londonthecat

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Oh thank all of you for your answers!
It was small enough to fit in my hand, and I agree that the cat toy manufacturers wouldn't use a toxic substance.
He does have an appetite and is acting normal, so I'm just monitoring him right now.

Thanks for the tip about inspecting his poop, that will definitely help!
 
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