Mittens ate an ear.

[kittyl0ve4]

You know those little toy mice you get in a package with all different colors? Mittens loooves those mice. She lost nine of them in a matter of five days. Its so cute when she plays with them.. She bats them around, picks them up with her mouth and throws them, and she rolls around on the floor holding it in her paws and trying to bunny kick it..

Anyway, she found one tonight, and she was going crazy with it.. When she found it the ears were intact. After a while I noticed a little pink ear on the floor next to the mouse by her paws. She was licking her lips, and I went over to look for the other ear. It was gone. I guess she ate it. And I'm wondering if this is a serious issue? Will the acid in her stomach dissolve it or will it pass thru with her food? Should I worry? BF's mom said she will be fine, but I am still kind of worried.

 

[mystik spiral]

Holland loves those mice too, if they're the ones I'm thinking of. They are so small, I don't think you should have any trouble. And from my experience, you'll probably find the ear someday when you're looking under a piece of furniture. Every time I think Holland has eaten something I feel is dangerous to her, it turns out that she was only playing with it... popcorn for example...

Most kitty toys these days are made "safe" for our little ones.

ETA: Those little mice are the only thing I can get Holland to play "fetch" with... her Aunt Kasey got her a 12-pack of 'em when I adopted her and they are still her favorite toy ever.

 

[lovemahkitties]

i think she'll probably be okay, sounds like a very small object. i think the worry is more if it's string or something which can wrap around or partially catch inside, or if it's something large enough to cause an obstruction.

lola use to love clothing strings when she was young. she'd gnaw on sweatshirt strings, shoelaces, etc. one day i saw something neon pink embedded inside her poop in the litterbox.... it was a 3 inch length of my bathing suit string (which she had pulled out of the drawer to munch). thankfully, it travelled thru okay!

 

[kailie]

Oh yes, I have had that happen here as well and have never had a problem. Most of my kitties like to try to tear their toys apart so I have been trying to find toys that are a little more durable.

 

[mrblanche]

I'd be a lot more concerned about the tails on them than the ears, which are smaller than a pea.

 

[strange_wings]

If it's the really tiny fur mice, the ear will be pretty much harmless. You should however be de-eying, removing noses, tails, larger ears, etc from toy mice. It's just safer that way.


Personally I don't like the really tiny fur mice. Years ago I had a cat somehow get one of those completely in her mouth and she started to choke on it. I had to pull it out. I prefer all toys now to be too large to completely fit in a cats mouth like that.

 

[aileen06]

I do the same about taking anything off that can be removed ears, tails, eyes. Princess liked eating the tails off those mice. Thankfully they came out naturally! I don't give Her those anymore because She likes to chew them so much I was afraid she would swallow one.

 

[kittyl0ve4]

Thanks for the replies everyone.. I'm glad I don't have to worry. I was only worried cause the ears look a lot smaller to me when they're attached to the mouse. When she got them off the one that was left looked like it could cause an obstruction if it got positioned the wrong way in her intestines.

These mice don't have eyes. I think they're cardboardish with colorful fur. They only have ears and tails.. After this I will probably start taking the ears off and cutting off the tails if you are suggesting I do so. I don't want anything to get caught inside of any of my kitties, I would be screwed if that happened.

 

[darlili]

When I first got Dharma, I picked up a pack of those teeny mice - which she loves - to put into her mouth. No more teeny mice. Then I realized she also likes eating the tales - now I de-tail.

I was fortunate - we didn't seem to have any issues, and the vet told me what to look out for. But, boy, it's like having a toddler around all the time!

Good luck!

 

[kittyl0ve4]

Originally Posted by darlili

But, boy, it's like having a toddler around all the time!

Ain't that the truth!

Even though your posts eased my worry.. She ate her breakfast, lunch, but when I fed her dinner tonight she walked away. She does this sometimes, so I don't think its related to the ear.