so its been about 53 hours since my cat ate a hair tie. shes eating and drinking normally. no problems what so ever. but she still hasnt passed it. i called the vet today and they said i should take her to an emergency. im scared thats gonna be really expensive though. i may take her tomorrow if she still hasnt passed it yet. im wondering if this has happened to anyone and how long it took to pass the hair tie, or any object?
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my cat ate a hair tie!!!
- Thread starter shebaa
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Yes, I have had this happen before with both hair ties and other objects (curling ribbon is banned from my house!)
I've been lucky that only one of my cats has needed a vet visit for this and that was a 2 AM trip to the e-clinic. He didn't require surgery, but he did have some major tummy issues to contend with afterward.
The fact that she is eating and drinking normally is good. Has she pooped any since eating the hair tie?
I've been lucky that only one of my cats has needed a vet visit for this and that was a 2 AM trip to the e-clinic. He didn't require surgery, but he did have some major tummy issues to contend with afterward.
The fact that she is eating and drinking normally is good. Has she pooped any since eating the hair tie?
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It may be expensive but if you wait any longer it may get worse fast. I am worried about the hair tie cutting into the intestine. I think she'd only show symptoms once she was in bad shape. Did you call the Vet after she ate it? They may have given her something to vomit it back up. I don't think that will work now though, too far along. Did it have a metal clasp on it?
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i called the vet today. she ate it on tuesday. our clinic said to take her to emergency. i called the emergency and said since shes not having any symptoms just to keep an eye on her and bring her once she started vomiting. they said xrays would cost $350! that is insane!!
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no it did not have a metal. it was elastic hair tie. the tech at our clinic seemed worried but the tech at the emergency clinic didnt so i dont know what to do 
you're right, waiting longer could make things worse and more expensive.
you're right, waiting longer could make things worse and more expensive. 
First off, take some deep breaths. I have three idjits who love hair ties and rubber bands. Now, since they are bigger than what they can pass it's obviously an issue. I'm assuming she's normal right now? (It's 3/10 at 9:29pm on my side). Second, get some cat laxative or some kind of cat lubricant to help coat her stomach more. Pumpkin works too. Make sure she stays hydrated because it will cause diarrhea (mild to moderate in most cases). I'd triple check the poo just in case because it's past the 48 hour mark, but I've also seen 'heavy' small objects stay in a stomach for up to a week without causing a problem.
I also suggest calling around to see if there might be a place where you can get a cheaper price on an xray. The band might not show up, but it will show a blockage if there is one. Also, do you have care credit? If not, I really recommend getting it. http://www.carecredit.com/ It's a credit card, yes, but I have found it comes in handy (mines solely dedicated to my heart murmur cat). You don't actually need the physical card to be able to use it.
I also suggest calling around to see if there might be a place where you can get a cheaper price on an xray. The band might not show up, but it will show a blockage if there is one. Also, do you have care credit? If not, I really recommend getting it. http://www.carecredit.com/ It's a credit card, yes, but I have found it comes in handy (mines solely dedicated to my heart murmur cat). You don't actually need the physical card to be able to use it.
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its 8:09 where i am. and shes still doing good. where can i get laxative? is it at pet stores? im on ssi/disability so i dont qualify for care credit. my credit is not high enough. its been 56 hours since she ate it
I think there is very little danger from the hair band except for the blockage, and you would know about it. She won't poop anymore at all and will be in pain, especially in her abdomen. Then you should take her to the vet. There is help available for vet costs, and there are links on this site.
Yes, it is at any pet store, even a walmart might carry it (that's a toss up). Just stay away from the Hartz brand. Pumpkin, pure (like you can get a small can in the baby food isle) also works. Also, DreamerRose is correct about help to cover vet costs, though I am not an expert on that (I'm sorry you can't get carecredit). Just watch for signs of it might being blocked, but I say don't worry about it. Like I said, I have three who love to eat things not for them, and only once had I needed to take one to the ER.
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GREAT NEWS!! my cat passed the hair tie! YAY!!
she passed it sometime yesterday at noon and today at noon. i normally clean out her litter box every other day but ive been doing that every day around the same time she ate the tie. i gave her canned food yesterday and normally give it to her once a month and/or on special days (birthday, vday-christmas etc lol) and since she eats that stuff like she hasnt eaten in weeks i figured it would help her pass it. do you think it helped?
she passed it sometime yesterday at noon and today at noon. i normally clean out her litter box every other day but ive been doing that every day around the same time she ate the tie. i gave her canned food yesterday and normally give it to her once a month and/or on special days (birthday, vday-christmas etc lol) and since she eats that stuff like she hasnt eaten in weeks i figured it would help her pass it. do you think it helped?
This is WONDERFUL news!!
Yes, wet food has a high moisture content and the food you fed may also be higher in fiber than the dry, which would certainly help push things through her system.
There's a lot of big advocates for wet food here, even if it's just a little fed each day. It helps with a cat's overall water intake.
I'm also going to add that it's a good idea to scoop a cat's litter box at least once a day. Good at preventing future avoidance issues, plus it cuts down on the litter box smell for both you and your cat.
Hopefully there will be no more poop monitoring days for you!
Yes, wet food has a high moisture content and the food you fed may also be higher in fiber than the dry, which would certainly help push things through her system.
There's a lot of big advocates for wet food here, even if it's just a little fed each day. It helps with a cat's overall water intake.
I'm also going to add that it's a good idea to scoop a cat's litter box at least once a day. Good at preventing future avoidance issues, plus it cuts down on the litter box smell for both you and your cat.
Hopefully there will be no more poop monitoring days for you!
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Sheba and i thank you for help/advice
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Great news! I am glad it went out the other end. I've not ever had a cat completely pass something they should not have eaten. It has always came back out the same way it went it. I'm really glad it got through alright. Any pictures of her you might post? So we can see this little kitty who has made her keeper worry.
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- #18
Yay! I'm glad she passed it! And she's such a cutie too!
