My cat may have eaten a needle? What should I do?

[marissabella]

So, tonight I was sitting at the kitchen table with my cat. My cat was resting under the table and curling between the legs of the chairs, but then he was just smelling the rug, so I think he could have eaten a pin or needle because my mother was helping me sew a few days ago at the kitchen table. The rug has since been vacuumed and the needles were put into storage, however the chair he was sniffing under held nets for doors and a needle could have fallen into them, fallen off of them under the table and into my cat's mouth. 

I even checked the floor before letting him go under the table. After he was sniffing, I moved him into another room and carefully got out one needle from the sewing container. I used the needle as a model and saw what it would look like on the floor and it was noticeable, but if you were just skimming the floor (as I was), you wouldn't see it and I am not sure if it fell after I checked. Call me cray, but I even offered him the blunt side of the needle to see if he showed interest, and he stiffed it and backed away. I offered him a kitty food kibble as well and had a similar reaction, so I think that failed. I am just not sure what to do.. I took my eyes off of him for one second.. he seems to be eating/drinking the same though.. am I just freaking out? My cat usually doesn't go into the kitchen though, because of exposed outlets near the sink and bread container and the one time I let him sit with me, this happens... How long before signs show? I've tried to brush it off, but spent the last 2 hours thinking about it...

 

[sparks17]

If you think your kitty ate a needle, you should take them to the emergency vet ASAP.  Needles can perforate their esophagus or intestines and cause serious damage, and you would need to have an xray done to confirm if he swallowed one. Though it seems like there's a good chance he didn't swallow one, it's better to be safe than sorry, and it would give you peace of mind as well. 

Please keep us updated on what happens, and I hope all ends well with your kitty! 

 

[momto3cats]

I think your cat would be in obvious pain if he had swallowed a needle. I doubt a cat would eat a needle unless they had swallowed thread that was attached to it & had to swallow the needle with it, and in that case there would be symptoms pretty quickly I think. Try not to worry, just keep an eye on him. If he seems fine, eating normally & such, there is most likely no problem.

 

[artiemom]

This happened to a cat of mine when I was younger. 

I came home from work and my mom told me the cat was vomiting. I was watching her and she kept throwing up a string like structure. It was weird. She would vomit, the string came out covered in mucous, and then it went right back in!! It was as if it was snake coming in and out or that her insides were coming out. 

My dad was working, my mom did not drive. I called the Vet.. He said to bring her right in.

The Vet said he knew exactly what it was. He opened her mouth wide, and there was a sewing needle with a thread still attached to it, imbedded in her soft palate!

He took a pair of clamps and just pulled the needle out...out came the string! The cat was fine after that.

As it turned out, my mom was hand sewing earlier that day. Pumpkin was playing with a thread which had dropped on the floor. As it turned out she swallowed the thread with the attached needle. She was very lucky that it got imbedded in her soft palate.

In short, When in doubt-----Take to the VET ASAP! at least for a x-ray to determine if there is a foreign body...