Need Thoughts

[wealthy1]

On Tuesday, Buddy ate a good piece of my tank top strap (wide and thick). I feed him some pumpkin and he had several bowel movements today.

Well I was watching him to make sure there were no issues. However, he poop’d and it was hanging from his fanny. I calmed him down, he was rattle, and noticed that it was a piece of fabric that was attached to the poop.

I cut the string and noticed that it was a piece of my tank top. I can’t find the tank top strap anywhere, so I know he consumed it. His behavior hasn’t changed he’s eating and playing.

Should I take him to the vet or wait and see?

This is the tank top.

 

[neely]

I would most definitely call the vet. That looks like a large portion of your tank top strap that is missing and it would concern me.

Please keep us posted on your vet's advice/report.

 

[blumarine916]

My cat has a bad (dangerous) habit of chewing on plastic bags. Most of the time she vomits out the contents and occasionally I find them in her stools. Just watch your cat’s behavior. Maybe he didn’t actually swallow all of the fabric If he appears lethargic or keeps vomitting then take him to the vet.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. I am worried that the remainder of that strap is in his intestines and could cause all sorts of problems. Take him to the vet, and at least they could x-ray the bowels to see if they can determine if the strap is in there and whether or not they think he might be able to poop it out.

 

[Margret]

It won't show up on X-ray. I had a cat who swallowed the string a roast had been tied with. The first we knew about it was weeks later when she became seriously ill - not eating or pooping and basically starving to death. Took her to the vet, and nothing showed up on X-ray so he ended up doing exploratory surgery. It turned out the string had straightened out in her intestines and cut into them. She had a perforated intestine, which got infected (for obvious reasons). It took a good deal of home nursing to get her through the resultant peritonitis, but I managed it and she lived to a ripe old age.

You're ahead of the game knowing what your cat has swallowed, and it helps that it's not as narrow as string, but unless there's something in that tank top (metallic thread for instance) that will show up on X-ray don't waste your money. Do ask your vet what to do, however.

Margret

 

[FeebysOwner]

It won't show up on X-ray.

Hmm, that's weird, usually foreign material - even something like ribbon - will show up as an irregularity in the bowel, especially if it is doing any kind of damage to/distorting any part of the bowel. I had a friend whose cat ate ribbon that was identified through an x-ray. So sorry that didn't work in your case, although it doesn't sound like it would have changed the outcome. So, glad she made a full recovery!

wealthy1 , as Margret said, ask the vet what tests are appropriate in this case, and get them done as soon as is possible! Better safe than sorry.

 

[wealthy1]

I’m at the vet now and they just complete the xrays.

Margret is correct it didn’t show up in the X-ray. Wasted money!

However his intestines are leaning to the one side which has the vet concern. So they are going to an anemia to help remove the excess gas and poop in his system to see what comes out.

Something tells me that was a waste of money as well and I should have continue to feed him some pumpkin or probiotic until it was clear.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Sorry to hear about the x-ray. But, at least the enema might help if there is something in there that his body couldn't get out by it's own. I will always stick with the adage I posted before: better safe than sorry.

 

[Kflowers]

X-rays do show some non-metal things. We saw all of SG's breakfast in her stomach with an x-ray. A sonogram might show more, we've seen undigested cat litter in a cat's stomach, and tumors with them.

 

[wealthy1]

Sorry to hear about the x-ray. But, at least the enema might help if there is something in there that his body couldn't get out by it's own. I will always stick with the adage I posted before: better safe than sorry.

No I agree. Better safe than sorry. My gut is telling me they aren’t going to find anything.

I’m playing guess the total cost with myself.

 

[FeebysOwner]

I hope everything comes out OK (no pun intended, really). Let us know if they find anything. And, keep us posted on his progress.

 

[wealthy1]

Spoke to the vet. They cleared out some of the feces but not all. So they gave him another anemia and he won’t poop. So he will have diarrhea tonight. I’m closing my bedroom door tonight. So they are going to give him some fluids and give him some anti vomit medicine. His intestines went back to normal.

But overall Buddy is fine.

The vet recommend feliway to help deter behavior.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Thanks for the update. Sounds promising, so far.

Uh, 'closing by bedroom door tonight' - so he is in or out? Just curious by what you meant by that.

 

[wealthy1]

Thanks for the update. Sounds promising, so far.

Uh, 'closing by bedroom door tonight' - so he is in or out? Just curious by what you meant by that.

Buddy (and Missy) are indoor cats. He likes to sleep on the ottoman in my bedroom. But if he’s going to have diarrhea I prefer he stays out of my bedroom just in case of accidents.

Thank you everyone for the advice. I feel better knowing there’s nothing wrong with him. Although I still can’t find my shirt strap!

 

[jen]

PLEEEEASE don't think of the xray as wasted money. It is so much better to be safe than sorry. Even if the specific strap didn't show up sometimes it can help to see where the intestines look abnormal or something looks off. Ever since I dealt with a Doberman who swallowed a corn cob on 4th of July and the owner didn't think anything of it until a week later. At that point the dog was not eating and lost some weight. The xray showed the corn cob thankfully but they waited so long that it basically killed the intestines and the dog did not make it. So it is better safe than sorry. You knew the strap went in and not all came out so it is good you had that xray done! Hope your kitty will be ok.

 

[wealthy1]

PLEEEEASE don't think of the xray as wasted money. It is so much better to be safe than sorry. Even if the specific strap didn't show up sometimes it can help to see where the intestines look abnormal or something looks off. Ever since I dealt with a Doberman who swallowed a corn cob on 4th of July and the owner didn't think anything of it until a week later. At that point the dog was not eating and lost some weight. The xray showed the corn cob thankfully but they waited so long that it basically killed the intestines and the dog did not make it. So it is better safe than sorry. You knew the strap went in and not all came out so it is good you had that xray done! Hope your kitty will be ok.

You’re right. And I am grateful nothing is wrong with Buddy. But its the holidays and I’m traveling.......the great thing is at least i had the money to take care of him.

 

[wealthy1]

Update to the Update: So when I was at the Vet. The vet showed me an x-ray of Buddy’s intestines. The vet stated that there was poop and gas.

Well today, what the doctor thought was poop.....wasn’t. It was my twisted tank top strap. In perfect condition!

Buddy swallowed the thing whole. Welp! I’m thankful that it came out with no issues.

 

[Kflowers]

Yah!!! I'd get a second opinion on any other x-rays at that vet. Not everyone can read them, or read them well. It's an art as well as a skill.