String and Ribbon are For Presents Only

[a_loveless_gem]

I wasn't too sure where to post this and I really should know by now.

Anyway, this is a timely reminder and/or warning for members.

Don't leave string, ribbon or things similar of any length accessible to your kittens or cats. It can end up with a lot of worry for you and a rather large vet bill.

My ex-fiance's sister's cat, (following me?

), ate 2 metres of ribbon, (thats 6.5 ft). She arrived home to find the end of it hanging out of his mouth. She did try to get the ribbon out thinking that it was a small piece of ribbon only to find that it wasn't going to come out. Luckily she realised, (much to her horror), that it was 2 metres of ribbon.

This was after a day's work and the only vet surgery that was open was the emergency one at my old university. Several hours later after surgery, a cat was feeling very sorry for himself hooked up to an IV drip.

It was fortunate that the ribbon had not entered the intestine where the ribbon could have caused tearing and/or twisting of the intestines and a lot of pain.

The total cost of surgery and follow up treatments: Approximately AU$2500. That's US$1897.50 or 1543 Euro or 1052 GBP.

In short, a lot of money and one very unhappy cat.

 

[hissy]

I am just always alarmed when I read posters who let their cats play with hair ribbons, rubber bands, string, yarn, even dental floss. I have known cats that have had such items wrapped around the back of their tongue, swallowed a thread and needle, had to have emergency surgery because the plastic ribbon turned out to be toxic and was causing major problems (the cat subsequently died).

String, ribbon, hair ties, milk jug rings et al all look like harmless and fun cat toys and all have the potential to do great harm.

 

[rosiemac]

Thats so scary!

Animals have to be treat like children when it comes to things like that

I'll move it to Care and Grooming so the others can be warned

 

[elizwithcat]

Originally Posted by a_loveless_gem

I wasn't too sure where to post this and I really should know by now.

Anyway, this is a timely reminder and/or warning for members.

Don't leave string, ribbon or things similar of any length accessible to your kittens or cats. It can end up with a lot of worry for you and a rather large vet bill.

My ex-fiance's sister's cat, (following me?

), ate 2 metres of ribbon, (thats 6.5 ft). She arrived home to find the end of it hanging out of his mouth. She did try to get the ribbon out thinking that it was a small piece of ribbon only to find that it wasn't going to come out. Luckily she realised, (much to her horror), that it was 2 metres of ribbon.

This was after a day's work and the only vet surgery that was open was the emergency one at my old university. Several hours later after surgery, a cat was feeling very sorry for himself hooked up to an IV drip.

It was fortunate that the ribbon had not entered the intestine where the ribbon could have caused tearing and/or twisting of the intestines and a lot of pain.

The total cost of surgery and follow up treatments: Approximately AU$2500. That's US$1897.50 or 1543 Euro or 1052 GBP.

In short, a lot of money and one very unhappy cat.

That's one pricey ribbon.

 

[sunnicat]

They are so much like little babies. You child-proof your house, with cats you need to kitty-proof as well!

 

[purr]

Originally Posted by hissy

I am just always alarmed when I read posters who let their cats play with hair ribbons, rubber bands, string, yarn, even dental floss. I have known cats that have had such items wrapped around the back of their tongue, swallowed a thread and needle, had to have emergency surgery because the plastic ribbon turned out to be toxic and was causing major problems (the cat subsequently died).

String, ribbon, hair ties, milk jug rings et al all look like harmless and fun cat toys and all have the potential to do great harm.

My (ex) friend's daughter put a rubber band on one of her cat's paws, like a bracelet I guess, and my friend didn't notice until the cat couldn't walk on that paw. She took him to the vet and the vet had to surgically remove the rubber band because the skin had grown up around it.

SO SAD!

 

[rosiemac]

OMG thats terrible!, the poor cat

 

[cdubbie]

Thank you for the reminder.

Recently too, my friend's cat ate one of those smallish mice that come in multi-packs. Surgery cost $900 - and Hartz reimbursed her believe it or not! Remember to keep things away that are small enough for kitty to swallow.

My neighbor's cat ate a pearl necklace, and had to be put down (it had wrapped around the intestines). So sad.

Before I got my current cat I did a lot of reading about safety - and now I'm totally overprotective LOL. I know dental floss is one of the top dangerous things. I got a covered waste can - one of those heavy silver ones - so Smidge can never get into it and into trouble. That's where dental floss goes or anything else that's dangerous.

 

[babyharley]

We play with Harley with a string from a sweatshirt hood ONLY when we are around to play with him, I never leave him unattended with it! I'm always so afraid that it will get around his neck or something,

I get so overprotected with him sometimes, OKAY...all the time!

 

[lcf2015]

I won't allow linear dental floss in our house. Flossing wands and straight into a covered trash can afterward.