Please Help- Cat swallowed...

[December27JJB]

My cat just swallowed a rubber band. It was rather a thick one. What should we do? Let it pass or call the vet? He isnt choking or anything. He's swallowed a dime before and had to have a surgery. Any advice is appreciated. Thank you.

[philnikki]

I could have written this post! My cat has swalled a ton of rubber bands! She loves to chew on them and fetch them. The first time I called the vet, she told me to bring her in to make sure she didn't have an obstruction. Well, she didn't and it cost me $75. So, if it would make you feel better, go, if you think she is fine, go with your gut.

just mho :) Hope your kitty gets better!!!

[Nigellas]

I'd call the vet

[Sabrina]

I could have written this post! My cat has swalled a ton of rubber bands! She loves to chew on them and fetch them. The first time I called the vet, she told me to bring her in to make sure she didn't have an obstruction. Well, she didn't and it cost me $75. So, if it would make you feel better, go, if you think she is fine, go with your gut.

I would absolutely take her to the vet. An obstruction can kill a cat very quickly.:( Good luck!

[fuzzy]

I'd call my vet, personally. Just to be on the safe side. It may cost you, but a trip to the emergency vet/after hours clinic cost a LOT more.

[December27JJB]

Thank you all so much. We called the vet right after I posted and they said to come in. They're going to try to give him a shot to make him throw up the rubber band and if doesnt work they are going to feed him a LOT so he'd pass the rubber band. The last resort will be a surgery. Ugh, I am hoping either he throws it up or passes it. I know hes gonna be thrilled if he gets to eat a lot. He's at the vet's right now, probably throwing up, poor guy!

Again, thank you!!!

[Sadie]

Good luck, I hope that all is well with your kitty. If it makes you feel better, I have a cat who LOVES ponytail holders, and has swallowed a couple of them. I have to be extremely careful to not leave them lying around, and same thing with regular rubber bands. I have even fallen asleep before with a hairband looped around my wrist and woken up to find him trying to pull it off my hand. They can be sneaky!

[keska]

My cat loves rubber bands too, though he's not allowed near the regular kind. Luckily, he's never tried to eat one. I hope your kitty is OK.

[sarahh]

How's your kitty??

[nicole]

I was about to make a new thread on this subject, but I did a search first and found this thread.

My cat keeps finding rubber bands and eating them. I'm not sure where she's getting them. The only way we know that she's swallowed one is that she throws it up. My question is why in the world would a cat want to eat a rubber band?

[gi_janearng]

Because they like the feel of the material in their mouth and as they chew, it's natural to swallow.

My cat loves to play with rubber bands, but doesn't eat them, what I have to watch for is her finding tulle pieces off the toy mice and fish we buy her, she likes the sound and feel of that, so she will tear it off and mess with it.

[jnettie]

You know, my cats don't care about rubberbands, but they lick plastic bags...which can be equally bad if swollowed. While at a farmer's market, I was looking at the Cat Grass (you know, wheet grass they sell in little trays for cats), because I was considering getting this for my girls so they'd stay away from the houseplants.

Anyway, the guy said that sometimes cats are attracted to eating plastic bags because they are missing certain nutrients and getting them grass to eat sometimes helps.

At the time, I didn't think much about it because the ultimate reason I bought the grass was to keep them away from the houseplants. However, there's a chance there's something to what he was saying and your kitty is attracted to rubberbands because she's missing some nutrients.

Otherwise, I'd just be extremely careful about rubberbands in your house. Good luck!

[trefoil]

Blech. At least one of my cats likes to eat rubber bands. We try to keep the rubber bands put away, but every once in awhile I learn that one of the cats has found and eaten one (the litterbox gives her away).

[jimmysgirl424]

Rubber bands, huh?! My kitten hasn't eaten those, but if anyone can explain to me exactly why he wants to eat cigarettes (not smoked as well as butts), please do. It's driving us crazy and we have to be careful to empty our ashtrays constantly.

[jesvet]

Anyway, the guy said that sometimes cats are attracted to eating plastic bags because they are missing certain nutrients and getting them grass to eat sometimes helps.


Common myth. Cats with very balanced nutrition like to eat weird stuff too. :D
My cats love that cat grass stuff, and I figure a little fiber never hurt anyone.

[jnettie]

I didn't think that was the case, but I wasn't getting them the grass for that anyway. ;) I got the grass to keep them away from my houseplants!

[nicole]

I heard that cats lick plastic bags (my cat does this too) because they use some kind of animal fat in their production (ew)

The cat that eats the rubber bands and licks the plastic bags didn't give a hoot about the cat grass (which I think is wheat) or something. She'll eat an aloe plant though, and they have spikes! :rolleyes: