Conference misery::feline_v1

    I hope your kitty manages to "get rid" of the string without surgery,
    poor critter!  Nebula ate a bunch of string once (it had been used
    to tie up meat rolls for a dinner party - was in a hurry and so
    tossed the strings in the trash instead of putting them in the locked
    garage trash and then forgot about them).  Luckily, it didn't stay
    down for long, though she made a real BIG mess throwing it up (and
    I thought hairballs were bad!), and she was fine afterwards. We've
    been a lot more careful with what trash can go in kitty-accessible
    wastebaskets since then, and the time she ate a bunch of aluminum
    foil something had been grilled on (which also came right back up
    - sometimes it is a blessing to have a part-Siamese kitty with the
    associated delicate digestion!).

    Unfortunatly, us cat owners have to pay carefull attention to our
    environments, more so than owners of other pets. Zach once ate a
    length of tinsel from our Christmass tree and although it passed
    thru OK it could have caused death as anything string-like could
    by wrapping around the intestines and blocking "the natural course
    of events" down there.

                
        I also  hope your cat is ok, but thinking about the situation,
        and reading these  replies  reminded me that my old tiger cat,
        George, was an absolute  fiend  for  tinsel  from the tree, no
        matter what I did.   It didn't seem to do him any harm, but he
        had one of the only decorated litter boxes around for miles!!
        
        Sandy
        

    I too hope your cat will be fine and surgery won't be necessary.
    
    I'm having similar problems with my cat, Bailey.  She has this affinity
    for eating my clothing.  I've been asking for help in discouraging
    this in note 469.  My wardrobe is getting smaller and smaller as
    my favorite sweaters, etc. keep becoming kitty cuisine (even if
    I've been extra good about putting them away).
    
    Bailey also got hold of a rubber band from the newspaper a few days
    ago.  I chased her into the bedroom where she stopped and looked
    at me as it slid down her throat.  I was in panic mode for a few
    days until I found the whole thing in the litter box.  We were very
    lucky that time.

    I came home from work one night to find my (then) 6-month old Aja
    to be *very* sick, gagging and trying to vomit. I took her to the
    vet who held her overnight.
    
    The next day I spoke to the vet who said a piece of string had been
    found in a stool and she was acting fine again. Wanting to make
    sure we didn't go through this again, I asked what color the string
    was in order to find whatever it was she was munching on.
    
    "It was brown, Mr. Cote."
    
    Of course...
    
    Edd

    I remember when my persian used to eat string.  To my amazement
    while playing with him with the string he gulped it right down.
    I didn't know what else to do except pull it up.   He gave up the
    fight and let me have it all.  After that no more playing with the
    strings..........we played hide and go seek.
    
    Sandy, what happen to George?????
    :-)
    
    Bobbi
    

        
        Aw, ol'  George has been gone to the Great Beyond for Cats for
        a long time now,  but  he  was  a great friend.  I've had dogs
        and/or birds since then, but Andy and I are looking to adopt a
        pair of Siamese kitties sometime in  the future.  I can hardly
        wait!! :^}
        
        Sandy
        

    A friend of mine had a cat who also swallowed string.  The vets
    advice to him was that under NO circumstances pull the string from
    either end of the cat which it was exiting from.  This could cause
    more damage than the string itself.

    Hope things workout (not a pun) for your cat.
    
    Joe
        

    
                         -< Update on Rascal >-
    
    Just an update on Rascal's progress...  She went into surgery
    late yesterday afternoon.  She was in for almost two hours.
    Four incisions were made - 1 in the stomach and 3 in the intestines.
    The Vet saved the string for me to see - yuck!  She's doing much
    better today.  We won't be able to take her home until next Monday.
    
    I want to thank you all for your help and support throughout this
    whole thing.  I really appreciate it!
    
    Thanks again,
    
    Elaine

    Re: 8
    
    Not to pull huh?  Well maybe he didn't swallow it completely or
    something because it came up very easily.  If there was tension
    I wouldn't have tried it.  Of course if it stop his breathing I
    would of been in real trouble........does anyone know how to do
    CPR on a cat or dog?  I had a card on how to do but I never did
    it myself.  Never had to though.
    
    Bobbi
    
    re: 9  Glad your cat is doing well.  
    
    :-)
    
    

    My cat had a great time pulling the thread FROM THE INSIDE
    OF MY SEWING MACHINE.  I'd come home and find it string into
    a gigantic spider web throughtout the house.  Great fun.
    
    I caught him a couple of time swallowing it, but luckily was
    able to pull it out in time with no problems.  Turns out my
    second cat succeeded in actually swallowing it.  The results
    all turned out ok in the litterbox, thankfully, after a day
    or two of having a "leash" from the other end! ;-)