# HELP! I think Allegro ate a string!



## paperbacknovel (Jun 9, 2010)

My cat, Allegro, somehow got ahold of his toy (it's one of those feather teasers- a fishing pole with a long feather toy attached by a thin nylon cord) overnight, even though we put it away, and chewed through the cord right near the pole and again near the toy, so that there is a loose piece of nylon cord about 3 feet long somewhere. WE CAN'T FIND THE CORD. Could he have eaten all of it? He seems fine but I've heard of what happens when strings get knotted in intestines. 

He could have hidden it anywhere- do you think we should take him to the ER or keep looking for the cord? What if we don't find it?

I'm panicking here and trying not to cry.


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## paperbacknovel (Jun 9, 2010)

OK, Jake googled remedies, and one suggested petroleum jelly. We don't have that- but we have one better- Hairball remedy (petroleum-free flavored lubricant stuff that we got for Coda when she was having hairball issues). He just ate a LOT of it--it's chicken-flavored--so hopefully that will help him pass anything if he's eaten anything.


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## gunterkat (Aug 19, 2006)

Paws and fingers crossed for Allegro. 

What is it about the string on Da Bird that makes cats eat it?
rcat


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## Kattt (Dec 20, 2008)

He most likely hid it somewhere. Check under your couches and such. 3 foot long seems rather large for him to swallow, but you never know with cats!

Not to alarm you, but as you heard - the stories are very true. A friends cat swallowed a balloon ribbon, and she had no idea until about a week later, when she kept vomitting. The vet found nothing at all on the xrays, so they did surgery, and found the ribbon wrapped around her intestines and was cutting into her. The cat is completely healthy years later though.

So just keep a very close eye on him. If you notice any vomitting, or blood in his stool, take him to the vets immediately. I think as long as you see no signs of abnormal issues, he probably hid it somewhere. So keep searching, and maybe you'll find the cord somewhere so you can set your minds at ease. If you don't find it, give your vet a call in the morning.


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## Fran (Jan 9, 2008)

Alas! We have experience with eaten toys are our house!Luckily she responds to medication to make her vomit, so we've been able to avoid surgery.

The problem is the barbs on the tongue - once anything has gotten far enough into a cat's mouth, the barbs force the item further down, there is no way for the kitty to get it back out, so down it goes. 

We didn't start having trouble with Gracie until just recently. I think as she has matured from kitten to grown cat, the size of her jaws has increased to the point that old toys which were no problem before now can get too far into her mouth when she gnaws them. We have had to cull her toy basket, and now watch her like a hawk... 

At about $200 per emergency room visit, we have lots of incentive!...:roll:

Fran


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## paperbacknovel (Jun 9, 2010)

Thanks guys. I have no idea why he'd eat it- he chews on things, but has never attempted to actually eat string before. It's not Da Bird but it's very similar- the cord is a little thicker than Da Bird cord.


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## Jeanie (Jun 18, 2003)

I so hope that string does not cause problems.


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## Leazie (Apr 14, 2007)

Here's hoping that Allegro suddenly appears tonight dragging his new prize from whatever hiding place he has.


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## Heidi n Q (Nov 22, 2006)

Check your home well. There is a *chance* that while the string was partially swallowed, if A ran off with the rest of the string dragging, C could have swatted at it and held it, and while holding it, pulled it out of A.

If you can't find it ... watch A like a hawk. Call your regular vet ASAP tomorrow to give them the heads up and ask for advice. One member here had a cat who required surgery to remove a swallowed string. Then, months later, maybe even a year? ... same cat chewed off a portion of a Cat Charmer toy, which is a 1" wide fleece ribbon toy, and they couldn't find it anywhere. The cat was behaving completely normal. Never listless of vomitting like with the 1st string. I want to say it was between 2-3wks later, the cat vomitted it up. A lengthy piece of that fleece stayed in her stomach through mutliple feedings and drinkings. 
Your vet may want you to bring the kitty in for a quick vomit to see if that could solve/prevent any problems. Heck, you may even want to call an E-vet tonight. Even if it is just to talk to them and ask advice, they may concur and ask you to wait until tomorrow for your regular vet or they may want you to bring kitty in to them for a vomit right away.
Best of luck! 
_*closes eyes to send good thoughts and wishes for a happy outcome*_


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## catloverami (Jul 5, 2010)

My girl has a thing for shoelaces, and chewed up quite a few before we restricted her access to closets and tried to remember to keep our sneakers put away after we took them off. Some pieces she vomited up, but others came right out the other end intact! Fortunately, she never got a blockage from one, tho my son's lab ate a small stuffed toy and had to have surgery to have it removed cost a lot of $$$$.


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## paperbacknovel (Jun 9, 2010)

Thank you so much everyone for the help and good wishes- 
I called the E-vet earlier this evening, and he said an X-ray would be $260, and that if we're *sure* Allegro ate the cord to bring him in, but if we're not sure, we can just watch him and make sure there are no symptoms of loss of appetite, vomiting, blood in stool, straining to eliminate. So far he has not showed any symptoms, but as you guys said, it could be a week from now.

We spent the rest of the evening cleaning the house- pulling out the sofa and chairs and vacuuming, etc. It's not that big of a house and they don't have access to many parts of it, so hiding places are kind of limited. There's not much furniture (we haven't even been here a year and are newlyweds) and the floor plan is really open with hardly any nooks and crannies. However, Jake said he could have hiding places we don't even know about.

Should I keep feeding him that Hairball Eliminator jelly? It's no trouble since he gobbles it up. Would too much of it harm him?

I just keep praying and praying. I will call his vet in the morning and see what she says. 

Technically Coda could've eaten it too, but she's never interested in that toy and never chews on things. It's Allegro who has that problem. (I've given both of them the jelly.)

Of course we will spend whatever amount of $ is necessary to help him, but I don't want to rush to E-vet and drop a lot of $$ if he's not showing any symptoms.


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## gunterkat (Aug 19, 2006)

Prayers that the kittehs just made the string invisible without ingesting it.


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## Heidi n Q (Nov 22, 2006)

I think, if I were in the same position as you, I'd also be waiting-and-seeing unless/until there *is* a problem the vets can assist with.


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

Just a reminder, if you see a piece of string dangling from either end, DO NOT pull on it. It could be wrapped around something internally.


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## paperbacknovel (Jun 9, 2010)

Thanks guys! If we see string out of his bottom, we will DEFINITELY rush to the vet, and not pass "Go" or collect $200. Or pull on the string.  

So far, no news. Coda and Allegro are acting normal, pooping normally, eating normally. The regular vet office opens at 8AM so I'll call them and give an update. Hopefully the x-ray would be cheaper at our normal vet-they're really good about giving us discounts and saving us money. (Like if we bring one in, they say to bring in the other because they "miss them and want to see them", but then they give the other cat a quick checkup anyway and don't charge for it.)


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## paperbacknovel (Jun 9, 2010)

Vet hasn't called me back yet. When I called at 8am this morning, the receptionist went and told the vet tech the issue, and the receptionist came back to the phone to ask if either cat was vomiting, and when I said no, she said that the vet tech would call me back.

That was at 8...and over 5 hours later, nothing.  I know they're probably busy, but I'm so worried and I wish I could talk to her about this! I keep picturing worst-case scenarios and panicking...I couldn't stand to lose either of them...


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## Kattt (Dec 20, 2008)

I know exactly how you feel, having 2 cats both recently diagnosed with 2 different chronic issues. 

I get that vets are busy too, but yea.. it drives me nuts waiting by the phone for them to call back and answer a simple question. 

Hang in there, as long as he's acting fine, hopefully the string is just hidden around the house somewhere.


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## paperbacknovel (Jun 9, 2010)

OK, the vet called back and said that I shouldn't bring them in unless one of them starts vomiting/straining to eliminate/lashing out and acting as if in pain/losing their appetite/acting listless. She said the X-rays wouldn't show anything unless there was already a problem.

Why did my sweetheart do this to me? Does he want Mommy to have a heart attack?? *thud*


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## Kattt (Dec 20, 2008)

Don't ya hate the waiting game?!

Trust me, I know this type of stress all too well. My 7 year old male just had bladder stones removed 2 weeks ago, and is now at high risk to get oxalate stones back at any given time. Which I'm sure you're aware, is life threatening. So I worry daily, wondering whats going on in his system. 

So I know exactly what you're going through right now, and sympathize. I hope all turns out well, and he can easily pass it if he did swallow it.


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## paperbacknovel (Jun 9, 2010)

Sending you and your 7-year-old good thoughts, Kattt. *hug*


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## Kattt (Dec 20, 2008)

Thanks, good thoughts are with your little guy too! 

My boy LOVES Da Bird toy which is similiar to what you had. So I'm going to be extra cautious with leaving it around now. 

Hard lessons we all learn, huh?!


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## madie (Apr 20, 2010)

well wishes going your way. cant imagine how difficult must be the wait.


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## paperbacknovel (Jun 9, 2010)

Update: Status quo. No cord has been found, either in our house or out of either cat. Both cats acting perfectly normal. We got them some cat grass to chew on to help him stop chewing on string; they love the grass.


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