This may not occur for days to weeks after ingestion. When this happens, the contents of your cat’s intestines can leak into your their abdomen. The intestines can lose oxygen and begin to suffocate, and/or the foreign body can begin to act like a saw and slice through the intestinal walls. The bowels will start to bunch or “accordion up” along the linear foreign body with continued tension. Linear obstructions, caused by long, thin (linear) objects, can act just like partial obstructions with no serious changes to your cat.Īs the intestines try to move the string-like material through the GI tract, continued peristalsis (normal movement of the GI tract) will cause constriction and tightening inside your cat’s bowels. Take your cat to the vet right away if you suspect your cat has eaten something and they are experiencing pain, drooling, discomfort, diarrhea, not eating for over 24 hours, or vomiting. Without immediate emergency attention, sepsis can be fatal. When this happens, sepsis can occur, which is a life-threatening response to infection that causes organ and tissue dysfunction.
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If this is the case but you know your cat ingested something they shouldn’t have, take them to the vet.Īll obstructions of the GI tract become more serious when the obstruction migrates into the GI tissue, causing ulceration (open sores) and the possibility of bacteria in the intestines escaping into the main bloodstream. When the foreign object gets lodged in the intestines, it can cause pain and discomfort, diarrhea, and vomiting.Īlternatively, your cat might not show any symptoms. Partial obstructions of the GI tract allow limited passage of materials through a cat’s intestines, which can cause all the same symptoms of complete obstruction, or no symptoms at all.Īs the foreign object moves through your cat’s GI tract, the GI tract becomes irritated. Complete ObstructionĪ complete obstruction is when an object blocks the passage of all material through a cat’s GI tract.Ĭomplete obstruction can occur anywhere in the intestine, but it is most common where there are sphincters (muscles that control the openings of the GI tract) or constrictions (narrow parts).Ī complete intestinal blockage in cats can cause the following symptoms:īehavioral changes such as hiding and aggressionīecause complete intestinal blockage is so serious, take your cat to the vet right away if you suspect your cat has eaten something and you see these symptoms. These blockages can happen anywhere along the GI tract. Types of Intestinal Blockages in Catsįoreign objects can cause three types of cat intestinal blockages: complete, partial, and linear. Prices can range from $2000 for simple obstruction removal to $8000 for very sick, septic patients. The price of these surgeries and subsequent hospitalization varies greatly, depending on the severity of the condition, the stability of the patient, and the qualifications of the veterinarian performing the surgery. Surgery times can range from 1 hour for a simple foreign object removal to up to 3 hours for severe cases. Surgery to remove the foreign object is the most likely outcome. Your cat is not safe from the risks of intestinal blockage until they are cleared by a veterinarian. Never let your cat play with these objects or objects like them. Here’s a list of common household items that are dangerous to your cat if eaten: Cats like to eat long, string-like objects that can cause obstructions in their gastrointestinal (GI) tract.
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Removing foreign objects from the gastrointestinal (GI) tracts of cats is, unfortunately, a common procedure.
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When your cat ingests any foreign object, seek immediate emergency attention.