So I was getting dressed this morning and saw my kitten, Cookie,
gnawing on something. We just had a new bedframe delivered and have yet
to take it out of the box. Well I discovered with horror that she had
consumed a little bit of styrofoam that had broken off the box.
She doesn't appear to be suffering any discomfort, and I am wondering
if this little bit of styrofoam will cause blockage or otherwise harm
her? It was the size of about the tip of a ball-point pen or a small
BB. I am assuming that as long as she hasn't been eating this stuff
(and I have now taken it away to a place she can't get to) in great
amounts that it will just pass when she defecates?
It worries me a little bit, but I was wondering if anyone has any
suggestions?
Sandra Loosemore - 17 Aug 2006 18:11 GMT
> She doesn't appear to be suffering any discomfort, and I am wondering
> if this little bit of styrofoam will cause blockage or otherwise harm
> her? It was the size of about the tip of a ball-point pen or a small
> BB. I am assuming that as long as she hasn't been eating this stuff
> (and I have now taken it away to a place she can't get to) in great
> amounts that it will just pass when she defecates?
I doubt if a piece that small is going to cause any serious problems.
My experience is that when cats eat something indigestible, they
either barf it up immediately, or it eventually passes out the other
end. Things that might cause problems are stuff like string or
Christmas tree tinsel that can get tangled up in the intestines.
BTW, when I was a kid, we had a cat who had a fetish for eating
styrofoam. It started when she first began begging to be fed popcorn
when we were munching on it ourselves -- I think she liked the grease
and salt. But apparently, she couldn't tell the difference between
real popcorn and styrofoam packing "popcorn". :-P Of course we didn't
feed her styrofoam on purpose, but she always wanted to investigate if
we got a package. Anyway, she lived to a ripe old age and never
seemed to suffer from her odd snacking habits.
-Sandra the cynic
Spot - 17 Aug 2006 18:18 GMT
Call your vet and ask them? They can tell you if this will pass or if she
needs to be seen.
Celeste
> So I was getting dressed this morning and saw my kitten, Cookie,
> gnawing on something. We just had a new bedframe delivered and have yet
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
> It worries me a little bit, but I was wondering if anyone has any
> suggestions?
Matthew - 17 Aug 2006 19:33 GMT
You need to call your vet the product can swell up and is not easily
passed.
It can take several days before an real symptoms show up after ingesting
Styrofoam
> So I was getting dressed this morning and saw my kitten, Cookie,
> gnawing on something. We just had a new bedframe delivered and have yet
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
> It worries me a little bit, but I was wondering if anyone has any
> suggestions?
Randy - 17 Aug 2006 21:16 GMT
>You need to call your vet the product can swell up and is not easily
>passed.
>It can take several days before an real symptoms show up after ingesting
>Styrofoam
Styrofoam does not swell up when wet. Think styrofoam coolers, swiming rings,
etc.
Randy
http://picasaweb.google.com/crmartin1
http://kittenwar.com/kittens/74045/
Matthew - 17 Aug 2006 21:42 GMT
>>You need to call your vet the product can swell up and is not easily
>>passed.
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> rings,
> etc.
My mistaike in words
No I didn't mean like that I meant when in the stomach it can attach it
self to other stuff. I have seen an autospy done on a cat that ate it
everything atached to it swelling the gastro area up
> Randy
> http://picasaweb.google.com/crmartin1
>
> http://kittenwar.com/kittens/74045/