Linear Foreign Body Ingestion
Dorene Olson, BA, CPDT, APDT #761, NADOI #1001C
TARA Training and Behavior, LLC
WyndSong Border Collies and Canada Goose Management
Teaching Animals with Respect and Affection
314-956-1310
Think cat and the ubiquitous vision of kittens playing with string springs to mind. Many commercially sold cat toys are either string toys or toys attached to string for cats to chase. Being imaginative creatures, cats also invent toys out of shoelaces, sewing and craft items, yarns, ties on clothing, dental floss, curtain pulls, rubber bands, and twines used to wrap up packaging. Holidays pose their own sets of temptations with tinsels, ribbons, Easter basket "string", Halloween spider webs and party balloon strings.
If a cat swallows a string, medically termed "linear foreign body ingestion", the consequences can be very serious. Signs of linear foreign body ingestion can include gagging, vomiting, diarrhea, anorexia, lethargy, a painful abdomen, and perhaps an increase in temperature. Sometimes the string can be seen wrapped around the underside of the tongue. Do not attempt to pull it out if it is lodged there because the string may be tangled throughout the intestines making removal of it impossible.
If the string is not seen in the mouth, bloodwork is indicated to rule out diseases of the kidneys, pancreas, or liver, which may cause similar symptoms. An increased white blood cell count and a history of ingestion of foreign bodies are helpful for a diagnosis of foreign body ingestion. X-rays may or may not be diagnostic, as sometimes the swallowed item does not show up on film, or the intestines are not yet in the "loopy" shape that is characteristic of this problem. Surgical correction is usually necessary and can be complicated due to devitalization of the intestinal tissue and the number of incision sites needed to remove the object.
Because domestic cats are often weaned earlier than feral cats, it has been proposed that inappropriate consumptive behaviors may contribute to foreign body ingestion and in fact may be a more common problem than many people realize (Overall, K., Clinical Behavioral Medicine for Small Animals, Mosby, 1997). Early weaned kittens may suck and then chew not only on their owners but also a variety of non-food items. This may be related to teething and exploratory behaviors, but can escalate into anxiety-related behavior problems. Cats on poor diets or generic food may often try to eat or chew on non-food items looking for better nutrition. Siamese cats are prone to a condition called wool sucking, and are in danger if the item that they are sucking on becomes unraveled and they swallow it.
Owners should be advised to remove the dangerous articles from the environment, although sometimes it is easier to confine the cat instead. If the chewing is on one primary object, an objectionable taste smeared on it might be helpful (bitter apple, deep heating rub, listerine, Chinese hot oil). Owners can also provide more appropriate chew items, such as Kong toys or sterilized bones stuffed with food treats such as cream cheese, tuna, or canned cat food. Cats can also be taught to enjoy vegetables, rawhides, or catnip or cat grasses fastened in bundles.
Despite the dangers posed by string, cats can live long and healthy lives playing with these types of toys. Strings allow owners to safely construct games of chase, providing physical and mental stimulation essential to a cat's well-being. Use proper supervision and attention in the creation of a pet safe household, and let your cats have fun.
