Cats will sometimes get carried away pouncing or playing and eat things that they shouldn’t, and this can cause serious problems. Foreign body means something that shouldn’t be inside the body. Some objects can pass through without causing issues, but if signs of obstruction or perforation develop emergency treatment is required.

The structure and muscles of the digestive tract are very good at moving things along, but there are many areas that are narrow or have twists and turns. Cats tend to like threads and similar objects, and can end up swallowing needles or developing a linear foreign body obstruction. Solid objects can become lodged like a cork. Pointy or sharp objects can be pushed through the gut and damage other organs, or cause food and gut bacteria to leak into their tummy. Symptoms usually develop very quickly but can also happen over days to weeks.

What are the possible consequences of an ingested foreign body? >What are the possible consequences of an ingested foreign body? [Overview

Symptoms of gastrointestinal foreign body >Symptoms of gastrointestinal foreign body [Symptoms

Cats at higher risk of gastrointestinal foreign bodies >Cats at higher risk of gastrointestinal foreign bodies [Risk

Diagnosis of gastrointestinal foreign body in cats >Diagnosis of gastrointestinal foreign body in cats [Diagnosis

Vet Treatment of gastrointestinal foreign bodies >Vet Treatment of gastrointestinal foreign bodies [Vet treatment

Home treatment of gastrointestinal foreign bodies. >Home treatment of gastrointestinal foreign bodies. [Home treatment

How can I prevent my cat from ingesting a foreign body? >How can I prevent my cat from ingesting a foreign body? [Prevention

When to worry about a gastrointestinal foreign body in cats >When to worry about a gastrointestinal foreign body in cats [When to worry