Cats have a fondness for strings. Give your kitty balls of yarn and ribbons. You will notice how delighted it will be to play around with them. Kitties love to pounce on the rolled yarns, thrash the balls, or stalk the threads and entertain themselves in the meantime. However, your kitty doesn’t know they are pretty dangerous items and not to be meddled with.
A significant risk associated with strings is that your pet kitty’s neck or paws may get wrapped in the strings, which can lead to choking or other injury hazards. Your kitty will be covered for accidents, illnesses, diagnosis, treatments, and emergency health care with cat insurance. Check with your insurer to know more about what your policy covers health conditions. Pet health insurance helps you with regular and unforeseen pet health expenditures.
If your furball swallows a string, it may get stuck in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. As a result, it might damage the GI tissues. In worst cases, the tissues may tear apart and spill out the contents of a GI tract into the abdominal cavity. In medical terms, this condition is called “Peritonitis”. Kitty may need surgical removal of the foreign body and the dead GI tissue. If left untreated, it may prove fatal for your kitty.
How to keep your cat away from string-related dangers?
- Store strings, threads, twine, tinsel, rubber bands, and other similar objects in a remote place where your kitty can’t get its paws on.
- When you have young kittens racing around the home, you must be even more careful, so they don’t get themselves into a messy situation.
- Make it a point to survey your home often to check for any loose string type of objects hanging around. For example, consider securing the strings attached to window blinds and electronic cords. Clear anything that may pose a risk to your kitty.
- Floss your kitty regularly, so anything that’s stuck between the teeth is cleaned on time. It will also give you some hints on what your kitty has been chewing on when you weren’t around.
- Your pet might explore your trash cans too! Don’t toss in shreds of unused/waste threads or thread-like things in them. You never know – your kitty may find and consume them.
- Don’t dispose of threads with needles. Your kitty will be in for a double danger if it devours them accidentally. You can as well call this event a medical emergency.
- Even with your presence, don’t permit your kitty to play with balls of yarns and ribbons. Kitty may be too quick to swallow the strings.
Signs that show your kitty has swallowed a string.
A string rolled around your kitty’s tongue – don’t pull it. You may do more harm than good.
A string appearing out of your kitty’s rectum – we warn you again, don’t pull it.
When you observe these signs, it would be best you take her to the vet to sort out the issue. However, even if there are no visible signs yet your kitty is having appetite/vomiting/digestion issues, it is probably time for a vet visit. The vet visits, diagnosis, and treatment charges are covered by cat insurance if you have purchased a policy.
Cat insurance assists you by providing your kitty with the best medical care at economical costs. Pet health insurance is necessary for your pet kitty at every stage of life to support its health and wellbeing, string play or otherwise. So do this favour for your kitty as a cat parent!