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🚨 DEADLY EMERGENCY

Call Your Vet or Poison Control IMMEDIATELY

String and Yarn

Also known as: Thread, Dental Floss, Ribbon, Twine, Shoelaces

household • other
Toxic compound: None (mechanical obstruction and cutting)

What Happens

Cats love to play with string and yarn but swallowing causes life-threatening linear foreign body. String anchors at tongue or stomach and intestines accordion around it, cutting through tissue and causing perforation, sepsis, and death. Extremely dangerous.

Timeline

Symptoms within 12-48 hours but damage ongoing

🩺 Symptoms

Linear foreign body, intestinal perforation, sepsis, severe pain, death

Do This Right Now

NEVER pull string from mouth or anus - can cause tearing. Call vet immediately if string swallowed.

When to Worry

String visible under tongue or from anus, vomiting, loss of appetite, abdominal pain, lethargy

Vet Consultation

Emergency surgery often required. Do not wait. Linear foreign bodies are life-threatening surgical emergencies.

Disclaimer: This information is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional veterinary advice. Always consult your veterinarian for medical decisions.