My cat ate styrofoam. Is it safe for a nursing mom with no symptoms?

Hi and thanks for your request. I would strongly recommend to monitor her for the next 48hours to see if appetite and urination/defecation are normal. There may be some pieces ''on the way out''. Small amount of liquid paraffin (2mls per meal) and a bland diet based on boiled chicken and rice would be ideal for the next week.

Poor girl. Styrofoam does have the potential to cause an obstruction, although smaller pieces have less of a tendency to do so. Monitor her for signs of an intestinal obstruction which includes excessive vomiting, lack of appetite, abdominal pain and weakness. Typically signs of an obstruction will occur within 24-48 hrs. If she seems fine beyond this then she's in the clear; however if you note these symptoms then take her to the vet immediately. In the meantime, feed her wet (canned) food to help bind it and then take her on 20-30 minute brisk walks twice a day to promote GI motility.

It's difficult to know for sure, because the there are different types of styrofoam and there's a concern for causing an obstruction in the stomach or intestines. If she ate it within the last three hours, then it's possible that it can be retrieved from the stomach if you take her to the vet. This will require anesthesia and special instrumentation though, so it would be expected to be somewhat costly - especially at an emergency clinic. This is the best option though. It will also be best to identify the brand and contents of the styrofoam and make sure there are no other concerns with toxicity. The other option is waiting to see if it passes OK. Normal GI transit time is 3-5 days for such things. During this time you would just be waiting to see if she has any signs of an obstruction. Signs of an obstructions are vomiting, not defecating, acting very painful/depressed and a decrease in appetite. If you notice these signs, then Akela would need to go to the vet immediately for emergency surgery. I hope that helps and all is well with Akela.

Thanks for reaching out about Rocky and including a photo. It really depends on the amount of styrofoam. Unfortunately, rabbits can not be made to regurgitate/vomit. Provide high fiber and monitor for appetite and defecations, but if slows, a veterinary visit is recommended. Good luck.

As long as she is comfortable and has no pain or discomfort eating or breathing I would watch and wait, monitoring closely for any signs or symptoms of GI upset or obstruction. Most small pieces of soft plastic will be vomited or passed uneentfully; small frequent meals can encourage bowel movement and the addition of some laxative hairball paste may help also

Hello. With Ginger vomiting, I would be very concerned that she may have a blockage in her upper small intestines where an enema will never reach. After 24 hours, it is now time to seek veterinary attention. Poor Ginger will continue to deteriorate due to dehydration & loss of electrolytes. Often, just with the use of IV fluid therapy & the judicious use of laxatives & motility modifying medications, a blockage can sometimes resolve on its own in the hospital. Otherwise, this may require surgery if there is a firm, non-moving obstruction. Please have Ginger evaluated as soon as possible to hopefully get her back to normal quickly. Good luck & thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Oh no it's not good that Kitty ate that vomit! At most, I would expect that eating this vomit could cause some GI upset, causing her to vomit and/or have diarrhea. It's good that it doesn't look like she has eaten the plastic bag, and if she ate the bag, I would be concerned that the bag could cause a foreign body obstruction. Keep an eye on her for now, and if you see any vomiting or diarrhea, I can give you a home remedy to see if that helps her. I recommend withholding food for 12-24 hours, then feeding a bland diet of boiled white meat chicken (no bones) in small amounts several times a day for a couple of days. Then slowly add back in her normal diet. If the vomiting continues in the absence of food, she vomits the bland diet, the diarrhea continues on the bland diet, she stops drinking water, starts vomiting water, or becomes very lethargic, she will need to see a vet right away. Good luck, I hope this helps!