Purrs In Our Hearts - Cat Forum UK

Cat General => General Cat Chat => Topic started by: Tiggy's Mum on October 02, 2010, 18:32:36 PM

Title: Anyone know how long a cats digestive sytem takes?!
Post by: Tiggy's Mum on October 02, 2010, 18:32:36 PM
Last night at about 10pm I caught Riley eating a 6cm (2 1/2 inches in old money  ;)) thin strip of plastic from the tags that car garages put on your keys. I had left it on the table but he'd hopped up and taken it to munch on  :shy: It was about 2-3mm or an eighth of an inch thick.

He absolutely fine in himself, bouncing around and cuddling etc There was no obvious yellow plastic in this mornings litter tray offerings but now I'm getting panicky that it might be hurting him inside as it passes through  :scared: Does anyone know how long 'things' take to pass through a cats digestive system?
Title: Re: Anyone know how long a cats digestive sytem takes?!
Post by: Gill (sneakiefeline) on October 02, 2010, 18:57:17 PM
think it depends whats all ready in there ......he is a monster lol..................I am sure he would be reacting if it was hurting him and he would stop eating.

Last time for the string I seem to think there was nothing in there but you never found the string either?,

It would show up on an xray if you needed to go that route, dont tyhink it would dissolve though and depends whether he has chewed it into little pieces which probably be no problem or just swallowed it in one piece which may cause a blockage.

Hope he is OK  :hug: :hug:
Title: Re: Anyone know how long a cats digestive sytem takes?!
Post by: princessmaizie on October 02, 2010, 19:00:05 PM
I seem to remember reading somewhere it takes about 24-36 hours but I can't remember where I saw that! I hope Riley is OK.

Poor Riley, and poor you, the pair of them are causing you some worry recently!  :hug:
Title: Re: Anyone know how long a cats digestive sytem takes?!
Post by: Tiggy's Mum on October 02, 2010, 20:19:58 PM
 :thanks:

I'm working myself up over it so rang the vets, they said it could take 24-48 to pass through and that if he is otherwise OK ie eating, drinking, pooing etc then I should just keep an eye on him. If he hasn't passed anything yellow and plastic by Monday then they said to get him checked over anyway.

He has just done a poo which on initial inspection didn't seem to have any 'added extras'. I'm plucking up the courage to dissect it  :sick: I knew the McDonalds disposable cutlery I picked up the other day would come in handy  :evillaugh:
Title: Re: Anyone know how long a cats digestive sytem takes?!
Post by: Fire Fox on October 02, 2010, 21:19:33 PM
He has just done a poo which on initial inspection didn't seem to have any 'added extras'. I'm plucking up the courage to dissect it  :sick: I knew the McDonalds disposable cutlery I picked up the other day would come in handy  :evillaugh:

 :rofl:
Title: Re: Anyone know how long a cats digestive sytem takes?!
Post by: Tiggy's Mum on October 02, 2010, 21:29:27 PM
He has just done a poo which on initial inspection didn't seem to have any 'added extras'. I'm plucking up the courage to dissect it  :sick: I knew the McDonalds disposable cutlery I picked up the other day would come in handy  :evillaugh:

 :rofl:

I've just done it. It really was the singularily most horrific thing I have ever done in my life  :sick: I was gagging the whole way through, this was however one time that I was grateful I don't have a sense of smell  :evillaugh:

I actually had to dissect two poos as although I saw Riley chewing the tag when I walked in the room, and have no doubt he was the one who took it down from the table, Lu is partial to plastic aswell so he may well have had a nibble prior to Riley  :shify:

Edit: No yellow plastic in either poo  :shify:
Title: Re: Anyone know how long a cats digestive sytem takes?!
Post by: Michelle (furbabystar) on October 03, 2010, 11:43:42 AM
OMG I read that with my hand over my mouth  :sick: :sick:
Title: Re: Anyone know how long a cats digestive sytem takes?!
Post by: Mark on October 03, 2010, 11:46:59 AM
I hope he doesn't string it out too long  :-:

PS - I thought McDonalds cutlery amounted to bendy straws
Title: Re: Anyone know how long a cats digestive sytem takes?!
Post by: Tiggy's Mum on October 03, 2010, 17:40:35 PM
Still no sign (two further poos dissected  :sick: - both his I believe). Looks like we might be taking a trip to the vet on Monday if it hasn't appeared  :scared:
Title: Re: Anyone know how long a cats digestive sytem takes?!
Post by: Ann Clarke (Tabby cat) on October 06, 2010, 12:37:18 PM
Any progress Helen  :shify:
Title: Re: Anyone know how long a cats digestive sytem takes?!
Post by: Tiggy's Mum on October 06, 2010, 17:41:29 PM
Any progress Helen  :shify:

Still no sign, think Riley may be keeping it forever as a momento!