Tinsel, Ribbon and Strings, Christmas brings all kinds of pretty things.
There is something about those shiny strands of tree décor, which drive cats crazy. The sight of your cat pawing and playing with these items may be just so darn cute, but the ingestion of these items can be deadly. Eating tinsel or other string-like things such as ribbon and even hair elastics can cause serious damage to the intestine. Pets with linear foreign bodies quickly become ill, with signs including vomiting, diarrhea, depression, belly pain and sometimes fever.
Eating other holiday decorations can cause signs ranging from mild depression to severe vomiting or diarrhea, depending upon whether the foreign matter can be passed in the stool or gets stuck along the way. Foreign matter stuck in the intestine often does not show up on x-ray but sometimes the foreign matter will trap air in the intestine, which helps your veterinarian make a diagnosis. Surgery is required to remove the foreign matter if it does not pass on its own.
Please supervise your pets play with any toy and avoid play with string like objects. Call your veterinarian right away if you notice any of these signs in your pet.
