Cat's love for treats proves more than tricky

29 August 2019

Charity vets perform emergency surgery after cat swallows metal clip

A curious cat who swallowed food packaging including a metal clip has survived thanks to life-saving surgery carried out by leading vet charity PDSA.

Four-year-old Poppy managed to get his claws on a whole packet of cat treats, while his owner Samantha (27) was out of the room.

However, Poppy became unwell after gorging on his favourite treat – having swallowed part of the packet and the metal clip Samantha had used to secure it!

Samantha and her wife Erin (25), from Glasgow, initially put their cat’s illness down to a bug. He had stopped eating, was being frequently sick and was struggling to go to the toilet. But the concerned couple turned to PDSA for help after Poppy’s symptoms persisted for several days and she couldn’t even keep water down.

Vets at Glasgow PDSA Pet Hospital on Shamrock Street examined Poppy and performed x-rays, which revealed the true cause of his troubles.

Samantha said: “Poppy has a big appetite and he can’t get enough of his Dreamies, so we weren’t surprised when he stole the pack. But I couldn’t believe the x-ray results!

“We knew Poppy had not been himself, he is usually fully or energy, but we had no idea that it was down to him swallowing the metal clip and part of the packaging!”

PDSA vet Emma Bates, who is one of nine graduate vets being supported thanks to players of People’s Postcode Lottery, was able to carry out a successful one hour operation to remove the foreign object. Without treatment, this could have caused Poppy’s bowel to rupture and fatal sepsis to occur.

Following surgery, Poppy spent the night in hospital while he recovered, before he was allowed to return home.

Emma said: “When we first saw Poppy he was lethargic as he had been off his food for several days. The fact that he hadn’t been able to keep down even water and didn’t respond to anti-sickness injections suggested some form of blockage, so we decided to take a further look.

“The x-ray clearly showed some form of foreign object in his small intestine. It’s highly likely that Poppy would have died without surgery, so it’s a good thing that Samantha brought him in when she did.

“We have come across pets that have eaten all types of strange things, and packaging from treats are actually swallowed quite commonly. We were surprised that a small cat like Poppy was able to swallow such a large item, but it just shows the determination pets can have when their favourite treat is up for grabs.”

Owner Samantha added: “I can’t thank PDSA enough for everything they have done for Poppy – I know he wouldn’t be here now without their fantastic treatment. Poppy is back to his usual self – this incident hasn’t put him off his favourite treats but we now keep a close eye on him and make sure he can’t steal anything he shouldn’t!”

Owners should speak to their vet for advice as soon as possible if they think their pet has eaten something they shouldn’t have. Some substances can be poisonous and even small objects can potentially cause a blockage. Your vet will be able to advise you on what symptoms to look out for and whether your pet needs to be seen.

For information on vomiting in cats, including possible causes and when to contact your vet, visit the dedicated page on the Pet Health Hub.

Without dedicated veterinary teams, the charity couldn’t provide its vital service for pets in need, and these established vets provide a wealth of experience, support and expertise, enabling PDSA to prevent suffering and save pets’ lives. Over the last seven years, players of People’s Postcode Lottery have raised more than £8.5m in ongoing support for PDSA.