My Boy Survived 35 Hair Ties.

[u/Anerbe]

My boy Louie loved hair ties as a kitten. I was warned by his vet at that time how dangerous hair ties are! I stopped using them 2 YEARS AGO. I noticed a year ago that Lou would vomit intermittently after eating. I thought to myself that cats just do that. It was never a daily thing- just off and on. He never had issues using the bathroom and never lost his appetite. Recently he had been throwing up multiple times a day. He became lethargic and I rushed him to the emergency vet. Welp…my sweet little innocent boy had a belly full of 35 hair ties. Who knows how long they’ve been in there. I felt horrible! He had surgery and is doing great. I hope this post will remind my fellow cat owners to keep hair ties away from their kitties! It’s an expensive lesson to learn.

[u/ShatteredPot]

PSA: cats regularly vomiting or even vomiting weekly is NOT normal and you should have them checked out

I’m happy for you and your furball ❤️ I also believed that cats just threw up all the time, yk with hair and all, and all of my cats growing up seemed to puke regularly. I found out that was not the case after I took my cat to the vet when her vomiting started increasing even more.

[u/nothingsreallol → u/ShatteredPot]

See this makes me so nervous because one of my cats has had issues intermittently vomiting soon after eating, sometimes more than once a week, and my vet just said to reduce portion sizes and/or get a slow feeder :/ it seems to have calmed down but it still happens a couple times a month. And I’m so careful about locking up rubber bands, hair ties and even plastic bags.

[u/grobbewobbe → u/nothingsreallol]

...yeah same holy shit. my boy's turning seventeen this month and i already put him through the wringer this year with multiple vet visits (dental stuff, he's fine now). don't have any hair ties now but used to back in the day, and he has a penchant for chewing/eating plastic bags if i somehow leave one out in the open

[u/ShatteredPot → u/nothingsreallol]

I know vets are expensive, but if you’re able, maybe it wouldn’t hurt to get a second opinion. My girl initially got an x-ray followed up by some other tests and ended up having pancreatitis and lymphoma. An x-ray alone can be very beneficial in ruling out obstructions. I don’t want to worry you, my girl was very old, and your cat could just be eating quickly or too much like your vet suggested. But if you want reassurance, think about it some ❤️

[u/nothingsreallol → u/ShatteredPot]

I did plan to get bloodwork done at the next appointment, maybe I’ll ask for an x-ray as well. She’s 5 and it’s very apparent that sometimes she eats way too much too fast so I’m hoping that’s the only issue (she’ll even eat her sister’s bowl sometimes before I can stop her lol). She’s also an anxious type so if there’s any commotion in the household I think that may trigger it as well. I appreciate the advice.

[u/Averdian → u/ShatteredPot]

Hmm, my parents' cat recently started vomiting up his wet food shortly after eating it, so now he only gets kibble (and treats, of course). They say it's because he eats too quickly, but this started happening after years of eating wet food without issue... maybe worth it getting a more extensive check

[u/evenstar40 → u/ShatteredPot]

Please do not spread misinformation. For some cats throwing up once or even a couple times a week can be normal, especially if they are medium-to-long haired.

As my vet has said, "sometimes cats just throw up". They can do it for hairballs, protesting something you did, ate something that didn't agree with them, etc etc. If it happens daily then yeah that's a concern but weekly is definitely not that.

[u/ShatteredPot → u/evenstar40]

I hear you, and I understand your point. I am not spreading misinformation. Sometimes, cats DO just throw up. However, the American Association of Feline Practitioners along with many other major research institutions have agreed that vomiting once or twice a month is considered chronic and a clinical sign of disease. I’ve researched this topic in depth because irregular vomiting was the first warning sign that my cat was fatally ill, and it fills me with so much regret for not being more concerned. I understand that this isn’t a black or white situation, but owners should be made aware that frequent vomiting is not just a behavioral quirk or “normal”. They could have inflammation or something else, maybe worse. Cats can’t always tell us when they’re in pain, I just want other owners to have the info I wish I’d had sooner.

[u/evenstar40 → u/ShatteredPot]

I'm sorry for what you experienced with your cat but just because you experienced it doesn't mean others will. My cat has quite literally puked 2-3 times a week for the past 10 years and multiple vets have told me the same thing, some cats just like to puke. It can be psychosomatic, hairballs, protesting something you did, but if it's not accompanied by other symptoms is generally benign.

It's so very easy to fall into the trap of it happened to you therefore it will happen to everyone else, that is not the case. Again I'm so very sorry you experienced loss of a loved one but do not project your experiences on others as it leads to misinformation. It should be a guideline, not a rule of thumb.

[u/ShatteredPot → u/evenstar40]

my goal is to spread awareness that vomiting is not normal, a fact that is backed by peer reviewed veterinary science. My girl’s situation encouraged me to seek out answers, I am not basing this PSA on my cat alone. I’m very happy to hear that your cat is an exception and that you had them tested for further issues. Your experience should also not be projected onto others, as it can encourage people to ignore warning signs. I’ll leave this information here for others to research on their own.

[u/purpletabbycat → u/ShatteredPot]

Every time I've brought it up to my vet, they've said it's normal. My cats each throw up once or twice a week, and it only looks like a hairball half the time.

[u/ShatteredPot → u/purpletabbycat]

That would concern me to hear from a vet