SubscribeCat Ate String? What to Do Next to Keep Your Feline Safe
Wondering if your cat ate string? While it may seem harmless, swallowing string can lead to life-threatening complications. Learn the risks, symptoms, and what to do if your cat ingests string—plus essential prevention tips to keep your feline safe.
It happens to even the most loving and attentive of cat owners: one minute, you’re watching Purrmione Granger bat around your hot-pink hair tie, and the next, that hair tie is nowhere to be seen. Sure, kitty may have swatted it underneath the couch, but there’s also a chance she got carried away and made a snack of it.
Wondering if your cat ate string? Cats and string might seem like a natural, playful pairing, but what many pet parents don’t realize is that this innocent-looking indulgence of their cats’ predatory instincts can quickly turn into a serious health hazard, including intestinal blockages. Every year, countless cats end up at the emergency vet after swallowing string, yarn, dental floss, shoelaces, or ribbon.
This article gives you everything you need to know about the dangers of cats eating string, exactly what to do if your cat swallows some, and steps you can take to stop string-related trouble before it starts.
Don’t Guess When It Comes To Your Pet’s Care
Don’t Guess When It Comes To Your Pet’s Care
Why Do Cats Eat String?
Cats are natural hunters, and their attraction to string-like objects stems from these predatory instincts—after all, in the wild many of their potential meals have a tasty little tail. Thus, anything that wiggles unpredictably triggers their hunting behavior, making strings, ribbons, or threads irresistible.
In addition to this instinctual drive, some cats chew or ingest non-food items due to curiosity, boredom, stress, anxiety, or a condition called pica. Pica—the urge to eat non-edible items—can indicate underlying behavioral or nutritional issues. Pica is especially common in kittens and younger cats, with one study reporting that nearly 43% of six-month-old kittens exhibited the behavior (1).
The Dangers of String Ingestion
When a cat swallows string, several severe complications can occur. Long pieces of string can present a choking hazard, potentially blocking a cat’s airway and causing immediate respiratory distress. Sharp objects (sewing thread often has a needle at the end of it) or rough-textured string can irritate or cut the cat’s mouth or throat.
The most dangerous complication is known as linear foreign body obstruction. Because of its linear shape, a string may pass relatively easily through the throat and into the stomach, but when it reaches the opening of the stomach or the winding, narrower intestines, the string may tangle, bunch, twist, or even tear the delicate tissue. This condition often requires urgent surgical intervention. And unlike other foreign body-related surgeries, surgeries to remove linear foreign bodies typically take longer, cost more, and have a higher likelihood of post-surgery infection(2).
What to Do If Your Cat Eats String
If you notice your cat has swallowed or partially swallowed string, stay calm—but act swiftly.
For the Love of Fluffy, Don’t Pull!
The first critical rule: never attempt to pull out a string that’s hanging from your cat’s mouth or anus. Though the temptation to tug may be strong, resist: pulling can cause severe internal injuries. If you need a visual, imagine a pair of drawstring pants. The more you pull on the string, the more the fabric bunches up. You don’t want that happening inside your beloved pet!
Keep a Close Watch
Instead, observe your cat closely. If they show any of these symptoms, it’s an indication they need immediate veterinary care:
- Vomiting (this is most common)
- Decreased appetite
- Lethargy
- Diarrhea
- Straining when trying to use the litter box
- Abdominal pain or tenderness
- Pawing at the mouth or increased salivating (this can indicate that there’s a string wrapped around the base of the tongue (3))
Even if your cat seems fine, call your veterinarian for professional guidance, as internal complications might not show obvious signs. Early intervention significantly improves your cat’s chances for a full recovery.
Your veterinarian may perform a thorough physical examination, diagnostic tests like bloodwork to check for dehydration, inflammation, or infection, and X-rays or ultrasounds to locate the string and assess whether surgery is needed. The veterinarian’s course of action depends on several factors, including (4):
- How long since the cat ate the string
- Where the string is located
- How badly the string is tangled into the cat’s gastrointestinal tract
Can a Cat Pass String on Their Own?
While some small pieces of string may pass through the digestive system without issue, you should never rely on this as a guarantee of your cat’s safety. There’s always a risk of entanglement and severe complications that may require surgical removal.
The risks of waiting—especially once your cat has started showing symptoms—outweigh the potential for natural passage. This is why it’s so crucial to monitor your cat closely and consult with your veterinarian for their professional opinion.
Preventing String Ingestion
Prevention is always the best strategy. Here’s how you can keep your cat safe.
Store Risky Items Securely—and Clean Up After Yourself!
Keep yarn, ribbons, shoelaces, floss, and similar items out of your cat’s reach. It’s easy to pull a stray thread from a sweater and toss it aside or ignore a clothing tag when you cut it off and it falls to the ground. However, your cat could easily discover and swallow these items. Get into the habit of disposing of them in a covered trash can.
Supervise Playtime and Offer Safe Alternative Toys
Never leave cats unattended with string-based or similar toys (besides, they have more fun when you’re in on the action). Offer toys that mimic string movements, such as interactive wand toys, and routinely check toys for signs of damage such as loose stitches or exposed stuffing.
Non-string toys that can keep your cat happy include treat puzzles, scratching posts, and the “Old Faithfuls” of kitty play: cardboard boxes and paper bags!
Provide a Nutritious Diet and Monitor for Pica
If your cat exhibits pica—chewing and swallowing non-food items—but you can’t identify any acute stressors and are providing them with plenty of enrichment, there’s a chance their nutritional needs aren’t being met.
As obligate carnivores, cats require a high-protein diet, plenty of vitamins A, B, D, and other nutrients, and many cat foods on the market are bloated with unnecessary grains, fillers, and other non-nutritive ingredients. Not meeting your cat’s dietary needs causes a domino effect of nutritional deficiencies that may result in kitty chewing on other objects to seek nourishment (5). Consult with your veterinarian for advice.
When to Contact Your Vet
Contact your vet immediately if:
- You notice visible string hanging from your cat’s mouth or anus.
- Your cat has eaten a string or other foreign object and shows signs of illness such as vomiting, lethargy, or refusal to eat.
- Your cat has a history of chewing or ingesting non-food items.
Remember: early action can mean the difference between a minor scare and a life-threatening emergency.
While cats and strings may seem like harmless playmates, the reality is far riskier. By practicing diligent prevention, proper supervision, and swift response if ingestion occurs, you can ensure your beloved feline companion stays happy, playful—and safe from harm.
Images by Berri from Pixabay and Ludemeula Fernandes from Unsplash
