Currier may have eaten a refrigerator magnet...

As I was sitting in my study, ten feet away from the refrigerator, I heard the sound of something small and hard hitting the floor. I looked over, and saw two cats batting around fruit-shaped magnets that had been on the refrigerator. Meanwhile, Currier was on top of the refrigerator, and at the moment I looked, another magnet fell from her mouth to the ground. These are tiny magnets, and Currier is two years old, old enough (one would think) not to try to eat them, but there you are. I'll take her to the vet tomorrow to have her insides x-rayed, but am wondering if I should take her to an emergency vet (it's already 10 pm here). She's not choking, and the magnets in question (which have now ended up in the trash) are very small and don't have any sharp edges. None of my cats has a history of eating things that aren't food (although I do have a few who like to chew plastic). Anybody ever have a similar experience?

Asked by Currier on Oct 27th 2010 in Emergencies & First Aid


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Izadore (Izzie)

My daughter's cat ate a soft foam puzzle piece a few years ago and it did cause a blockage and require $2000 worth of surgery and treatment (or euthanasia which freaked "gramma" out). Sophie stopped eating and became very restless and started hiding. That was when my daughter knew there was something wrong with her otherwise affectionate, social kitty. Sophie never choked and she swallowed the puzzle piece nearly whole. It took about three days to really react by the time everything "clogged up". You're smart for taking her to the vet now. Better safe than sorry.

Izadore (Izzie) answered on 10/27/10. Helpful? Yes/Helpful: No 1 Report this answer

Sassy (2001-2012)

Tomorrow morning should be ok but get her in quick as swallowing magnets is more dangerous than other similar sized objects. The danger is that if they swallow more than 1 piece of magnet they can get attracted back together with a piece of gut wall between then. They get stuck like this and it will perforate their gut and cause a life threatening infection.

I hope everything turns out ok.

Sassy (2001-2012) answered on 10/27/10. Helpful? Yes/Helpful: No 0 Report this answer