My cat swallowed an earplug..

[MyBabiesDaddy]

Well, it's been about 12 hours since he swallowed the earplug and so far he hasn't popped it. He played normally with his brother this morning, but didn't eat as much as usual. He also woke mommy up A LOT this morning me he seemed restless. He probably has a stomach ache he hasn't thrown up though. What would the vet do to get it out? I can't imagine they'd need surgery for a foam earplug; do they just give him something to make him poop?

[orrymain]

"What would the vet do to get it out? I can't imagine they'd need surgery for a foam earplug; do they just give him something to make him poop?"

No, once in gets stuck in the intestinal track it will have to be removed surgically. He will not be able to poop it out. If he continues to not be himself with or without vomiting please take him to the vet just to be on the safe side. I'm sure the others with more experience with cats than me will also advise you as to what's best for your cat.

[MowMow]

Ok, I sleep in earplugs and Shepherd Book has swallowed ...a lot of them. He *LOVES* them and if I don't keep them inside a case he works open the bedside drawer and pulls them out so he can nom them down.

He has always thrown them back up or pooped them out. They are foamy and soft so they SEEM to squish up enough to pass through. I would keep an eye out for a few days to make sure it passes (or is tossed back up) and if nothing or you notice kitty stops eating head to the vet.

Now I keep mine in a plastic case that he can't see through (if he sees them he'll work the case until he gets it open) and inside the bed side drawer under a book. I have a very determined cat.

ETA: Determined enough that he's woken me up at night, trying to get the earplug out of my ear.

[MyBabiesDaddy]

MowMow, that's funny that shepherd book will try to get them out of your ear after Cuddles ate the ear plug he came back and begged me for another! Lol! Maybe I should pick my ear and let him lick my finger

[cinderflower]

wow. i never knew so many cats like earwax. i only have one that does, so i've been throwing away my q-tips in a separate little bag. i flush my dental floss because they will dig it out of the trash (q-tips too). the floss is obvious to me because it's string, but i don't want them swallowing a long durable piece. i read something somewhere (like my acuracy? lol) about the barbs on their tongue make it so they can't spit out string once they get started.

i just don't leave anything smallish foamish/rubberish lying around. the same cat who likes earwax likes to eat packing peanuts so i always request they please use something else. i don't think i'd intentionally feed her earwax though. it might have "nutritious" properties but one of the main reasons it's there is to trap dirt so ew.

[ezmeray]

wow, I'm pretty sure I would be beyond freaking out if my cat swallowed something as big as an earplug (I mean, that just seems really big to pass through the cat's body normally?), but then, I don't have that much experience (only having one at a time) with cats I guess, so I defer to those with more. I'm increasingly thankful the weirdest thing my cat tries to steal from me is saltine crackers..

But, isn't it still possible that your cat batted it under the refrigerator or something? (my cat has lost so many small objects/toys under big furniture) I mean, if you didn't actually SEE him.

[Kitty-The-Cat]

Originally Posted by Kitty-The-Cat

I had a cat once who liked to lick my finger after I stuck it in my ear to clean it of earwax (I was a kid/teenager and didn't know better!). She definitely liked the taste. Not surprised a cat would eat something that tasted like that.

I just did a test on my current cat and - yes, she likes earwax too! It's official: Cats like weird things. I hope there's some nutritional benefit to this.

[MyBabiesDaddy]

How in the world did you test this? Did you actually give her ear wax?

Also, @Ezmeray, although he was sitting with his back to me, I watched him the whole time. He chewed it, then spit it out, then chewed it some more...and then he was licking his whiskers and the earplug was gone. I guess I have yummy ear wax.

Originally Posted by Kitty-The-Cat

I just did a test on my current cat and - yes, she likes earwax too! It's official: Cats like weird things. I hope there's some nutritional benefit to this.

[MyBabiesDaddy]

Oh, an update. I came home from work an hour ago, and I saw a pile of vomit near his dry food. It was a mixture of his dry food and some goop, but no ear plug I don't think he liked the flavor of his new wet food, so he ate dry food instead. However, since he usually eats mainly wet food, I guess it was too rich for him. I am eagerly awaiting the next time he poops, I hope the ear plug is in it.

[Kitty-The-Cat]

Originally Posted by MyBabiesDaddy

How in the world did you test this? Did you actually give her ear wax?

I stuck the tip of my finger in my ear, then she licked the finger.

Don't worry, I won't do it again. It was just an experiment.

But that's what I used to do all the time with the cat when I was young.