Vet's warning after cat swipes and swallows 43 hair bobbles
A much-loved moggy has made a full recovery after a hair-raising experience when she ate 43 elastic bands.
Tiger secretly stole the hair ties belonging to owner Rebecca Gordon and her two daughters Chloe, 10, and seven-year-old Charlotte. It was only when the eight-year-old tortoiseshell became seriously ill and was taken to The Minster Veterinary Practice in Malton, North Yorkshire, that vets discovered a tangled ball of hair ties in her abdomen.
After one of the most unusual cases vets at the practice have ever encountered, the team are warning owners to keep hair bands out of reach of cats because swallowing even just one could have potentially fatal consequences.
Tiger, who lives with the Gordon family at their home in Malton, is thought to have been stealing hair ties over a period of weeks, or even months, and eating them without her owners’ knowledge. It was after Tiger started being sick regularly that she was taken to the Malton branch of Minster Vets, where she was given an anti-sickness injection.
The hair bobbles retrieved from inside Tiger (VetPartners Ltd.)Vets said she later “passed two hair bands in her poo and started being sick again” before a further examination and an X-ray revealed a mass of a mystery material in her abdomen, requiring emergency surgery to remove it.
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Clinical director Sarah Ford admitted she was stunned when she removed the ball and discovered it was made up of 43 hair ties. Dr Ford said: “I once had a case of a cat eating 10 hair ties but I couldn’t believe it when we counted 43. They were all tangled and knotted together so had created a big clump, and her stomach was so full there was hardly room for anything else.
“Tiger is a lovely cat and is fortunate that her family really care and brought her to us when they suspected something was wrong. She has been incredibly lucky as the danger would have been if they had passed into her intestine and caused a blockage which would have been extremely serious.
“Our advice to owners is to keep hair bobbles, hair ties and ribbons well away from cats, preferably in a drawer, as they are clearly very tempting to play with, chew and swallow.”
Ms Gordon had assumed her daughters were losing the hair ties as she never dreamed Tiger was stealing them. She said: “It was such a shock when we found out how many she had eaten, and the girls were distraught while she was in hospital.
“The team at Minster Vets were brilliant and we couldn’t have asked for more as they rang me at every stage before and after surgery. Having pet insurance is very important when something like this goes wrong as Tiger needed surgery and the cost was covered.
“She is a very special part of the family and we are now obsessed with tidying hair bands away and making sure they are well out of her reach.”
Furever home
Rosie is now settled in her new homeMeet five-year-old Goldendoodle Rosie, who has finally found her forever home after 270 days at a rescue centre.
The adorable pooch first arrived at animal welfare charity Battersea’s centre in Kent on a snowy day back in December 2022, and at last has been waved off to start a new life full of treats, snuggles and adventures.
When Rosie first came to Battersea, she was worried and shy. But slowly, Rosie came out of her shell and after getting used to the world around her, started to let out her sweet and affectionate side and was soon showing off her charming and intelligent ways, quickly picking up commands like sit and wait as well as showing off her agility skills.
With the average time taken to rehome a Battersea dog being 35 days, Rosie had spent almost eight times longer with the charity and despite her progress, she was still waiting for that special someone to sweep her off her paws.
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But after getting used to life in a home environment with a foster carer, Rosie is now keeping her new owners entertained by running around in the garden and sprawling out on the sofa for evening snoozes. She has even been taken out on her first big adventure to Skegness where she enjoyed playing on the beach.
Lisa Stockwell, Rehoming and Welfare Manager at Battersea Brands Hatch, said: “It’s heartwarming to see golden girl Rosie find happiness at long last. It’s fantastic to see her find the loving home she deserves.”
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Winnie enjoying her TV programmeThis week’s picture features a two-year-old lab, Winnie.
Owner Lynne Harold, from Staffordshire Moorlands, said: “I caught her watching her favourite wildlife programme on TV. She loves watching animal programmes. We love her dearly even though she has her mischievous side.”
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People's Pet Awards
Nominations are now open for the Mirror People’s Pet Awards with Webbox. We’re looking for cats, dogs and every pet in between who has saved and transformed lives, rescue animals who have overcome incredible odds, and pets who win the hearts of everyone they meet. There are also categories for people old and young who make a difference to animals’ lives. If your pet, or a pet you know, deserves an award, you can find more information and nominate them at thepeoplespetawards.co.uk.
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