Your cat ate plastic wrapper and you don't know what to do now? If that is so, check out this article to learn how to help your furball.

 

Cat Ate Plastic Wrapper

All cat parents know that cats love to put all sorts of things into their mouth every now and then. Most of the time, the felines would lose interest if they notice unpleasant tastes. Still, on occasions, your fluffy friend may end up swallowing inedible stuff such as wrappers. Needless to say, after a cat ate plastic wrapper, it's going to face a variety of digestive difficulties if its owner fails to intervene. But which course of action is the most appropriate when dealing with such a situation?

Want to help your furball but don't know how? In that case, this article shall show you the ropes. Take a look at the following information to learn what needs to be done when your cat ate plastic wrapper.

Actions In The Immediate Aftermath

Cat Ate Plastic Wrapper

Once you know for certain that your cat just gobbled down a plastic wrapper, it's essential that you determine the characteristics of the wrapper.

  • If The Plastic Wrapper Happen To Be Small And Soft

Assuming that the wrapper is modest in size and formless, it should exit the body of the pet by natural means within the next 24 hours. Because of that, you must scan the litter box periodically to check for signs of wrapper mingled among the poop. If you wish to accelerate the process, consider giving the feline some cat-specific laxatives to get things in the gastrointestinal tract move along faster. To be on the safe side, consult a veterinarian before giving your fluffy friend drugs. The rule of thumb here is "better safe than sorry".

  • If The Plastic Wrapper Happen To Be Big And Stiff

When it seems that your cat ingested a bulky as well as inflexible plastic wrappers, you need to head straight to the local veterinary clinic. In most cases, as the size and the rigidity of the wrappers increase, the risk of digestive blockage rises accordingly. If left unsolved, the entire digestive system shall die which inevitably leads to fatal consequences. As a result, it's of utmost importance that you let the vets take over. Normally, it's possible to remove the plastic wrapper by endoscopy but if it has already moved deep into the intestines, surgery may be required. 

A Couple Of Signs That Your Cat Has Eaten Wrappers

Cat Ate Plastic Wrapper

Don't actually see your cat chewing on the wrapper but you have a hunch? Then you have to keep in mind these telltale symptoms. Generally speaking, if your cat ate plastic wrapper then it would be only a matter of time before it experiences:

  • Vomiting
  • Seizures
  • Diarrheas

...And others

When the above signs show up, it's strongly recommended that you bring your furball to the vets at once. Even if the plastic wrapper is not at fault, something must have gone wrong in your cat which requires examination. Overall, a trip to the clinic is always a safe bet no matter what happens. 

Check us out for further detailed cat's health guide!

Why The Wrapper Attract Cats

Cat Ate Plastic Wrapper

From the human perspective, the felines must be out of their mind to decide to swallow something like plastic wrappers.  That being said, there are a few reasons that make eating wrapper so tempting in the eyes of the pet.

  • Residual Scents Of Food Items

It's common knowledge that cats have excellent senses which allows them to pick up faint smells from considerable distances. Because of that, the pets would be attracted to pretty much everything that emits scents of foodstuff including plastic wrappers. Of course, your fluffy friend is not going to feel satisfied with sniffing the wrappers. After checking around for a bit, the pet shall lick, chew and in some cases gobble down the plastic wrappers. That is how the average household cat ate plastic wrapper for most of the time.

  • Boredom

Cats have a reputation for being affectionate animals so if people neglect them, the felines would likely find their own ways to keep themselves entertained. Considering the crackling sound that it makes, chewing on the wrapper is a fine way to pass times to your furball. Unfortunately, the pet may accidentally swallow the wrapper during the process which leads to troubles. That is why vets often suggest that cat parents need to set up a play schedule in order to improve the mood of the pets.

  • Physical And Mental Issues

In the case you find your cat ingesting plastic wrappers out of the blue, dental diseases could be at fault. In addition to that, unbalanced daily diets might also cause an otherwise normal cat to seek out plastics to chew.   Last but not least, stress makes the felines behave erratically such as chewing plastic wrappers. Such an issue is classified as an obsessive-compulsive disorder that requires pet owners to seek assistance from the vets. 

Preventing Incidents In The Future

 Cat Ate Plastic Wrapper

  • Discard/Store Plastic Wrappers Properly

Cats only need a small opening to get what they want so you have to take care of the plastic wrappers in the houses carefully. In the case you have no further use for the wrappers, toss them into a secured trash basket that your cat is unable to breach by itself. On the other hand, if you wish to recycle the wrappers later, store them in a locked cabinet. As long as you manage to implement these precautions, the risk of your cat swallowing plastic wrapper shall be minimal.

  • Prepare Some Prey Mimicking Toys

Despite the fact that the domestication process eliminates quite a few wild traits in cats, their predatory nature still remains. Hence, if you get a few toys that resemble preys for your furball, it's going to have a more healthy way to pass times instead of chewing plastic wrappers.

  • Spray Repellent On The Wrappers

Obviously, cats don't like bitter tastes which is why convincing them to take oral medicines is a tedious ordeal. but in this case, you should be able to use that tendency to your advantage. Prepare a plastic wrapper, spray on it cat-specific repellent then wait to see the reaction of your fluffy friend.     

Looking for more interesting Cat Tips & Facts? Visit Cattybox ! 

Cattybox team.

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