Cats are curious creatures and like to play with anything and everything they can get their paws on, especially if they are young. Unfortunately, many of your kitty’s favorite toys could be harmful and easily swallowed. If your cat starts choking on a toy, call 911 Vets right away. We serve the greater Los Angeles area and make house calls for a number of pet emergencies. Unlike traditional vet clinics, we come to you if you are unable to make it to our clinic. Learn more about our mobile vet clinic and in-home treatments, or contact us to schedule an appointment.

If you are unsure about what toys are safe for your cat or kitten, continue reading below for a list of common items your kitty can choke on.

Rubber Bands and Hair Ties

Talk to any female cat owner and she will tell you that once she got a cat, her hair ties started disappearing. Hair ties and rubber bands are irresistible to your furry friends, however if you’re not paying attention, your pet could end up choking. Cats who love to play with rubber bands could end up breaking them apart into little pieces, and these pieces could then get caught in their throat and cause them to choke.

The same goes for hair ties. Though it’s fun to watch your kitten bat a hair tie across the floor or flip it around, the consequences won’t be as fun.

String and Yarn

Most of the time, string or yarn is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of common household items for your cat to play with. This is due to countless cartoons, images splayed on your grandmother’s sweater, or a holiday cookie tin picturing a cute kitten playing with a ball of yarn.

Contrary to popular belief, yarn and string are huge choking hazards for cats. Playing with a mess of string not only runs the risk of tangling around your kitty’s neck, but similar to rubber bands, string poses a serious threat for choking if your cat accidentally swallows some. Your best bet is to monitor your cat when they play with string or yarn and keep it in a safe place when you aren’t around.

Balls of Foil

Rolling up your used foil into a ball for your cat is very tempting, but it could be a dangerous choking hazard. No feline can resist batting around a shiny ball, and while the simple act of chasing it around is harmless, you run into danger when they start to chew on it. When your cat starts to chew and bite on a piece of crumpled foil, they could end up biting a piece off or accidentally swallowing small pieces. Those small pieces could get lodged in their throat and cause them to choke.

If your cat starts choking on pieces of foil, or any other toy, call 911 Vets right away. We provide emergency and routine house calls to the Los Angeles area. If you pet is in distress and you need help right away, 911 Vets is here to help! Our mobile vet clinic doesn’t require that you bring your pet to us; we come to you. Learn more about the services we offer or contact us to schedule an appointment.

Toys with Ribbons, Feathers, or Plastic Eyes

Your cat’s favorite toy is probably one with ribbons or feathers that catch in the wind with you wave it around. It could also be a catnip filled mouse. These toys provide hours of entertainment for your feline, and probably for you too, but it’s important to be careful. Embellishments like ribbons and feathers, or even the plastic eyes on catnip mice pose a threat. If any of those items come loose and get swallowed by your cat, they can become lodged in his or her throat.

So What Toys Are Safe?

At this point you may be wondering if any toy is safe for your cat. The answer is yes, cat toys are safe as long as your cat is monitored while playing with them. It’s also a good rule of thumb that if any of the toys can fit completely in your cat’s mouth, then they are a choking hazard.

However, if your cat starts wheezing and it sounds like there is something stuck in its throat, call 911 Vets right away. Our mobile vet clinic provides both emergency and routine services right in your home. With traditional vet clinics, you have to go to them, but with 911 Vets, we come to you. Contact us today to schedule an appointment.