What do I do when my cat ate a chicken bone?

Question

I fell asleep with a plate of bones from chicken wings next to my bed. My cat was sleeping with me, but when i woke up he wasn't there and there was half of a chicken bone on the floor a couple feet away from my bed. it looks like the one from the leg.

I went to find him, and he's just chillin. He had a bunch of hairball attempts, though, which is pretty unusual for him.

A couple of years ago, he had a urinary blockage and was in the ICU for a couple of weeks, it's a miracle he survived. Ever since, we've had to make sure he's drinking LOTS of water and he's on a special diet.

I brought him to the sink and had him drink some water, and then brought him to my room so i can watch him. He started doing some weird coughing thing for a little, but then stopped and is now just lying down next to me like he always does. He looks fine, and doesn't get irritated when i touch his stomach like he did when he had the blockage.

What can i do? How can i help him? is he going to be okay?

Ask if you want any more information. i don't want anything to happen to him.

Answer 1

I have been a cat owner for 35 years, and If it were my cat, I would take him to the vet ASAP, especially if he is coughing. He could have sharp bone fragments caught in his esophagus. Cooked chicken bones splinter worse than any other bones and the absolute worst bones they could eat.

Keep us informed of his condition and Good luck.

Answer 2

RuneAmok said it with flying colors.  

I have a dog who has had to undergo 2 separate surgeries for having a foreign body stuck in him and several close calls.    He suffers from extreme separation anxiety and will grab anything he can get his mouth around.  (which is why someone gave him away).  Anyway,  call the vet, get the check up and xray then play the waiting game.   At least you know what he ate and when.  That helps a lot.

Best of luck,  I hope he feels better soon.   :)

Answer 3

I hate to say it, but call your vet.  I don't think you need to rush him in or anything but they can advise you what to watch for.  And you might want to put them on alert as well in case he takes a bad turn and you need quick help.  Ask them what you should do if he goes south after they've closed for the day.

My guess is that he's past the risk of choking on it but there's the possibility of damage from bone shards.

One thing you'll want to do is watch the litter box closely to see if he passes anything.  Also watch for blood.

I have a string eater so I know what you're going through.  I sweat bullets until I see it turn up in the box!  And this last time she went off her food a bit so I was quite worried.

Answer 4

In the wild, cats catch and eat birds of all shapes and sizes. Have a think about that. Those cats don't have their food presented to them on a plate, bone free, and they survive.  If your cat has stopped coughing and is behaving normally, he should be ok.

Make a note to eat your chicken at the table next time, and don't be so lazy! :)

Answer 5

I agree, talk to the vet.  

If he is acting fine and continues to act normal then it's probably fine but since he's had other issues before it could make him more susceptible to damage.  It's always best to ask the professionals.

I caught our girl halfway through cooked wing bones too.  It worried me but she ended up fine.  She was a stray and probably lived off mostly trash so I figured she's had worse things than those little bones before and I guess she did manage to chew them up thoroughly with no complications. We watched her very closely for awhile and she never showed any reaction. We're trying to break her of her habit of going through the trash but basically all that happened is that we're trained to take it out and keep if covered.  

Keep a close eye on him and keep in contact with your vet. Good luck!

Answer 6

ITS NOT UNCOMMON FOR CATS TO GET INTO TRASH OUTSIDE OR LIKE YOU....FIND CHICKEN BONES AT THE SIDE OF YOUR BED...ON A PLATE.

UNLESS THE CAT IS SHOWING SIGNS OF DISTRESS, YOUR KITTY SHOULD BE OK.

AND YES.... I FORGOT ABOUT CHICKEN LEGS AND FOUND HALF EATEN BONES ON THE FLOOR NEXT TO THE KITCHEN TABLE. IT UNFORTUNATELY HAPPENS TO ALL OF US.....

GIVE YOUR BABY KISSES FOR ME !!