My cat ate a Q-tip. Should I make him vomit or will it pass naturally?

Question

Hello, so I noticed that somehow my cat got into the trash, and before i could grab it, he managed to swallow a qtip. I'm assuming it was a whole paper q, tip as I cannot find another piece of it. Is there anything I can do to help him pass/vomit it out? Pet's info: Cat | Maine Coon | Male | neutered | 1 year and 5 months old | 20 lbs

Lauren Jones VMD · Accepted Answer

Oh dear! Cats are notoriously more difficult to induce vomiting than dogs, and the home remedies previously recommended (such as hydrogen peroxide) have been shown to cause pretty significant damage to the esophagus. As a result, it's best to avoid inducing vomit unless it's done with injectable medications by a vet. (Even that can be hit or miss as far as getting it to work!) I wouldn't worry about inducing vomiting. The good news is that the paper stem of the q-tip should be digested/broken down to some degree by Totoro's stomach acids. While the cotton won't break down, the tips are small enough that they *should* be able to pass without intervention. There really isn't anything that you an do to make this process go faster, but you can closely monitor Totoro at home. Keep an eye on his overall energy level, appetite, and for the presence of any vomiting and/or diarrhea. If any of these things change, be sure to take Totoro to his vet right away for evaluation. They'll need to check for a possible obstruction or blockage. You don't need to thoroughly examine his stool, but try to keep an eye out for cotton remnants when you scoop the litter box. I hope that everything goes well!

My cat ate a Q-tip. Should I make him vomit or will it pass naturally?

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