“I was shocked when I found out …”
For about a year, a cat named Louie would occasionally throw up after eating.
Because he still had a normal appetite and otherwise seemed healthy, his owner, Anne, thought he simply had a sensitive stomach.
But then things suddenly got worse.
Louie began vomiting several times a day and became very tired, so Anne rushed him to an emergency veterinarian.
An X-ray showed a large object inside his stomach.
Louie needed emergency surgery to remove it.
When the surgery was finished, vets discovered the surprising cause: Louie had swallowed 35 hair ties.
The hair ties had been collecting inside his stomach over time until his body could no longer handle them.
Anne said she was shocked by the number, but also knew Louie had always been interested in hair ties.
When he was a kitten, he loved playing with them. After a veterinarian warned her that cats could swallow them, Anne tried to keep every hair tie out of reach and even started using hair clips instead.
Still, Louie somehow managed to find hidden hair ties around the house.
After the surgery, Anne searched her home carefully to make sure none were left behind.
Thankfully, Louie is recovering well and is expected to return to his normal playful self.
Anne hopes his story will remind other cat owners to keep hair ties and similar small objects away from their pets.
Louie may be curious, sweet and mischievous, but from now on, hair ties are definitely off the menu.