I have a friend at work whose cat has been eating insulation from the ceilings of her home for "months" according to her. She says when she defecates there is blood in the stool. As a cat owner I know this is a bad sign, and I'm not sure how much this person cares or realizes what a serious and costly problem this is. I live too far away to help. Why do cats do this? How can I make my friend realize this is a serious problem and the cat should see a vet immediately? Please only serious answers.
2007-02-27 10:17:39 · 13 answers · asked by lvanett 3 in Pets ➔ Cats
I have tried to tell this person that it is unsafe for her cat to be eating insulation, and she shrugs it off and says she keeps right on doing it. She also says that she's spent $1000 on this cat already (it injured one of its hind legs as a kitten) and doesn't want to spend any more.
2007-02-27 10:19:56 · update #1
Where is the cat getting it's paws on exposed insulation? How is the cat getting into the ceiling?
Aside from the fact that the isulation is obviously being damaged (as so many have kindly pointed out here on the answer forum), I am certainly more troubled by the concern for the cat's health. I find it a great concern that insulation can be full of mold, in addition to the fact that it is made of highly irritating fiberglass that can irriate the respiratory tract and the skin by inhalation or touch. With that in mind, it can do the same things to the digestive tract. "It is made from natural ingredients like molten sand and large amounts of recycled glass products such as bottles, window glass, and industrial plate glass."
Your friend needs to block the cat's access to the ceiling at the very least and very much needs to consult a vet. Explain to her what fiberglass insulation is made from and perhaps she will reconsider or at least block the access.
2007-02-27 10:47:35 · answer #1 · answered by rumezzo 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You need to let her read this thread! Insulation is FIBERGLASS, which means her cat is ingesting tiny shards of glass. It probably has inflamatory bowel disease already. That behaviour has GOT to stop, and the cat needs to be seen by a vet as soon as possible.
If you have a cat and spend $1000 on it because it was (for the sake of argument) attacked by a dog...you don't throw it back into the kennel, once it's healed!!! Why would she allow this $1000 cat to stand right in front of her, and eat something that ANY idiot knows is deadly...while claiming she doesn't want to spend more money on it? GEES!
2007-02-27 10:20:37 · answer #2 · answered by Lisa E 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
You need to make him/her realize it, but how? I'm not so sure. I'm surprised... he/she should know that blood in the stool is bad to begin with and insulation? Tell him/her that the cat could be very ill and could die, no doubt. Good luck, hope all is well.
2007-02-27 10:21:24 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
She won't have to worry about spending more money soon, the cat will die from eating the insulation. she is a very cruel person your friend. This is a blatant case of animal abuse.
2007-02-27 11:45:44 · answer #4 · answered by katie d 6 · 2⤊ 1⤋
If your friend really refuses to take the cat to the vet , you could always call animal control and report this. this is totally unfair to the cat and your friend does not deserve to have any animal as a pet. I just hope this friend never has kids.
2007-02-27 10:25:20 · answer #5 · answered by ikaffy 4 · 4⤊ 0⤋
um tell your friend obviously that this is a very and i mean very serious problem and if she doesn't care make the vet tell her because the vet appears to be a more educated person on animals than you to your friend probably( no offense seriously!!)
if you live too faraway call her and tell her. your friend's cat does this mainly because she was not trained not to do it tell your friend to train her not to do or else her furry companion will die(srry to break it to you in that way but it will help your realize it)
2007-02-27 10:24:49 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
put some sticky double sided tape on the insulation so when the cat goes to eat it , it won't like the tape and won't eat the insulation any more.(the sticky tape doesn't hurt the cat the tape just bothers the cat.)
2007-02-27 10:38:50 · answer #7 · answered by anty r 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Sometimes, people can't afford the vet bills and so they slough it off as no big deal. It is a pride thing. You might call animal control and have them go out and talk to her. A lot of times they will give warnings to take care of the animal or loose it. Sometimes you have to take durastic measures like this to get someone to wake up and take care of their pet.
2007-02-27 10:38:48 · answer #8 · answered by Veneta T 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
call the cops on her and keep the cat even though she is ur friend help the kitty
2007-02-27 10:22:36 · answer #9 · answered by roxy babe 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
They don't deserve to have a cat if they can't see that that is a problem.
2007-02-27 10:19:57 · answer #10 · answered by Yamse1 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋