What will happen if my cat ate Styrofoam? Styrofoam is a plastic foam that you can use for various applications. Manufacturers use it for packaging multiple products such as food and beverages.
When a cat eats a container of Styrofoam, it’s likely to choke. It is hazardous since the containers frequently hold soft toys and home goods.
Aside from home goods, you can also use Styrofoam to produce food containers such as coffee mugs and burger boxes. These containers comprise food flavors that your cat might try.
Why Do Cats Eat Styrofoam?
One of the most common non-food items cats love to eat is Styrofoam. It has a pleasant smell and texture that makes it an ideal food item for cats. Little pieces of this material floating in the air are commonly taken as prey by imaginative cats.
Manufacturers use styrofoam containers to pack food and drinks, and they can still smell and taste like the food they contain even after being discarded.
Can Styrofoam Hurt Cats?
Contrary to popular belief, Styrofoam is not harmful to cats immediately. It can only be toxic if it’s large enough to cause asphyxiation.
Styrofoam is not safe for cats. This substance has a type of plastic that does not break down quickly in the environment, and it can pose a severe threat to your pet’s health.
However, repeated ingestions can still be toxic. Be sure to avoid giving your cat frequent access to this material.
Aside from being toxic, Styrofoam can also be a carcinogen, which can cause cancer in living tissue. Since it’s not harmful when ingested, it’s still essential to get your cat’s kidney and liver checked by a veterinarian.
Long-term exposure to this substance can cause cancer. If your cat regularly ingests it, it’s essential to keep it away from your felines.
Can the Cats Digest Styrofoam?
Although cats cannot digest Styrofoam, some packaging materials, such as packing peanuts, are made from corn starch. These are more eco-friendly and biodegradable than traditional Styrofoam. It’s effortless to distinguish by looking at the foam or the corn starch.
These containers are less hazardous to your cat’s digestive system as they should dissolve in its waste. It is still important to inform your veterinarian if your cat has eaten these containers.
Can Cats Eat Styrofoam?
As a pet parent, you must keep Styrofoam away from your cats so they can’t eat it. They’re very attracted to it and might accidentally consume a lot of it.
The continuous use of Styrofoam can lead to severe illnesses such as cancer and gastrointestinal blockage. Cats are prone to accidentally swallowing objects that they shouldn’t.
It’s also essential that you keep all of your household items out of the reach of your cats so they can’t reach them.
Read also: Is Acrylic Paint Toxic to Cats?
What Will Happen if My Cat Ate the Styrofoam?
There are several risks associated with the consumption of Styrofoam. These include the possibility of developing severe illnesses and even death.
The only exception is for a peanut made from corn starch for cats. Your cat can ingest it. They can safely consume this type of Styrofoam in small amounts.
If the packaging peanuts you use have a “good” label, it’s essential to check them in warm water. However, if they dissolve, they’re made from corn starch.
Choking Hazard
Experts also stated that Styrofoam does not immediately represent a threat to cats unless it becomes a choking hazard.
If your cat swallows a large amount of food in one go, it can cause a severe health issue.
Although it is not immediately apparent, Styrofoam can get stuck to various objects in contact with it, such as the stomach and mouth.
Even if your cat only consumes a small amount of the material, it still has a high chance of suffocation.
To preclude this from transpiring, it is essential that you immediately remove the pieces of Styrofoam from your cat’s mouth.
Blockage
Styrofoam can risk your cat’s gastrointestinal tract because it sticks to the intestine walls. This material is more likely to cause a blockage than other objects that your cat may swallow.
A cat experiences vomiting or diarrhea, usually from a partial gastrointestinal blockage. However, if the backup gets worse, it can cause constipation.
Other symptoms include fatigue, abdominal pain, and weakness. An obstruction in the intestine can also be severe.
If the food that you feed your cat doesn’t pass through the intestine, it can cause harmful bacteria to grow inside it.
When the obstruction worsens, it can cause the bacteria to flow into other organs. This condition can lead to the death of your cat.
A large amount of Styrofoam usually causes this condition. If your cat has ingested a lot of the material, bring them to a veterinarian for an examination.
Harmful Chemicals
The regular ingestion of Styrofoam contributes to its toxic effects. It is also known as feeding your cat poison.
It will affect the kidneys and the liver, which are already struggling with plastic waste.
Your veterinarian can perform a medical examination to determine if the presence of Styrofoam in your animal’s organs is toxic. The chemicals in Styrofoam can cause cancer if your cats consume it excessively.
It is a silent disease that you can’t treat until too late. You must monitor your cat’s behavior after it consumes Styrofoam.
Unfortunately, treating cats with cancer is not always easy. The prognosis for this disease is usually inferior.
What Should I Do If My Cat Ate Styrofoam?
If your cat ate Styrofoam, you should first figure out how much it ate. Cats usually attack and eat styrofoam pieces with their teeth and claws.
Although eating small pieces of food is not harmful to your cat, it might be deadly if it gets too much of them.
If your kitten has eaten a piece of Styrofoam, feed them soft food containing oil or cottage cheese.
This type of food will help the styrofoam travel through the cat’s digestive system. Follow up with your cat in the following days to ensure it’s okay.
If your cat is still eating and doesn’t throw up, it should be okay to eat solid food once they ingest it. However, it’s essential to consult a veterinarian right away if your pet has any signs of pain.
Read also: Why Do Cats Like Rubber Bands?
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Styrofoam Peanuts Toxic to Cats?
Contrary to popular belief, styrofoam peanuts are not harmful to cats. Instead, they originate from starch, a non-toxic substance derived from crop materials. Also, foam peanuts are safe for people and pets since they are biodegradable.
It is a silent condition that you can’t diagnose until too late. You must keep your cat away from Styrofoam regularly.
Unfortunately, it is tough to cure cancer in cats. The prognosis is poor, and death can occur only a few months following diagnosis.
Can Styrofoam Kill Cats?
Styrofoam can kill cats as it can block their windpipe and cause them to choke. It does not pose a danger to cats until it becomes a choking hazard. It could happen if your cat gets a large amount of food at once.
Styrofoam is known to stick to various objects, including your cat’s throat and mouth. It is a hidden danger that most people fail to notice.
Even if your cat accidentally ingests a small amount of Styrofoam, it’s still a potential cause of asphyxia. The most manageable way to stop this is to remove the debris from your pet’s mouth as soon as possible.
You can regularly see the toxic effects of Styrofoam on cats. It’s similar to giving your cat poison if you eat it more than once.
If ingested, the plastic debris can damage the kidneys and liver, which could eventually fail. Your veterinarian can then determine if this is a severe issue.
Another side effect of Styrofoam is cancer. It can cause tumors in the body if your cats eat a lot every day.
Is Foam Bad for Cats?
Cats are known to avoid plastics due to their inability to digest them. In addition, foam can cause stomach upset. If your cat swallowed a small amount of foam, it should not have caused any lasting effects.
If a sponge gets stuck in the intestine, it could obstruct life-threatening complications. It can also be challenging to tell which cat ate it.
When a cat is relaxed and content, it will knead its mothers’ underbellies. This activity is similar to sucking one’s thumb.
Final Thoughts
What will happen if my cat ate Styrofoam? There will be choking hazards and gut blockage. And this is not ideal because of the harm it will cause to your furry friend.
When it comes to maintaining your cat’s safety, keep them away from anything that could be harmful to him, such as food containers and plastic bags. Also, avoid allowing him to play with packs of loose or packing peanuts.
