# My Cat just ate some waxed paper. Quick answers needed. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 26, 2007, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-just-ate-some-waxed-paper-quick-answers-needed/413295 "2007-07-26T22:09:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2007, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-just-ate-some-waxed-paper-quick-answers-needed/413295/1 "2007-07-26T22:09:06Z")
A piece of candy wrapper, from a Lifesavers roll fell to the floor. About 7mm x 4mm. My cat, Jazz. ate it before I could get to it. Problem? ---
**Author:** ![Pullet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Pullet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pullet)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2007, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-just-ate-some-waxed-paper-quick-answers-needed/413295/2 "2007-07-26T22:16:53Z")
IANAVeterinarian (yet), but if it was my kitty, I would keep an eye out for vomiting, diarrhea, and constipation. Any of those could be signs of intestinal blockage. If it was going to happen, it would most likely be in the next day or two. The odds of this happening depend on the size of your kitty and the size of the piece of paper it ate. Big cat + small paper = good odds kitty will poop it out. From what I know, there isn’t a whole lot you can do from home. The hydrogen peroxide to induce vomiting trick doesn’t work as well in cats. I would get the number for the nearest vet clinic and emergency vet clinic handy in case you need to call them, but total freakout probably won’t be necessary until kitty has symptoms. Wadda you think, **Vetbridge**? ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2007, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-just-ate-some-waxed-paper-quick-answers-needed/413295/3 "2007-07-26T22:24:11Z")
Well, 7mm x 4mm seems pretty tiny. Just think of the size of the hairballs that cats cough out… Myself, I wouldn’t worry about it, but I’d watch the cat to see if it was in distress. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2007, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-just-ate-some-waxed-paper-quick-answers-needed/413295/4 "2007-07-26T22:25:47Z")
Adult kitty. Approx dimensions of paper given in post #1. ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2007, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-just-ate-some-waxed-paper-quick-answers-needed/413295/5 "2007-07-26T22:44:30Z")
[QUOTE=Bosda Di’Chi of Tricor] Adult kitty. Approx dimensions of paper given in post #1. [/QUOTE] **Bosda** - I have two - count them two - siamese attack cats. The [male](http://s143.photobucket.com/albums/r156/Phlosphr/?action=view¤t=Phil_Cat_1.jpg) looks innocent enough, but he eats anything. It should pass right through and if you are lucky you’ll see it on a dingle coming from his nether regions in a day or two. I’ve pulled christmas tree tinsle, snickers bar wrapers [no idea how he got that one] half a pixie stick and a plethora of plant material from his - you know where… ---
**Author:** ![Valgard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/7feea3/32.png) [@Valgard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Valgard)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2007, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-just-ate-some-waxed-paper-quick-answers-needed/413295/6 "2007-07-26T22:46:32Z")
Call your vet, they can probably give a better answer than we can! ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2007, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-just-ate-some-waxed-paper-quick-answers-needed/413295/7 "2007-07-26T23:03:25Z")
[QUOTE=Valgard] Call your vet, they can probably give a better answer than we can! [/QUOTE] to be safe - I second this. I think out SMAK [siamese attack kitten] has a stomach made of iron. ---
**Author:** ![Pullet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Pullet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pullet)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2007, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-just-ate-some-waxed-paper-quick-answers-needed/413295/8 "2007-07-26T23:21:13Z")
[QUOTE=Phlosphr] to be safe - I second this. I think out SMAK [siamese attack kitten] has a stomach made of iron. [/QUOTE] He does. Christmas tinsel is notorious for requiring surgical removal at the clinic I work at. I’m sure any vet clinic would be happy to talk to you over the phone. 7mm to 4mm sounds pretty small to me, and if it was my cat, I wouldn’t sweat it, but legally I can’t weigh in like a real vet could. Good luck. And where is the kitty picture already?? ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2007, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-just-ate-some-waxed-paper-quick-answers-needed/413295/9 "2007-07-26T23:45:51Z")
[QUOTE=Bosda Di’Chi of Tricor] About 7mm x 4mm. [/QUOTE] A piece of wax paper a quarter of an inch by an eighth of an inch? I can’t possibly imagine how that could be a problem. ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2007, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-just-ate-some-waxed-paper-quick-answers-needed/413295/10 "2007-07-26T23:52:43Z")
This too, shall pass. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2007, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-just-ate-some-waxed-paper-quick-answers-needed/413295/11 "2007-07-27T01:09:55Z")
[QUOTE=Pullet] He does. Christmas tinsel is notorious for requiring surgical removal at the clinic I work at. I’m sure any vet clinic would be happy to talk to you over the phone. 7mm to 4mm sounds pretty small to me, and if it was my cat, I wouldn’t sweat it, but legally I can’t weigh in like a real vet could. Good luck. And where is the kitty picture already?? [/QUOTE] I am embarassed–I am a photo lab tech, yet I do not own my own camera. :o ---
**Author:** ![Darryl\_Lict](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7cd45c/32.png) [@Darryl\_Lict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darryl_Lict)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2007, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-just-ate-some-waxed-paper-quick-answers-needed/413295/12 "2007-07-27T01:20:44Z")
I own no pets. IANAV. But I think that wax paper must be one of the most benign substances known to cats. It’s wax and cellulose. I can’t imagine this being problematic in any way, especially due to the small size of said paper. You can pit me if your cat dies. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2007, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-just-ate-some-waxed-paper-quick-answers-needed/413295/13 "2007-07-27T14:53:13Z")
Jazz is fine. I worry **far** too much. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2007, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-just-ate-some-waxed-paper-quick-answers-needed/413295/14 "2007-07-27T15:44:03Z")
Glad your cat is OK. We have a young Lab-mutt. We rescued her when she was 8 weeks old. When she was in her teething stage, I bought a “Nylabone” plastic chew-toy, which she had endless hours of pleasure gnawing on. One day, it disappeared. We looked all over the house, but couldn’t find it. A day or so later, Grace upchucked, and disgorged the bone, which was around 3" long and 1" wide. I was pretty freaked out that she could even swallow something that big, let alone bring it back up. No more plastic bones for her. ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2007, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-just-ate-some-waxed-paper-quick-answers-needed/413295/15 "2007-07-27T16:00:58Z")
[QUOTE=Pullet] Wadda you think, **Vetbridge**? [/QUOTE] [QUOTE=pulykamell] A piece of wax paper a quarter of an inch by an eighth of an inch? I can’t possibly imagine how that could be a problem. [/QUOTE] Good answer! Never seen obstruction caused by paper/waxed paper. Tinsel, thread, ribbon, string, toys, dryer sheets, are things I’ve removed from cat’s GITs. ---
**Author:** ![kushiel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbce88/32.png) [@kushiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kushiel)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2007, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-just-ate-some-waxed-paper-quick-answers-needed/413295/16 "2007-07-27T21:47:48Z")
I keep on telling my mom giving the cat pill bottles to play with isn’t the best idea she’s ever had. He likes the rattling of it, but I fear for the day he has a kitty overdose of Tylenol. I think she’s given that cat just about any random household item to play with including dice, empty toilet paper rolls, lanyards and my keychains. ---
**Author:** ![lisacurl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/41988e/32.png) [@lisacurl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lisacurl)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2007, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-just-ate-some-waxed-paper-quick-answers-needed/413295/17 "2007-07-27T21:51:28Z")
Puke or poop, it all comes out in the end. 😃 Piece of paper that small? I’d probably have not even noticed one of my beasties eating that. I worry more about ribbon, string, or shredded bits of fabric, as **vetbridge** noted. Thank goodness the youngest demon is growing out of his chewing stage. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2007, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-just-ate-some-waxed-paper-quick-answers-needed/413295/18 "2007-07-27T21:55:26Z")
[QUOTE=vetbridge] Good answer! Never seen obstruction caused by paper/waxed paper. Tinsel, thread, ribbon, string, toys, dryer sheets, are things I’ve removed from cat’s GITs. [/QUOTE] My boy cat is obsessed, simply obsessed, with eating condoms (he prefers used ones - yuck!) and the plastic wrapper that comes with sanitary pads. 'Nough to make me want a hysterectomy, I tell ya… ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2007, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-just-ate-some-waxed-paper-quick-answers-needed/413295/19 "2007-07-27T22:08:50Z")
[QUOTE=kushiel] I keep on telling my mom giving the cat pill bottles to play with isn’t the best idea she’s ever had. He likes the rattling of it, but I fear for the day he has a kitty overdose of Tylenol. [/QUOTE] Tylenol is **exceptionally** toxic to cats… ---
**Author:** ![KlondikeGeoff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3e96dc/32.png) [@KlondikeGeoff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KlondikeGeoff)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2007, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-just-ate-some-waxed-paper-quick-answers-needed/413295/20 "2007-07-27T23:14:03Z")
[QUOTE=WhyNot] My boy cat is obsessed, simply obsessed, with eating condoms (he prefers used ones - yuck!) and the plastic wrapper that comes with sanitary pads. 'Nough to make me want a hysterectomy, I tell ya… [/QUOTE] Uh, you leave these (used) ones laying all around your house? 😕 I think I’ll pass on visiting. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-just-ate-some-waxed-paper-quick-answers-needed/413295.md?page=2)