Cat just ate some yarn. Will he be OK?

[SurvivingNotThriving]

Hi. I just looked up to see my cat eating a roughly 6-inch piece of yarn that I realised he'd chewed off the end of the ball. Couldn't get to him in time to stop him. Will he be OK? I've got to go to work today and nobody else will be home so I can't even keep an eye on him. Um, any thoughts please?

This is thought of as a medical emergency. And it's recommended to see a vet asap.

Going to say the same as above. He'll probably be OK and it'll re-appear in a day or two - BUT yarn, ribbon etc. can get tied up in the intestines and cause very serious problems.
Vet needed today for advice.

You need to get your kitten to your vet asap. Can obstruct intestine which is very serious.

And if you see any sticking out anywhere. Do NOT pull it.

https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/linear-foreign-body-in-cats

Please take your cat to the vet ASAP.

Thank you all. Advice appreciated. I took him to the vet. She couldn't feel any signs of problem so recommended I watch and wait. He's absolutely fine in himself so far...

(But I feel like a total shit for cancelling my own patients at work in order to do this. Guilt, guilt, guilt.)

Would be better to get an xray, feeling the cat will not tell you if there is something tied up and obstructed inside.

We had this with one of our cats years ago. On a bank holiday weekend of course. Cat had a long bit of pink wool hanging out of her arse! Emergency vet, ultrasound, thankfully it wasn't wound round anything so no need for surgery. Vet trimmed the wool (I could have done that!) and we watched her like a hawk so we could check she'd passed it. That was a very expensive poo. DD was warned not to leave wool around ever again!

I have to say I wouldn't be very impressed with the "watch and wait" approach when it comes to yarn.

Our cat ate thread at 2 years old and the surgery took hours and it was touch and go - he was fine in the end but it cost ££££s!

I'm surprised the thread has said to watch and wait, honestly. It's super-serious.

How did it turn out with the cat? Hoping puss pooed out the yarn!

Nope, no sign of it. Cat seems completely fine and is eating/drinking/pooping and charging round the house like a lunatic as normal. The yarn was pure wool so I'm wondering whether he digested it?

Glad he's ok! Cats are a mystery.