Can cats eat chicken bones and why not?

Cats cannot eat chicken bones for several reasons. First, chicken bones are particularly hard and sharp, which can easily get stuck in the cat's throat or cause damage to the digestive tract after being swallowed. This can lead to inflammation, intestinal obstruction, and bloody stools. Secondly, even if the chicken bones eaten by the cat do not damage the gastrointestinal tract, they are likely to form internal foreign bodies in the gastrointestinal tract, causing indigestion and affecting the cat's growth and development. Therefore, it is recommended that cats mainly eat cat food, and fish bones, bird bones, and other sharp bones should not be fed to cats.

How long do cats take to react after eating chicken bones?

Cats usually show reactions 12-48 hours after eating chicken bones. If the chicken bones scratch the cat's gastrointestinal tract, the cat will have tar-like or bloody stools. If the chicken bones block the cat's gastrointestinal tract, it can cause frequent vomiting and severely affect the cat's appetite. It is recommended to determine the location of the chicken bones through examinations such as DR and then remove them via endoscopy or surgery.

What to do if a cat eats chicken bones?

When a cat eats chicken bones, the owner should first observe if the cat shows signs of coughing, constipation, diarrhea, or reduced appetite. The owner should also check if there are any chicken bones in the cat's recent feces. If everything is normal, it means the bones have been digested by the cat, and the owner doesn't need to worry too much. However, if the cat shows abnormal symptoms, the cat should be taken to a pet hospital for inspection to determine the location of the chicken bones and the degree of digestive tract damage. The chicken bones should be removed and treated promptly.

Precautions

To avoid the above situations, it is generally recommended that owners do not feed chickens bones, fish bones, and other sharp bones to cats. If the cat has already eaten chicken bones, the owner should not panic and first observe the cat's bowel movements and mental condition. If there are any abnormalities, take the cat to a pet hospital for inspection immediately.