“All tied up ” Bandit the cat needed emergency
surgery after eating 37 hair bobbles

A Milton Keynes pet owner has been left absolutely stunned after discovering his cat had swallowed 37 hair bobbles, causing a severe blockage in his stomach which required emergency surgery. Bandit, the one-year-old cat, was rushed to Milton Keynes Vets for Pets after becoming suddenly unwell, refusing food and developing an abnormally swollen abdomen. An ultrasound revealed a dark mass blocking his digestive system.

Once the mass was discovered, Veterinary Surgeon, Alina Tinson, performed an exploratory surgery, which confirmed Bandit had swallowed 37 hair bobbles, along with fragments of a plastic carrier bag, which had built up inside his stomach and intestines.

Surgical intervention was required to remove the hair bobbles, so Alina and the team performed a gastrotomy to safely remove the foreign objects. Thanks to the speedy efforts of the team at Milton Keynes Vets for Pets, Bandit is now recovering well at home.

His Owner, Lewis, said,

“I couldn’t believe it when the vets told me Bandit had swallowed so many hair bobbles. He’s always enjoyed playing with things that aren’t necessarily cat toys, but this was beyond anything I’d imagined. I’m just relieved he’s on the mend and so grateful to everyone at the practice for looking after him.”

It’s since been discovered that Bandit had developed a secret habit of opening drawers and eating the hair bobbles out of them, unbeknownst to Lewis.

Vet Alina said this case highlights the hidden dangers that everyday household items can pose to pets, particularly those prone to playful behaviour.

“We see a lot of curious pets who get themselves into trouble, but Bandit’s case was especially unusual due to the sheer number of objects he managed to swallow. We strongly encourage owners to keep small items out of reach, especially if your pet is showing consistent interest in them.”

Vets for Pets practices are locally owned and led by individual, entrepreneurial vets who choose to partner with a national brand to start their own, individual businesses based on the needs of their local community.