Cooper—an 8-lb, 3-year-old, neutered munchkin cat—presented for vomiting an 8-inch wrapping ribbon, 13 elastic hair ties, and several pieces of tape. Initial radiographs showed several foreign bodies still present in the patient’s stomach (FIGURE A). Cooper was not in apparent distress and not painful on abdominal palpation.

The veterinarian recommended administration of 3 mL of a hairball laxative to help the hair ties pass through the intestines. After 1 hour, a second set of radiographs showed that the foreign bodies had not moved. Cooper was then given 3 mL of hairball laxative mixed with 3 mL of barium. Radiography was repeated after 5 minutes, 1.5 hours, and 2.5 hours (FIGURE B), showing no change in the position of the foreign bodies. Later, Cooper vomited three elastic hair ties, several long pieces of string, a hairball, and some confetti. However, radiography confirmed that a foreign body was still lodged in the pylorus. During exploratory surgery, eight more hair ties and several pieces of ribbon were recovered (FIGURE C). Overall, 21 hair ties, 9 inches of ribbon, and several pieces of confetti were removed from the patient. Fortunately, Cooper recovered nicely.