Call your vet
Call your vet today
Call your vet for advice. Cats usually chew bones rather than swallowing large pieces, but cooked bones can splinter and lodge in the mouth, throat or gut. Watch for gagging, drooling, vomiting or loss of appetite.
Pet poison lines (US, 24/7): ASPCA Animal Poison Control: (888) 426-4435 · Pet Poison Helpline: (855) 764-7661. Or call your nearest emergency vet.
What to do right now
- Check the mouth for wedged bone (pawing at the mouth and drooling are clues).
- Call your vet.
- Do not induce vomiting.
- Watch your cat closely for 72 hours.
Why chicken bone can be dangerous for cats
Cooked bones are brittle and break into sharp shards. Pieces can wedge across the roof of the mouth or between teeth, or cause a blockage or perforation in the gut.
Symptoms to watch for
- Pawing at the mouth or drooling
- Gagging or retching
- Vomiting
- Not eating or hiding
- Straining or bloody stool
What not to do
- Do not induce vomiting.
- Do not try to pull out a bone stuck deep in the throat.
What the vet will do
Your vet may examine the mouth, take x-rays and remove lodged fragments, sometimes under sedation.
Related guides
Cat ate chicken bone: FAQ
Can cats digest chicken bones?
Cats can digest small raw bone fragments better than cooked bone, but cooked bones still pose a splintering risk.
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Sources
This guide is general information, not a diagnosis. Every pet is different: when in doubt, call your vet or an animal poison control line.