Owners who use string as a pet toy for their cat should make sure they put it away after playing, a vet has said.
Dr Marty Becker, a vet who has appeared on Good Morning America and has authored over 20 books on pets, said that once play time is over, cats can sometimes eat toys.
Writing for the Sacramento Bee, the vet was responding to a reader who said that they had heard string is dangerous for cats, but lots of pet toys have string.
Dr Becker wrote: "Kittens and cats love playing with string, as well as ribbon and anything that twists and dances.
"There's a chance your cat won't stop with play and will decide to eat the toy. And that's where the fun stops, because any sort of string can wreak havoc in your cat's intestines and lead to surgery."
He said that it is important to put the toy out of reach of the cat once the game is over.
Another risk in the home is knitting or sewing equipment and the wrapping packages they come in, the vet said.
