By: Bobby Falat
FARGO, N.D. (Valley News Live) – A Fargo cat is recovering after veterinarians removed 28 hair ties, along with several other foreign objects, from her stomach.
Homeward Animal Shelter says the cat, named Rasha, arrived at the Fargo pound last week after staff initially thought she was constipated. An X-ray revealed the real problem: her stomach was packed with foreign objects.
Despite the dangerous buildup, Rasha was eating, moving around, and showing few signs of distress, something shelter staff says is common in cats, who are known for hiding pain.
Rasha underwent exploratory surgery on Tuesday. In addition to the 28 hair ties, surgeons removed several pieces of rubber and a toy ball. The total surgery cost was $1,915.
Shelter staff say Rasha is expected to survive. They are using her story as a warning to pet owners: keep hair ties, rubber bands, and small soft plastics away from cats. Swallowing them can cause deadly intestinal blockages.
If you’d like to help cover Rasha’s surgery costs, you can donate to Homeward Animal Shelter’s special veterinary needs fund here.
