I came downstairs
this morning to find my cat “hanging out” near a small table near which most of
her toys end up. She had one front paw up and I thought she was batting at a dangling
toy.

But she looked like she was trying to appeal to me,
and I took a closer look. I saw that she had a thumb claw trapped in a bell
attached to the toy, which was itself wedged in two wooden parts of the table. She
didn’t struggle, but waited patiently for me to help her.

I saw that there is a
round opening on the side of the bell, and a crevice leading down to the open
part of the bell. This bell design is typical of round bells: nothing unusual.

Her claw must have gone into the hole, and then became
wedged in the crevice. I saw that she had chewed the metal bell, and actually crushed
it, in the desperate attempt to get it off.

Crushed with cat teeth! Ouch. It makes my teeth hurt to to think of it. And
with her claw trapped inside, no less. I got it off, but it was not easy. Her
claw was pretty torn up, too. After it was off I had to hold and comfort her
for a good while. I trimmed off the rough nail, as close as I could. She is
favoring the foot since.

I don’t know how long she was trapped, but it could have been up to 2
hours, since the time when I had last seen her in the early morning. She is not
vocal, so she never called for help.

I checked her remaining cat toys, and removed everything with a bell. I
will open up the bells with a needlenose pliers to make sure those crevices are
separated.

So…check your cat’s toys for those with bells, and make sure the bell is
open enough to avoid trapping a claw!