A lady goes viral after claiming a cat toy she purchased from Target led to her pet’s loss of life—and stated the corporate is now taking steps to stop it from taking place once more.

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Mazie Kayee (@mazie.kayee) stated she bought a “fish trio wand cat toy” from Target for underneath $5. After her cat chewed on elements of the toy, she stated he was hospitalized and later died.

The incident occurred in late June, she defined. But after contacting Target’s company workplace, Kayee stated the corporate responded shortly and warranted her they have been taking motion.

As of Sunday, her video detailing what occurred had racked up greater than 269,400 views.

What occurred with the toy?

Kayee stated she gave the toy to her cat on Easter as a part of his vacation basket, admitting she hadn’t checked the critiques beforehand, which, she later realized, have been principally detrimental.

According to archived variations of Target’s web site, the toy had a 3.7 out of 5-star score earlier than it was eliminated.

An analogous model remains to be bought on Shein: a wand-style toy with three small fish dangling from strings, every with tassels on their tails. According to Kayee, these tassels have been the issue. Her cat managed to tear them off and swallow them.

“[The] tassels are the issue,” she stated.

On the morning of June 26, Kayee stated her cat started vomiting—a regarding symptom that continued into the evening. Alarmed by the scent and persistence of the vomiting, she rushed him to the hospital the following day.

@mazie.kayee Replying to @andie🦇 TikTok eliminated the final one already so half 2. #catsoftiktok #cats #cattoys #goal #bootsandbarkley #sedgwick #insurance coverage #catloss ♬ unique sound – Mazie.Kayee

Veterinarians tried surgical procedure to take away the obstruction, but it surely was too late. Kayee stated the tassels had lodged in his abdomen, and the strings had wrapped round his intestines. Her cat didn’t survive.

“I feel like I failed as a fur parent,” she stated. “This is something I didn’t read reviews on because it was a $4 toy.”

How did Target reply?

Following her cat’s loss of life, Kayee stated she contacted Target’s company workplace to report what occurred. The consultant she spoke with was reportedly alarmed by her story and directed her to the corporate’s insurance coverage supplier, which, in line with Kayee, is predicted to comply with up.

But there could also be a silver lining: The toy in query is not on the market. In a follow-up video, Kayee counseled Target for taking swift motion.

“Target said they’re going to redesign the toy,” she shared. “After hearing my story and then reading the reviews, they just said ‘no more.’”

Speaking with The Daily Dot about her conversations with Target, Kayee stated, “I’ve talked to multiple people now.”

“Target actually called me personally last week and told me they were going to design the toy,” she continued. “The insurance company has sent a letter to the manufacturer stating that they are legally obligated to give us compensation.”

She added, “The lady I talked to through Target said she greatly appreciated me reaching out because they don’t know if no one speaks up.”

Viewers thank the cat proprietor for talking out 

Kayee’s video struck a nerve with fellow pet house owners, a lot of whom thanked her for sharing such a painful expertise, saying her honesty could have prevented comparable tragedies.

“PLEASE KEEP SHARING THIS,” one viewer urged. “I send my sister cat toys for every holiday, and they are STILL USING THESE TASSELS ON DIFFERENT TOYS.” 

“You probably saved my cat’s [life],” one other wrote. “Thank you for sharing your story! I’m so sorry for your loss.”

“I’m so sorry for your loss, but thank you,” a 3rd added. “You’ve saved a lot of cats, including mine.” 

Others chimed in with security ideas, warning fellow cat dad and mom to remain vigilant even with toys marketed as protected.

“As a cat mom, any toys with ‘feathers’ or ‘tassels’ do not buy OR remove them from the toy,” one commenter suggested.

“This goes for Christmas tinsel too!!! If you have cats, it’s recommended not to have them in your home,” one other stated. “I took an animal first aid [class] and remember being so surprised when I learned this.”

“If there are strings, it’s always no,” added a 3rd.

Veterinary professionals additionally weighed in—many reassuring Kayee that what occurred wasn’t her fault.

“We’re so sorry for your loss,” the TikTok account for Emergency Vet Clinic commented. “Sadly, foreign body surgery removals are very common for us. Don’t blame yourself.”

“I used to be a vet nurse and I would see this often,” one other wrote. “I don’t trust any toy with string/tassles/etc.”

The Daily Dot has reached out to Target by way of electronic mail.

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