My cat ate a cooked chicken bone

Question
I found a very small piece of cooked chicken bone in the area where my two-year-old Maine Coon cat sleeps yesterday morning.  It had teeth marks in it, and I am almost positive that my cat ate the bulk of the bone.  He has been acting normal since.  He did vomit yesterday night, but it was after he had eaten three meals throughout the day and immediately after dinner.  I think he just ate his dinner too fast, as he does occasionally.  He also had one bowel movement last night.  He didn't seem to be in any pain, and there were no bones in it. He's been eating, playng and acting totally normal, but I still made a vet appointment for him for tomorrow morning.

What should I expect from the vet tomorrow?  If there is a bone, it surely has made its way into his intestines or digestive tract by now.  If the vet has to remove it, how is that done?  Is it a big surgery?  He just had a PU surgery a little over a month ago, and I want to avoid putting him through anything like that again.  My biggest concern is for his well-being.  I just want to know what to expect.

Answer
Danielle,

It is sort of a myth that chicken bones cause a lot of damage.  They can, but so can almost anything other than food that is swallowed.  I tend not to worry too much about my patients who have eaten chicken bones.  

I tell my client to watch their pet, and if their pet starts vomiting, acting lethargic or not eating then bring them in.  9 times out of 10, I never hear back from them.  The remainder typically get an upset stomach and need therapy for vomiting and/or diarrhea.  I have taken radiographs of a few to make sure the bones are causing no other damage, but I have yet to go to surgery to pull out a chicken bone.  But, I've learned by experience, never say never ;-)