Catgut is commercially made from the intestine of the following animal:
Cat
Pig
Sheep
All of the above
Gut sutures derived from sheep submucosa or beef serosa are digested by proteolytic enzymes in the wound. They are more rapidly degraded in the presence of infection. The knot-holding ability of plain gut is rather inconsistent; chromic gut seems to be better in this regard. Plain gut--Plain gut incites an intense inflammatory reaction in the wound and loses its tensile strength within 2 weeks. Chromic gut--Treatment of gut with chromium salts decreases its tissue reactivity and prolongs its survival to about double that of plain gut. Ref: Jones T.R. (2011). Chapter 30. Wound Care. In R.L. Humphries, C. Stone (Eds), CURRENT Diagnosis & Treatment Emergency Medicine, 7e.