Sometimes the cat chews to relieve inflammation of the gums.
Stress can also trigger this behavior
That every cat is a little crazy, it is clear to the most unobservant owner.
Sometimes our furry friends eat crazy things like melon, pumpkin, corn, banana, cucumber, avocado, watermelon and whatnot. This is part of their strange nature.
But it is really disturbing when they gnaw on things that are not edible – blankets, wool, paper, chewing gum, hair bands, soap, cat toilet pellets, plants, shoelaces, electrical cables or plastic bags. Their obsession is so strong that there are families who have to hide all their clothes, socks and shoes, because their crazy cat will bite their holes. Unfortunately, this passion is not fun at all, on the contrary – it is dangerous and usually speaks of serious problems. This is an eating disorder known as Pica syndrome and can be fatal to the cat. Some of these things are toxic, others can clog the gastrointestinal tract, etc. In any case, if your cat eats strange inedible things, you should take her to the vet.
The reasons for this behavior can be physiological: when something in the diet is missing. For example, if they eat pellets from the cat toilet, they may have anemia, if they bite potted plants, they may lack fiber.
A cat with inflamed gums probably scratches objects to relieve pain and itching. If he has digestive problems, he may chew and drool to suppress the urge to vomit. Leukemia, FIV (feline AIDS), diabetes or a brain tumor sometimes hide behind this behavior.
The explanation may be beyond physiology. Like humans, cats suffer from obsessive-compulsive disorder. Strange behavior can also be due to early weaning from the mother. Almost all cats trample with their paws – this is a childhood memory when they suckled from their mother. Animals that are weaned too early by the cat are more prone to this behavior. In some of them the trampling is accompanied by sucking – they suck woolen or soft fabrics, hair, ears or the hand of the owners. It is most often done by oriental breeds – Siamese and Burmese.
In some cases, this sucking turns into Pica syndrome.
Stress can also trigger this behavior. The reasons may be loud noises that pay for it, for example, if a neighbor has started repairs. For cats, all major changes are stressful – a new home or a new family member.
If the cause is not a physiological, neurological disorder or mental trauma, then your cat is just bored. She gnaws on cables, shoes and whatever she falls for because it’s fun. If you graze houseplants, be very careful, because some are poisonous, such as tulips, palms (except nolina), chrysanthemums, creams and more.
Once we have gone to the vet, ruled out the more unpleasant causes, and made sure that our mustachioed child is doing it for fun, we need to draw up an action plan.
1) Eliminate the things your cat eats as much as possible. For example, the cables can be hidden in a PVC pipe – split it lengthwise and insert them inside.
2) Do everything possible to satisfy your hunting instinct – provide a lot of hunting (ie, play) and small portions of food throughout the day.
3) Distract her with toys and even food every time she starts eating objects.
4) Make a cat observatory by the window by placing either a tall cat tree or some shelf on which he can sit and watch.
Immediately to the vet
Run to the vet immediately if you notice the following symptoms of an ingested foreign body: vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain (this is quite difficult to understand as cats are ninjas and are usually silent and do not show pain), loss of appetite, weight loss, problem with defecation, very small stools, weakness, lethargy, changes in behavior – for example, if the cat growls and does not allow you to lift it (abdominal pain), attempts to remove the paw from the tongue or mouth if a thread is stuck there. If a cat stretches a rope that has been swallowed during defecation, do not pull it at all, as this could seriously injure the colon. Carefully cut off the protruding with scissors and wait for the rest.
