#cat chewing

[catlifeonscreen]

Cute Cat Playing | Cat Reaction | Cat Bite | Cat Chewing 

[why-animals-do-the-thing]

I don’t currently own a cat but in the future it’s a goal of mine. Despite not having one right now, I still try to prepare myself for being a parent sometimes by reading about cat care and such lol. Anyways, I know there are some cats that will chew on or even eat things that are definitely not food and I’m so worried my future cat will have this problem since it would likely be one of the more “dog like” breeds that exhibit strange behaviors. I’ve read about Devon Rexes eating weird shit they shouldn’t… the point is, got any advice on how to train them not to do that stuff from a young age? I want to make sure for their safety they won’t do that (ykno even tho the cat is hypothetical atm) Thanks!

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, or whatever the real saying is.

Basically: if you're worried about them chewing on things, set up your space proactively so they can't chew on things that are major health hazards. Remove any toxic plants from the house entirely, secure electrical cords where they can't be reached or put them inside of something that can't be bitten through.

After you've done as much prevention as you can, you really basically just have to work with the cat in front of you. Notice that they like chewing on things? Give them plenty of appropriate options in the form of toys or other enrichment, and make the specific thing you don't want them to chew available.

Kittens, moreso than adults, are going to investigate things with their mouths. And the biggest thing with babies is to not let them practice behaviors you don't want them to do is adults. So if you're getting littles (since you said from a young age), monitor them closely, remove inappropriate items before they can even learn they're fun to chew, and provide appropriate things to gnaw on if they seem to want to chew things. One good thing you can do with a new cat, if you're worried, is keep them confined to one safe room while you learn their behavior, and then allow them more access to the house once you know them better.

There are deterrent sprays like bitter apple that you can put on stuff they're trying to chew, but that should really be something you only try after everything else. If you have to resort to deterrent sprays, you're in a situation where you have to be hyper-vigilant to make sure it's on everything, and there's a lot of room for error (and some animals don't care!).

But here's the thing: at the end of the day, you have to work with the cat in front of you. You can discourage certain actions, but for something self-reinforcing like chewing, you're not necessarily going to be able to train any animal completely out of the behavior. It's natural for them! So I'd suggest maybe reframing the question as "how do I plan to manage this behavior if/when it occurs" not "how do I prevent this from ever happening."

[cookieater2009]

Cat biting

[mutsuki-marii]

Este gato me inspira a dibujar todos los días. 💙

[itsanimalabuse]

Pica in cats

Pica is a behavioural disorder that causes the affected animal to develop an appetite for non-nutritive substances, materials and objects, such as wool, plastic, paper, wood etc. This disorder can occur not only in cats, but also dogs, humans and other animals. 

(Image source)

There is no determined cause of pica — it may be caused by early/abrupt weaning, genetics, underlying health problems, nutritional deficiencies in diet, or even stress and boredom (lack of mental and physical stimulation). 

What should you do if your cat has pica? 

Remove access to objects that your cat tends to chew on. This is only a temporary measure to protect your cat for the time being; it only addresses the symptoms and not the underlying cause(s) of the problem. 

Have your cat checked out by a vet: do some bloodwork (especially for iron deficiency/anemia), examine them for any medical problems and inquire if there is a need for a change/adjustment in diet and work with your vet from there. 

Make sure you provide your cat with enough mental and physical stimulation throughout the day. Depending on breed, temperament and individual factors, cats have different playtime needs and preferences. If you work during the day and the cat is home alone, have in rotation a varied assortment of cat toys — puzzle food dispensers are great for your kitty entertained for hours on end. Grow/purchase some suitable greens for your cat to chew on (cat grass, parsley, wheat grass etc available at the pet store or online). If possible, give your cat access to a perch that grants them a view of the outside of the house, through a window or otherwise. 

Schedule a regular playtime with your cat and do not stop until they have spent most of their energy and are satisfied. Depending on the cat, this could take from 10-30 minutes. Ideally your cat should have their attention focused on the toy and physically moving around the room. When your cat starts slowing down, engaging in grooming behaviours or panting, it’s a sign that they’re done with playtime. You can then feed them, after which they will likely go to sleep. This mimics what their behaviour would be in the wild: hunt, catch, kill, eat, groom, sleep. Make this order of events into a regular routine so your cat knows what to expect. More information on interactive play here. For high-energy breeds such as Bengals, it may be helpful to go on daily walks (with a harness and leash, of course). 

Examine your cat’s environment for potential stressors. Does your cat have a separate litter box? Is there a secure feeding station (away from the litter box) where they are fed at regular times? Do they have places where they can retreat, hide and feel secure away from people? It may be a good idea to install cat walks (ideas here) so your cat can survey the room from a high vantage point, making them more at ease and secure in their environment. It’s important for cat walks to have a ready “flow of movement” — connect cat walkways so your cat can travel from one side of the room to another without touching the floor, and avoid having dead ends where your cat will be cornered with nowhere to go. 

If all else fails (i.e. your cat’s pica is totally unmanageable and they are in danger of getting hurt) talk to your vet about medications available to treat the disorder. 

  — ariadne