DESTRUCTIVE BEHAVIORS - CHEWING AND FABRIC SUCKING
What can I do to stop my cat from chewing?
During exploration and play, kittens (and some adult cats), will chew on a
variety of objects. Not only can this lead to damage or destruction of the owner's
possessions, but some chewing can be dangerous to the cat. The first step is
to ensure that the cat has appropriate opportunities and outlets for play, scratching,
climbing, chewing and exploration. The next precaution is to keep potential
targets of the cat's chewing out of reach. When this is not possible the cat
may need to be confined to a cat proof room, or baited pieces of the target
material may need to be planted in the cat's environment in order to establish
negative associations with the behavior. String, thread, electric cables, plastic
bags, twist ties, pins and needles are just a few of the objects that cats may
chew or swallow resulting in intestinal foreign bodies and possibly the need
for surgery.
Another common target of feline chewing is houseplants. The best solution
is to keep the cat away from household plants whenever it cannot be supervised.
Placing rocks or gravel in the soil can help to keep the cat from climbing on,
digging in, or eliminating in the soil. In some cats the desire for chewing
plant material can best be satisfied by providing some greens (e.g. lettuce)
in the food, or by planting a small cat herb garden which provides the cat with
an acceptable outlet for the behavior. Some cats can be redirected away from
houseplants by providing other acceptable targets for their chewing such as
toys or biscuits, and feeding a dry cat food may help satisfy the desire to
chew for some cats.
What can I do for my cat that sucks on wool and fabrics?
Although sucking on wool or other fabrics may be seen occasionally in any
cat, the problem is most commonly seen in Burmese and Siamese cats, or Oriental
mix breeds. Although some cats do grow out of the problem within a few years,
the problem may remain for life and in cases where the cats are ingesting large
quantities of fabrics there can be quite serious health implications. The first
step in correction is to provide alternative objects for chewing and sucking
and to fill the cat's time budget with activities associated with preparation
of food for ingestion. A well-cooked bone with some gristle and meat could be
considered, provided the cat is well supervised and sucks and gnaws on the bone
without causing it to splinter. Feeding dry and high fiber foods or making food
more difficult to obtain by hiding it around the house, and causing the cat
to hunt it out, may also be helpful. Secondly it is important to ensure that
the cat has plenty of play periods to keep it exercised and occupied. The third
approach is to plant baited pieces of the target material in the cat's environment
so that the cat comes to associate the negative experience of a taste deterrent
such as eucalyptus or menthol with the behavior of fabric sucking. Of course
the owner must be on hand to offer the cat an alternative and rewardable behavior
outlet when it retreats from the baited materials. Finally, cat proofing techniques
will be required whenever the owner is absent and cannot supervise.
Some cats are so persistent in their desire to suck wool that it may be necessary
to provide the cat with one or two designated woolen objects to suck on, provided
no significant amounts are swallowed.
Some cats have such a strong and seemingly uncontrollable desire to suck that
the condition has been compared by some authors to compulsive disorders in people.
The same drugs used for human compulsive disorders have been found to be useful
for some of these cases. If your cat shows persistent efforts to suck, chew
or ingest material, a consultation with a veterinary behaviorist, or applied
animal behaviorist should be sought, as this is a very complex behavior which
needs detailed investigation.
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