If you have any questions or concerns, you should always visit or call your veterinarian - they are your best resource to ensure the health and well-being of your pets. Return to, "6 Strange Cat Behaviors Finally Explained" >
#Cat chewing on plastic bags professional
If you need more help, find a professional through the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists, the Animal Behavior Society, and the IAABC. Training (specifically clicker training) your cat to do simple behaviors such as sit, down and other tricks is also a wonderful way to increase your cat’s exercise and it’s a wonderful bonding activity.įor some additional resources on cat enrichment ideas, the American Association of Feline Practitionerprovides a helpful list. Interactive food toys, where your cat has to hunt for food within the toy, are also a way to engage feline minds and bodies. Look for toys that require you to be engaged with the play, such as “fishing wand” type toys.
Consider wrapping cords in rubber covers that can be purchased at most stores that sell electrical and home repair supplies.Tips to keep your cat from chewing cords. You should adopt a plan combining management (to keep your cat safe) and enrichment (to engage physical and mental needs).
Finally, boredom can be a major factor in habits like these. You may also want to discuss with your veterinarian your cat’s diet, as chewing on odd objects can be a symptom of insufficiency in daily dietary needs.
One reason that cats will chew cords can be related to their dental health, and if you find your cat engaging in these activities, a trip to the veterinarian to make sure her teeth are in good order is important. It also can obviously damage your household electronics and cause electrical fires. Chewing on cords is a dangerous activity that should be actively prevented as it presents a choking hazard, as well as the possibility of injury and death from electrocution. Kittens in particular can chew cords as part of their exploratory development. As with plastic bags, cats can find the oral sensation of chewing on cords pleasant. This can cause serious blockage and damage to your cat’s system, and can lead to intestinal bunching (which is exactly what it sounds like, eek).A dangerous household item cats often chew is electrical cord and wire. The issue with swallowing something long and thin like yarn or wire is that it can get caught in your cat’s intestinal tract and cause what’s called linear foreign body, a life-threatening surgical emergency. “Chewing and ingesting long pieces of thin wires like headphones can cause dangerous obstruction issues similar to if they swallowed string.” Here’s what could be causing your cat’s odd plastic habit. If your cat is nibbling on grocery bags, packing pillows, and shrink wrap, there may be an underlying reason - other than that your cat is just weird. It’s also baaaad news if he swallows any wire. Actually, plastic pica - a recurring behavior of eating or chewing on plastic - is quite common in cats. “If a cat bites through a power cord and contacts both wires at the same time, it can cause a short circuit which may burn or electrocute your cat.”Īnd that’s not even the only danger when your cat's chewing cords.
“A serious concern is if they like chewing electrical cords,” Dr. But it’s super risky when your cat is chomping on wires. Elston, the act of chewing itself isn’t all that bad. Why it's dangerous when cats are chewing cordsĪccording to Dr.