Cats and chewing...

Cr01502

Hey OP

Have you considered maybe getting a bit of counselling for your cat. It sounds depressed.

The fact that it's routinely attempting suicide on a regular basis is a clear indicator of deep psychological problems.

Has there been any new stress introduced to his life?

New job?

Perhaps it's having a mid life crisis?

Broke up with it's SO?

All these things can be devastating to a cat. My advice? Sit down. Ask questions. You might be surprised what you two can find out about each other.

:flowerforyou:

SoDamnHungry

Hey OP

Have you considered maybe getting a bit of counselling for your cat. It sounds depressed.

The fact that it's routinely attempting suicide on a regular basis is a clear indicator of deep psychological problems.

Has there been any new stress introduced to his life?

New job?

Perhaps it's having a mid life crisis?

Broke up with it's SO?

All these things can be devastating to a cat. My advice? Sit down. Ask questions. You might be surprised what you two can find out about each other.

:flowerforyou:

Thank you for the concern about my cat's mental health. Now that you mention it, there may be a particular reason for his stress. He actually has had several moves, from a lovely home to being dumped on the street as a neutered and declawed cat, to being picked on in a feral cat colony, to a foster home, and finally to his current home a couple of months ago. Also, they cancelled his favorite television show. That's probably the real problem here.

I tried asking him how he felt, but he just meowed at me. I'm thinking that maybe his meowing is a sign of stress, kind of like when people speak gibberish. Maybe the proper medication could get him speaking English again? He hasn't spoken English since I got him, so the psychological trauma must be pretty intense.

He's 4, so hopefully he isn't having a midlife crisis. If so, I'd only get to have him until he was 8.

:flowerforyou:

SoDamnHungry

Can you remove his teeth and just feed him wet food of juice cleanses?

hahahahahaha
we had a cat who would chew plastic as well, though she never swallowed anything. we think she liked the sound. not sure about the tee-shirt issue though. obviously try to keep clothes hanging up and off the floor. are you certain you're feeding him enough? perhaps he's just hungry!

Initially he was just chewing the plastic bags (and not swallowing any) to let me know he was hungry. I'm wondering if the problem has worsened because I hid all of the plastic bags. But he ate the shirt alone in a room, not for attention. I just came in and he was in the middle of eating it... =(

Cr01502

Hey OP

Have you considered maybe getting a bit of counselling for your cat. It sounds depressed.

The fact that it's routinely attempting suicide on a regular basis is a clear indicator of deep psychological problems.

Has there been any new stress introduced to his life?

New job?

Perhaps it's having a mid life crisis?

Broke up with it's SO?

All these things can be devastating to a cat. My advice? Sit down. Ask questions. You might be surprised what you two can find out about each other.

:flowerforyou:

Thank you for the concern about my cat's mental health. Now that you mention it, there may be a particular reason for his stress. He actually has had several moves, from a lovely home to being dumped on the street as a neutered and declawed cat, to being picked on in a feral cat colony, to a foster home, and finally to his current home a couple of months ago. Also, they cancelled his favorite television show. That's probably the real problem here.

I tried asking him how he felt, but he just meowed at me. I'm thinking that maybe his meowing is a sign of stress, kind of like when people speak gibberish. Maybe the proper medication could get him speaking English again? He hasn't spoken English since I got him, so the psychological trauma must be pretty intense.

He's 4, so hopefully he isn't having a midlife crisis. If so, I'd only get to have him until he was 8.

:flowerforyou:

Ok. Was the show Homeland by any chance? If so just reassure him that I'm pretty sure they're making another season. No way could you end season 2 like that and NOT make a season 3.

Have you tried any other languages with the cat? French? Spanish?

A friend of mine just got a dog from Greece and he's now had to learn Greek just to communicate with it. It's a big step but it might be totally worth it. If you're cat's been bounced around from foster home to foster home he may speak Spanish. He could have been a stray from South of the border. He could also be French as he could have come from Canada. If that's the case that alone might be the reason he's trying to end his life early.

:flowerforyou:

emsicle_o

Anyone have advice on how to get a cat to use a scratching post?

Mine had one that she used to the point she completely shredded it. I went and replaced it, put the new one in the exact same spot and now she completely ignores it. She has taken to using the armrests of my leather bar stools as as scratching post!!!

Help!

Move the scratching post to wherever she is now scratching. If she changes to a new place, keep moving it. After a while she should get the hint. Maybe try getting her scent on it too - rub her bedding/blanket on it - dunno if that one will work but it's worth a shot?

the_journeyman

I've got a cat that chews on rubbery/plastic surfaces. He's chewed through more than one electrical. I've tried the water bottle, but unlike most cats (freaks out and runs on the first spray) he just looks around at you, fusses, and then slowly gets up and saunters off. I have to hide cords behind stuff so he can't eat them.

JM

foxro

Said before, could be lonely and needs a cat friend to live with.

the_journeyman

Said before, could be lonely and needs a cat friend to live with.

We've got several, even one of his litter mates.

JM

wikitbikit

We have a rescue cat who bites into and tears off bits of cardboard boxes. She'll sit in them and do this around all four sides until eventually there's nothing left but the base and a litter of cardboard bits all over the place. She clearly has many inner frustrations.

We bought the Feliway cat pheromone plug-ins and it seems to have reduced her need to chew on things. All four of our cats seem calmer, in fact, but the reason we bought the plugins--to curb a peeing problem (six litter pans, all cleaned daily)--hasn't worked. I'm not necessarily recommending the Feliway plugins because it could just be my imagination that the cats seem more relaxed, but it's a thought.

Superchikanthem

We have a rescue cat who bites into and tears off bits of cardboard boxes. She'll sit in them and do this around all four sides until eventually there's nothing left but the base and a litter of cardboard bits all over the place. She clearly has many inner frustrations.

We bought the Feliway cat pheromone plug-ins and it seems to have reduced her need to chew on things. All four of our cats seem calmer, in fact, but the reason we bought the plugins--to curb a peeing problem (six litter pans, all cleaned daily)--hasn't worked. I'm not necessarily recommending the Feliway plugins because it could just be my imagination that the cats seem more relaxed, but it's a thought.

have you tried a different litter? If a cat does not like it they won't want to use it. It's like people if you don't like the toilet paper you will not want to use that one again haha at least I dont't

littlebudgie

If your cat likes plastic bags it'll probably love this: http://www.cattoys.com/gocatgo-krinkle-puffs-cat-toy.html

Aside from those, my cat has pretty much ignored every toy we've gotten her, but she loves those balls to pieces.

wareagle8706

Anyone have advice on how to get a cat to use a scratching post?

Mine had one that she used to the point she completely shredded it. I went and replaced it, put the new one in the exact same spot and now she completely ignores it. She has taken to using the armrests of my leather bar stools as as scratching post!!!

Help!

My cats have taken to my leather bar stools as well so I feel your pain. But they ALSO use their scratching posts. There is some double sided tape type stuff that you can find at pet stores that doesn't stick really bad to the surface you stick it to (kind of like how painter's tape peels off easily) BUT when the cat goes to scratch on the item, their paws get stuck on the tape and cats hate that feeling so that should nix that habit.

Edit: didnt' see your post about catnip til now. Ok.... try getting the cardboard scratching boards. My cats love those.

SoDamnHungry

Said before, could be lonely and needs a cat friend to live with.

We have two cats. The chewing cat is new addition. They have scuffles occasionally, but seem to get along fairly well.

SoDamnHungry

If your cat likes plastic bags it'll probably love this: http://www.cattoys.com/gocatgo-krinkle-puffs-cat-toy.html

Aside from those, my cat has pretty much ignored every toy we've gotten her, but she loves those balls to pieces.

Thank you. Maybe I'll give those a try. If he tries hard enough, would he be able to rip off a piece and eat it?

wareagle8706

I have a new cat. He used to chew (but not eat) plastic bags to let me know he's hungry, but other than that, he was fine. Until two days ago, when I went into my bedroom and heard a noise. I turned around to find him in my chair, EATING a t-shirt. He literally ate part of the shirt. Initially I thought he just chewed it up, but he threw up a chunk the next day. Had I known he'd eaten it, I would have taken him to the emergency room. The vet suggested spraying things with bitter spray, but I can't spray the whole house, and it seems like he'll chew on anything. Has anyone here had a similar problem? What did you do?

I concur with some other people that it might be an anxiety thing. Was he a rescue? did you get him as a kitten or full grown cat? Do you ahve other cats in the house? Might talk to vet about anxiety remedies. I know there are "calming sprays" out there at the pet stores but no clue how well they work.

littlebudgie

If your cat likes plastic bags it'll probably love this: http://www.cattoys.com/gocatgo-krinkle-puffs-cat-toy.html

Aside from those, my cat has pretty much ignored every toy we've gotten her, but she loves those balls to pieces.

Thank you. Maybe I'll give those a try. If he tries hard enough, would he be able to rip off a piece and eat it?

The ones my cat has are pretty battered, but I don't think she's managed to rip anything off of one yet. It seems to me like it would be pretty hard for a cat to get a solid enough grip on it to rip bits off, but I'm not 100% sure on that.

Edit: In retrospect, maybe "loves them to pieces" was a bad choice of wording :laugh:

wikitbikit

have you tried a different litter? If a cat does not like it they won't want to use it. It's like people if you don't like the toilet paper you will not want to use that one again haha at least I dont't

I'm pretty sure it's not a litter issue because most of the time he'll use it, and he never poops on the floor. He was born in a barn, literally, so we think he's just bad mannered Next step is kitty prozac, but I'm not quite ready for that yet.