Cats and chewing...

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SoDamnHungry
SoDamnHungry Posts: 6,998 Member
in Chit-Chat
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?
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  • Cp731
    Cp731 Posts: 3,195 Member
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    It's not unusual for some cats to have a tendency towards certain items such as plastic items such as bags (the crinkly sounds it makes perhaps a taste from a food item). Some tend to say it is because they are missing something in their diet. Some say it is rendered animal fat used in plastics that they are attracted to. And others think it may because it smell like food.

    However it's best to be mindful and supervise their inappropriate desires just in case of accidental ingestion of particular items...mainly plastic bags that get chewed off in pieces and anything easily swallowed. Ideally, pastic bags should be securely locked away if your cat later decides it would be something worth beyond licking like ...eating--ingesting this could create some serious medical problems which is expensive to later treat.

    It's best to please note that in the future never to pull out accidentally ingested material even slowly...from a cat's *kitten* or mouth because those items may become twisted around the digestive tract therefore you may accidentally pull out the intestines. A vet visit would be required always under these circumstances.

    Consider offering a safe kitty toys with similar textures in place of non-durable plastic items so that they learn to enjoy playing these instead.

    Here's a few websites that offer more reasons why cats possibly like plastic bags:
    http://www.catchow.com/searchresults_rec…
    http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?…
  • foxro
    foxro Posts: 793 Member
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    Get him a girlfriend !!!
  • Surfrider
    Surfrider Posts: 364 Member
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    The only problem I had with mine was that she chewed on electric cords for a couple years. I ran most of the cords down with hot sauce and it nixed that problem quickly. Not sure what I would advise if yours is eating all those random items though!
  • SoDamnHungry
    SoDamnHungry Posts: 6,998 Member
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    It's not unusual for some cats to have a tendency towards certain items such as plastic items such as bags (the crinkly sounds it makes perhaps a taste from a food item). Some tend to say it is because they are missing something in their diet. Some say it is rendered animal fat used in plastics that they are attracted to. And others think it may because it smell like food.

    However it's best to be mindful and supervise their inappropriate desires just in case of accidental ingestion of particular items...mainly plastic bags that get chewed off in pieces and anything easily swallowed. Ideally, pastic bags should be securely locked away if your cat later decides it would be something worth beyond licking like ...eating--ingesting this could create some serious medical problems which is expensive to later treat.

    It's best to please note that in the future never to pull out accidentally ingested material even slowly...from a cat's *kitten* or mouth because those items may become twisted around the digestive tract therefore you may accidentally pull out the intestines. A vet visit would be required always under these circumstances.

    Consider offering a safe kitty toys with similar textures in place of non-durable plastic items so that they learn to enjoy playing these instead.

    Here's a few websites that offer more reasons why cats possibly like plastic bags:
    http://www.catchow.com/searchresults_rec…
    http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?…

    Thanks for the detailed response! I should mention that I put away all the plastic bags so that he no longer has access to chew on them. Our trash cash is lined, but he doesn't seem interested in that. My worry is mostly that he just seems like he'll chew on anything. I'll try the cat toys and see if he'll switch to those. Thanks!
  • xDawnsgrace
    xDawnsgrace Posts: 436
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    The only problem I had with mine was that she chewed on electric cords for a couple years. I ran most of the cords down with hot sauce and it nixed that problem quickly. Not sure what I would advise if yours is eating all those random items though!
    my cat actually loves spicy things.. .-.
  • Surfrider
    Surfrider Posts: 364 Member
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    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!
  • foxro
    foxro Posts: 793 Member
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    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!

    Sprinkle some catnip on it. Also sometimes orange peel will keep them away from things you don't want them scratching
  • diddyk
    diddyk Posts: 269 Member
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    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!

    Cat nip spray. I foster cats and have to train kitten after kitten to use it. We're pretty successful at saving out furniture and having them use the tree with the spray. I get mine at the dollar store, pet stores will have it too.
  • gemkat13
    gemkat13 Posts: 60
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    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!
    I have 4 cats and they scratch everything including their scratching post but I suggest spraying cat nip on the new one or make sure it's in the exact spot as the old one was in. Good luck!!
  • Surfrider
    Surfrider Posts: 364 Member
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    Oh yea, forgot to mention my cat seems to be immune to the effects of catnip. I've tried the spray as well as the fresh stuff in a tub. She takes two sniffs and walks away completely indifferent to it.

    Sorry to derail the OP topic!! Cats eating tshirts and plastic bags.... hmmm..
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
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    Managed to "train" Thomas the cat (original name huh?) to stop running up the curtains with the use of a water pistol....
    Harmless deterent and it didn't take too many squirts before he associated running up curtains with getting squirted and stopped.
  • diddyk
    diddyk Posts: 269 Member
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    Oh yea, forgot to mention my cat seems to be immune to the effects of catnip. I've tried the spray as well as the fresh stuff in a tub. She takes two sniffs and walks away completely indifferent to it.

    Sorry to derail the OP topic!! Cats eating tshirts and plastic bags.... hmmm..

    Have you tried cat grass? You can grow it or buy it at the grocery store. Putting it on/near the cat tree might help. Make sure to secure it or you'll end up with dirt all over the place.
  • diddyk
    diddyk Posts: 269 Member
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    Managed to "train" Thomas the cat (original name huh?) to stop running up the curtains with the use of a water pistol....
    Harmless deterent and it didn't take too many squirts before he associated running up curtains with getting squirted and stopped.

    Water pistol/spray bottles are EXTREMELY effective at deterring bad behaviour, it only takes a squirt or too before they associate bad behaviour with getting wet.
  • Surfrider
    Surfrider Posts: 364 Member
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    Managed to "train" Thomas the cat (original name huh?) to stop running up the curtains with the use of a water pistol....
    Harmless deterent and it didn't take too many squirts before he associated running up curtains with getting squirted and stopped.

    I used the exact same technique to stop mine using my home theater speaker grills as scratch posts!!
  • NancyStree
    NancyStree Posts: 89 Member
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    spray it with catnip...the scratching post...
  • Superchikanthem
    Superchikanthem Posts: 362 Member
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    Cats are natural hunters and I would highly recommend looking into feeding either fully raw food or using raw Chicken/Turkey necks to satisfy that natural urge to chew.

    http://www.vetsallnatural.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=88&Itemid=103

    As for the scratching post when ever you see your cat about to or in the middle of scratching what they are not suppose to be scratching simply pick them up and place their paws on the post. Do not be visibly angry that they are scratching else where or they may associate the post with angry also. another thing to do would be to pick up some loose cat nip/honeysuckle and sprinkle some on the post and see if they scratch.
  • NancyStree
    NancyStree Posts: 89 Member
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    have you tried the cardboard scratching pads for your cat!!!! My 4 cats love it...
  • Surfrider
    Surfrider Posts: 364 Member
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    As for the scratching post when ever you see your cat about to or in the middle of scratching what they are not suppose to be scratching simply pick them up and place their paws on the post. Do not be visibly angry that they are scratching else where or they may associate the post with angry also. another thing to do would be to pick up some loose cat nip and sprinkle some on the post and see if they scratch.

    As I said, immune to catnip. I have done the whole pick her up and place the paws on the post a few times and she just runs off.
  • Cp731
    Cp731 Posts: 3,195 Member
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    [/quote]

    Any thing I can do to help.. My pleasure
  • elryn
    elryn Posts: 12 Member
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    I have a cat who I nicknamed "The Goat" because she would eat weird things. Once she ate several large holes in a dishtowel - at least that I could understand since it had some food residue on it. The big concern with that was the potential her intenstines would get blocked and she's need emergency surgery. The xray showed no blockage at that point and the vet said to watch her closely for 2 days to make sure she didn't start throwing up (one sign of blockage) or signs of pain. She amazingly "passed" the dish towel fibers. She also ate a hole in a t-shirt that was clean with no food odor.

    She also sometimes peed outside the litterbox (which was clean) and was sometimes aggressive to my other cat. I didn't think about it until I saw your post, but I just realized that since she started taking Prozac 2 months ago (for the peeing issue), she has also stopped eating weird things. There are other anti-anxiety medicines for cats, and I had tried 2 others but for her Prozac is the one that works.

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