Why Does My Cat Love Plastic? A Vet Explains

Confession time: I’ve a cat who likes to play with (and lick!) plastic luggage. He’s executed it since I first followed him—and he nonetheless comes operating if he hears the rustle of a grocery bag.

Cats are notorious for his or her quirky behavior however licking plastic should be one of the vital strangest. Whilst cats normally love plastic for its sensory characteristics, it is also as a result of they have got a clinical situation that has altered their urge for food.

A cat consuming plastic is liable to intestinal obstruction and even suffocation. So it’s essential to unravel this odd addiction and make adjustments to restrict this probably bad pastime. It’s essential to stay our cats secure by way of conserving them clear of plastic, and offering different substrates for them to play with and bite, corresponding to toys or cat grass.

5 Causes Why Cats Like Plastic

There are a couple of explanation why your cat could also be interested in plastic pieces. Figuring out why they’re chewing, licking, or taking part in with plastic can assist us save you this conduct and stay them secure. Let’s check out the ones causes.

1. Sensory Enter

Pieces made of latest fabrics will also be very intriguing to our curious cats. Plastic is crinkly, easy, pliable, and really gentle. It may be batted round, scrunched up, and investigated by way of claws, mouth, and nostril.

cats like to play! Plastic buying groceries luggage, plastic toys, and different pieces can all be sexy to our mischievous tom cat pets. In case your cat doesn’t have a lot get right of entry to to toys or different kinds of stimulation, boredom would possibly result in them taking part in with non-traditional toys.

2. Style

Whilst you call to mind scrumptious smells and tastes, plastic grocery luggage more than likely don’t spring straight away to thoughts. Alternatively, the scent and style could also be partially what draws cats to a couple plastics.

Baggage will also be fabricated from gelatin (an animal spinoff) or covered in cornstarch or stearates. Those tastes and textures won’t enchantment to us, however cats have a awesome sense of scent. They could also be attracted to the tastes and textures imbued throughout the plastic.

Buying groceries luggage could also be in particular interesting if they have got taken on one of the vital meals odors when transporting our groceries—particularly meat or fish.

3. Breed

Some cat breeds are extra identified for consuming and licking non-food pieces than others. Burmese and Siamese cats are in particular famend for his or her odd consuming behavior, which would possibly come with some apparently ordinary alternatives corresponding to plastic luggage.

4. Anxiousness and Obsessive Compulsive Dysfunction

Rigidity and anxiousness can found in a large number of how in cats. Those come with changing into withdrawn, adjustments in urge for food and toileting behavior, aggression, and hiding. However it may well additionally come with irrelevant chewing. In case your cat unexpectedly begins chewing on gadgets corresponding to luggage, furnishings, or electric cords, it can be an indication that they’re unsatisfied about one thing.

This is usually a new cat locally, a brand new child, building paintings, and even loud noises. Those new conduct patterns can turn out to be repetitive and compulsive—very similar to obsessive compulsive dysfunction (OCD) in folks.

5. Scientific Issues

The behavioral want to consume non-food pieces, corresponding to plastic, is referred to as pica. There are quite a lot of underlying reasons, together with dietary deficiency and a few clinical stipulations.

Some commonplace sicknesses that may reason pica as a symptom come with:

• Diabetes
• Hyperthyroidism
• Anemia
• Infections, corresponding to tom cat infectious peritonitis (FIP)
• Malnutrition or a deficiency in quite a lot of nutrients or minerals
• Dental illness
• Parasites
• Gastrointestinal issues, corresponding to continual diarrhea
• Neurological illness, together with mind tumors

Pica will also be the only factor, however many sicknesses reason further indicators. As an example, with dental issues, you might also realize that your cat has extra drool, dangerous breath, or sore gums. In case you are involved that your cat is sick, at all times discuss with a veterinarian.

Why Is Consuming Plastic Unhealthy for Cats?

It’ll appear to be a risk free, quirky persona trait, however cats who consume or lick at plastic luggage and different inedible pieces can do themselves hurt. Plastic can turn out to be entangled across the neck and head, resulting in strangulation or suffocation. If eaten, plastic can turn out to be lodged within the abdomen or intestines, resulting in interior blockages.

If in case you have noticed your cat licking at or consuming one thing plastic, take away the pieces straight away. Observe them intently for indicators of deficient well being, corresponding to vomiting, lethargy, or pawing on the throat. At all times take your cat to a vet in case you are involved.

What You Can Do

It may be a fear to have a cat who loves to consume plastic and different inedible pieces, however there are methods to assist.

1. Supply a Wholesome Nutrition

The very first thing to test is that your cat is consuming a well-balanced nutrition. Their meals must be nutritionally whole for tom cats and appropriate for his or her age and way of life.

2. Prohibit Get entry to

If, like me, you understand you will have a cat who loves to play with (and lick!) plastic, then it’s a smart addiction to stay plastic luggage and different pieces out of succeed in. At all times put away grocery luggage, stay electric cables safe and out of succeed in, and tidy free pieces away.

3. Distraction and Redirection

What do you do if you happen to catch your cat within the act? Don’t punish or shout, as this may occasionally best scare them and result in ongoing rigidity. As a substitute, lightly distract them from the irrelevant merchandise by way of the use of treats or toys, after which take away the plastic from their succeed in.

4. Secure Choices

Some cats are extremely motivated to bite and play. Supply an array of secure gadgets for them to play with, bite on, and in most cases stay themselves occupied. Check out various sorts and textures and rotate continuously to forestall boredom.

Be sure that your cat has get right of entry to to just right scratching posts, top perches, bite toys, meals puzzles, and interactive toys to supply each bodily and psychological stimulation. Put aside common sessions of time to play and have interaction together with your puppy. Cat grass may give superb secure enrichment for cats who love to bite.

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