Does Your Cat Eat Weird Stuff?

Does your cat or kitten eat non food items, a condition called “pica”? This is not a good thing, but it is a more common problem than you may think.

This behaviour is most frequently found in kittens, particularly those of Asian breeds, such as Siamese. It is thought that it develops in kittens that have been taken away from their mother at too young an age or that have that genetic tendency, and they will continue to “suckle” on a suitable item in the absence of the mother cat - wool, a piece of clothing, towel. The behaviour will most likely continue throughout the cat’s life. 

Suckling on the item is not particularly harmful, and using a deterent or making access to interesting items difficult, takes care of that. There is no “cure” as such, but lack of access and deterents work well. Mixing about 10 drops of eucalyptus or citrus oil with water in a spray bottle and spraying the item works well to keep kitty off. Be careful not to spray kitty!

If pica (the term used for the condition) develops in your adult cat, this is more unusual and can be an indicator of a medical problem, so a trip to the vet is your first step. Once the cat gets a clean bill of health, making things inaccessible and unappealing to kitty are your lines of defense. 

If your feline is actually eating the item, this is way more dangerous and can cause serious digestive issues including blockages, so this behaviour must be nipped in the bud - get those interesting bits of clothing out of kitty’s reach. But pica is not limited to clothing, cats may start eating plastic bags (had a recent client with this issue), shower curtains, electrical cords or any number of non food items.

Outside of medical issues, the adult cat may develop pica because it is bored or lonely, so giving kitty some extra attention and play time may help solve the problem. You know your cat best…is it lonely and would a companion be helpful? Not all adult cats welcome a new member of the species to the family and are much happier as the only feline in the household.