While it's normal for cats to chew on things—even things that aren't meant to be chewed—sometimes the behavior can get out of hand. This is potentially dangerous for your cat, not to mention damaging your belongings.
However, since cats explore with their mouths, they can chew on anything. There are several possible medical conditions that can cause excessive chewing in cats, including teething in kittens. However, the main reason domestic cats chew is boredom, which is relatively easy to correct.
Causes
Before you assume boredom is the cause of your cat's chewing, consult your veterinarian to rule out a medical problem.
- A cat with gum disease may chew on anything to soothe its mouth, while a cat with digestive problems may chew and drool to relieve nausea.
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder, malnutrition, and early weaning are all possible medical causes of chewing.
- Periodontal disease, which is an inflammation of the gums and tissues surrounding the teeth, is very common in cats and is usually treated with a complete cleaning under anesthesia to rid your cat of plaque and tar, which contain the bacteria that lead to periodontal disease.
© shutterstock
Unless there is an underlying medical reason, you most likely have a bored cat on your hands. It may seem like your kitten might have trouble chewing, but there are some serious dangers around the house that you may be missing.
Why do adult cats chew?
Most cats stop needing to chew as they get older and have molars. If an adult cat suddenly starts chewing things for no apparent reason, this is the first sign of boredom. Your pet should have a place in the house where he can jump, climb, climb, and sharpen his claws on his own without fear of punishment. It is necessary to provide him with a large number of toys, among which new ones should appear regularly. You can hide and rearrange your favorite toys: you need to make the cat move and climb somewhere in the house to find them - this will help him avoid boredom.
To distract your pet further, buy special plants or herbs from the pet store and place them near wires and furniture that he likes to chew and gnaw. These plants will give your cat much more pleasure than a piece of plastic or fabric, and will distract attention from things not intended for this purpose.
Wires and cords
Cats tend to find cords and wires to chew on, especially if left alone during the day. Try to provide your cat or kitten with plenty of toys to play with alone, including wall or door toys for them to hit, cat towers to explore with toys attached for added interest, or even arranging cardboard boxes on the floor to form a tunnel. with holes cut on the sides. Treat toys are a great way to satisfy their hunting instincts.
To deal with wire situations, you need to come up with a way to cover the wires, block access to them, or make them unpleasant to chew.
- Cover cords : Many computer hardware stores carry pre-partitioned hollow tubes to cover cords and electrical wires, as well as computer cord management kits. If you have a utility knife, you can purchase flexible polyethylene tubing in several diameters at most hardware or hardware stores.
- Keep cords out of reach : Try placing several rows of double-sided tape on the floor, surrounding a large tangle of cords (which often happens with computers). Cats won't want to walk on the tape.
- Make cords taste bad : By far one of the best training tools for any kind of destructive chewing is a spray. This is guaranteed to leave a bad taste in your cat's mouth that he won't forget for long.
My cat is a monster!
It’s only in fairy tales that cats “love to walk by themselves”, are graceful and independent like deer, dream of fresh sour cream and spend all day long basking on the windowsill.
In reality, all cats are very different. There are quiet and independent ones. There are affectionate couch potatoes and playful sunbeams. And there are those who are more like dogs in their talent for destroying a house. Imagine that it’s not a Cornish Rex, but a Rottweiler jumping around the cabinets and refrigerators in your house. Yes, yes, sometimes it really is like that!
But if tearing up wallpaper and furniture for cats is a classic of the genre, then there are the originals that go further and move on to destroying the owner’s shoes, bags and any other accessories that are pleasant to the tooth - especially wires. Remember the comparison with the Rottweiler?
What should owners of cats with an iron character, teeth and claws do? How not to go crazy and find an approach to your pet? Follow the recommendations of animal psychologists.
- The first thing to do is make sure that the destructive behavior is not related to health problems. Cats that are feeling unwell may behave strangely and even aggressively. Therefore, before punishing your pet for another prank, contact a veterinarian and make sure that everything is fine with the cat.
- Secondly, the cat may have moral injuries. If you picked up a cat on the street or adopted it from a shelter, if there was a lot of stress in your pet’s life (for example, associated with an attack), if it got lost, etc., then “bad” behavior can be a way of self-defense, a manifestation of fear. Cats that do not feel safe behave very restlessly. In such situations, it is very important to contact a professional animal psychologist: he will help you find an approach to the cat.
These are the most serious causes of negative cat habits. It will be easier later. Shall we continue?
Why does a cat chew everything?
- What about hormonal levels?
If the pet has not undergone the procedure of castration or sterilization, then destructive behavior may be associated with the call of instincts. Fluffy Don Juan is ready to literally bite into walls just to escape to the Lady of the Heart.
If this is your case, consider castration.
- Poor nutrition
You would be surprised how many health and behavioral problems are related to poor diet. Perhaps your cat chews on everything because she lacks vitamins and microelements. Review your diet and buy special healthy treats to appease your destroyer!
- Boredom
Ta-dam! This is the main reason why cats destroy the house, chew wires, shoes and damage furniture. While you spend your days and evenings at work, your pet has absolutely nothing to do... But his energy would be enough for the whole world!
You need to play with active cats as often as possible to literally “wear them out.” But that's not all. You need to organize the most interesting leisure time for your cat while you are at work.
To help you, there are numerous multi-level cat towns, scratching posts with pendants, interactive automatic toys that work when a cat approaches, mice, balls, toys with catnip, with light and sound effects... For cats who love to chew, “vandal-proof” toys are ideal - such as Kong snowmen. Don't be confused by the fact that these were originally toys for dogs. The smallest size is also suitable for cats. “Snowmen” are a pleasure to chew on, plus, you can put a treat in them - and the cat will be doomed to spend a lot of time trying to get to it.
Yes, perhaps your apartment will become a little like a children's play center, but your things will remain intact. By the way, as cats age, they become calmer, so most likely these are temporary measures!
Toys must be alternated so that the cat does not lose interest in them! Put some toys away for a while, take out others, and so on in a circle. This will preserve the effect of novelty.
- Loneliness
It often seems that keeping two cats is harder than keeping one. But in practice, it can make your life a lot easier. Pets that match in temperament entertain each other. And at this time your things lie peacefully on the shelf.
- Inappropriate space
If nothing works and the cat is still destroying your flower pots and tearing up that corner over there, you will have to start remodeling your apartment. Pots can be sent to the balcony or to another place where the cat cannot reach them. You can try to block access to the walls using household items, and purchase special covers for furniture that will protect it from claws and fur. How do you like the idea of giving up wallpaper in favor of painting the walls?
Special repellent sprays for cats will help to discourage your cat's interest in wallpaper and furniture, but it is important not to overdo it with them.
Friends, every pet is an individual. Believe me, even the cutest fluffy cat has its flaws. Besides, in some ways you are lucky, because you will never get bored with terminator cats!
We hope that no cat pranks will spoil the relationship between you, and you will love your ward even if he rushes around the house like a hurricane! But love is the key to success!
Fabric and leather products
Chewing wool falls into the realm of OCD. Regarding the type of chewing discussed here, the best way to discourage this behavior is to offer your cat other “legal” sources of chewing, such as soft chew toys.
If you can't remove all the fabric and leather items your cat likes to chew on, try a little spray on the area where she usually chews, but test it on a small hidden seam first to make sure it doesn't stain.
Making a scratching post with your own hands. Master Class
Let's look at one simple and inexpensive way to make a cat simulator. To do this, prepare in advance:
- a round wooden plate (ø35 cm), cut it out before starting work;
- tape (yellow, pink or white);
- wooden beam (40x40 mm) 0.7 m long;
- scissors;
- electric drill, screwdriver, and wood screws of sufficient length;
- glue, construction stapler;
- white cover (40x40 mm), these are used for switches;
- white paint;
- nylon rope (50 m);
- fabric dye (yellow or pink).
A beautiful scratching post made from scrap materials
Step 1. After preparing everything you need, you can start making your own scratching post. First, secure the beam in the center of the base. It is important to accurately determine the center of the circle, otherwise the appearance of the entire product may be spoiled. After fixing, paint the circle with white paint.
The post is attached to the center of the base
Step 2: Start painting the rope. By the way, this rope is lighter in color and therefore better than sisal or jute. Although nylon itself is less durable, this is not so important - scratching posts do not last very long, their service life (both homemade and purchased) is limited.
Painting nylon rope
Step 3: When dyeing, follow the instructions that came with the fabric dye. Then the rope should dry thoroughly, for which it can be laid, for example, on a radiator. This may even take the whole night, so it is better to postpone further work until the next morning. Moreover, during this time the smell of the paint with which you painted the round base will have time to disappear.
The rope must dry well
Step 4. You can start winding. To begin, nail one end of the rope to the block, as shown in the photo below. Also be sure to spread the glue all over the post. If you use ropes of different colors, connect them using colored tape (pink on the pink area, etc.). Seal the joint between pink and yellow with pink tape, which will look like a continuation of the pink edging. This is why you don’t need to buy tape in all three colors.
The post is wrapped with rope
Step 5. Secure the second end of the rope on top with the same stapler, and cover the remaining area with a plastic cover. In the absence of the latter, simply paint the area or decorate it as you wish.
The remaining area is covered with a lid
Step 6. The scratching post is ready for use! If you don’t have the time/energy/desire to make this option, you can try making another one (step-by-step instructions are given below).
Table. Making a scratching post from corrugated cardboard.
| Steps, photo | Description of actions |
| Step 0 | To begin, prepare everything you need - thick corrugated cardboard, a screwdriver, a template with diagrams of all levels of the future design, an electric drill, a wooden dowel, a knife for cutting cardboard, screws, plywood, as well as a convenient surface on which you will cut the levels. |
| Step 1 | Mark the center of the plywood base. Take a drill and, placing plywood between a pair of chairs, drill a hole at the mark. |
| Step 2 | Next, using the same drill, drill a hole in the center of the dowel, as shown in the image. This hole will make the next step much easier for you. |
| Step 3 | Take a screw, screw it into the board, and then screw the wooden dowel to the plywood base. Holding the screw with a screwdriver, take the dowel with your other hand and screw it (the screw) to it. It is important to hold the dowel until it is screwed tightly. Manually screwing in the dowel allows you to control the process and, as a result, fix the element straight. |
| Step 4 | Start cutting out the templates. Prepare in advance and then print out templates for all seven levels of the future product. Templates should be drawn on cardboard and cut out. |
| Step 5 | Take the templates and use them to draw shapes on the corrugated cardboard. |
| Step 6 | Cut out the layers along the contour. Using a knife, use a knife to cut out the cardboard using the drawn outline. It is important that the knife you use is sharp, otherwise you may damage the cardboard. |
| Step 7 | Start assembling all layers. Stretch the cut cardboard layers one by one onto a wooden dowel. There is no need to glue the layers together - this will allow you to replace one of them in the future if damaged. |
As a result, you will get something like this scratching post. As you can see, there is nothing complicated here; the work can be completed in just a couple of hours.
DIY scratching post for cats
Below is another interesting option - a small claw in the shape of a fish . Although you can choose any other shape. The idea is to cut corrugated cardboard into strips 10 cm wide and gradually wrap them around each other. However, all stages of production are shown below.
DIY scratching post in the shape of a fish
We are solving a simple problem
The easiest way to avoid spoiled items is to isolate them. Hide the wires in special covers or under the baseboard, do not decorate the Christmas tree with “rain”, hide small items after using them.
If this is not possible, treat their surface with vinegar, lemon juice or a special spray that can be purchased at a pet store. A sharp, unpleasant smell for a cat will quickly wean it from the habit of encroaching on these objects.
Switch your pet's attention to toys.
Different, ringing and rustling, stationary and mobile, so that the cat does not feel the need to eat other objects. If your pet has a weakness for indoor plants, organize him a personal greenhouse. Sprout wheat and oats in plastic cups and keep them within easy reach.
And try to strictly suppress all attempts to attack unauthorized items.
Spray next to the cat with a spray bottle, trying not to get into the eyes and ears, because new problems are completely unnecessary now. Say “No” and shush him. Cats cannot tolerate loud and harsh sounds; a stern tone will be enough to make the owner of a fluffy tail forget the way to a forbidden place for a long time.
And remember, cats are independent and freedom-loving creatures. Every intervention in their usual way of life is stressful for them. Be lenient about those habits with which you can coexist, because it is the individuality of mini-tigers that attracts us.
