As well, if any toxic materials are on a bag (for instance, if the bag was used to carry insecticide or motor oil), they could make your cat sick. Most cats that chew or eat plastic, though, start doing so because the object tasted good or they enjoyed playing with it, not because they have an eating disorder. A package of toilet paper in the bathroom and he would chew the plastic wrapping off. Erika Sorocco and Kim Campbell Thornton Eliminating parasites. 0 0. And, a risk of suffocation exists if cats crawl into plastic bags. Continued Treatment for Your Cat’s Scratching, Licking, and Chewing. 6. Even biodegradable plastic bags are not digestible for cats. The dog may try to swallow these sharp pieces and/or cut their gums chewing on the newly exposed rough edges. Cats usually find cords and wires to chew on especially if left alone during the day. While at the vet, it is also a good time to … Stash extra bags in a closet, the garage, or another cat-free space. Being such a dangerous material to swallow, have you ever wondered why cats chew on plastic in the first place? While cats usually don't chew on things the same way that dogs do, many pet owners notice that their feline friends develop a serious affinity for plastic. Cats and plastic bags are a potentially dangerous combination for a few reasons. Get tips and exclusive deals. But, frankly, that is just a guess. Illustration: The Spruce / Melissa Ling Wires and Cords . Cats should never be left to chew on a plastic bag, no matter how much they enjoy it. So, to be safe, you should probably keep plastic bags out of reach. Dogs have a tendency to chew on everything, not exclusively plastic. Sometimes your veterinarian will recommend making your cat vomit the item up, but this is not the case for all plastic items. Cats in fact do not really chew their food. In the worst case, your cat needs surgery or dies. Never happens, not in any meaningful sense at least. The problem starts to arise when cats begin ingesting nonfood items or chewing dangerous objects. Supporting Sites: Vetriscience, HDW, Amazon AskVille. I have several cats that love to chew and or try to eat plastic wrapping items like what is used to wrap sports drinks, bottled water packages, toilet paper packages, etc. Of course, there is always a chance a cat can develop an intestinal obstruction from any foreign material that is swallowed. These procedures require general anesthesia and are not without their risks, so it is always best to prevent your cat from eating plastic in the first place. My 7-yr old boy loves to chew on almost anything that is plastic - bubble wrap, Zip-lock bags, envelopes. Plastic bags are dangerous to your cat for so many reasons. They could also be swallowed and cause other problems. The safest way to prevent these types of accidents is to keep plastic bags out of your cat's reach at all times. Cats that are teething are more likely to chew on items than adult cats and this is completely normal. It may be obvious, but by picking up and disposing of plastic items such as rubber bands, plastic lids, and milk jug rings that are within a cat's reach, you'll be completely preventing the opportunity for your cat to get its paws on it. I think she likes the feel of it. For this reason, jumping to behavior-modifying drugs is not typically recommended for cats who seem to be strongly driven to explore and chew specific tastes and textures. Plastic items are some of those objects that many cats take a liking to, but why? My cat doesn't chew on plastic--thank goodness!--but she does like to play with it and lie on plastic bags. We explain why they do in this article. It is best to supervise your cat if you allow them to play with plastic bags and never leave them out for casual play. I now keep the bathroom locked. First it was the shower curtain. There's a lot you need to know to make things go smoothly with your new friend. We dug into the reasons behind why cats chew plastic and how you can help figure out a way to stop them. But chewing? Another common drawback to nail caps is that many cats like to chew on the vinyl resin. I do not have a definitive answer for why cats do this. They could also be swallowed and cause other problems. Every once in a while, I’ll watch my cat Avery eat his kibble and notice he takes a single bite out of every second or third piece before swallowing. Do Cats Chew Their Food? HDW proposes the cat may be performing an orally compulsive act to replicate "nursing". No amount of discipline (non-physical) and a million stern "No"s has helped; he still wants to chew on plastic. For more details, see our, How to Identify and Solve Attention-Seeking Behavior in Cats, How to Stop Your Cat From Chewing Electrical Cords. Gum Massaging. Different teeth will fall out at different times, but the drive to chew may be stronger during these 4 months while your kitten attempts to get relief from the 30 new teeth that are coming in. Plastic is easily destructible, so this may be popular material to chew on for many dogs. My cat ate part of a plastic bag. Cats who are weaned off too early tend to suckle or chew on plastics as a way to “destress” and these cats should be provided with chew toys that they can sink their teeth into. He just chews on the silk flowers that are around the house. He threw up most of it, but still seems to have trouble keeping his food down, and also is not defacating. “If the cause is not anxiety, chewing on plastic may just be something that the cat enjoys doing. So, to answer one of the questions, yes, a very large number of cats like to chew on plastic bags. Pieces of plastic could get trapped in the cat’s throat, restricting breathing or eating. Continued Treatment for Your Cat’s Scratching, Licking, and Chewing. If chewed, there's a risk of choking and intestinal blockage. However, chewing on these bags can be dangerous for your cat as they can suffocate or choke on bags and bag pieces. Dogs chew on many materials for a variety of different reasons. Plastic can also cause … Adrienne Kruzer, RVT, has worked with a variety of animals for over 15 years, including birds of prey, reptiles, and small mammals. Some cats just seem to like the way the plastic tastes or feels more than that it being a "need" to eat plastic, so it doesn’t automatically qualify as a compulsive behavior. Chewing plastic is a common and risky behavior. Plastic bags are dangerous to your cat for so many reasons. I’ve seen …  |. (He doesn't chew on plastic grocery bags and as we have no plastic toys, he doesn't chew on them.) Once they feel the texture of the items, they often continue the behavior and seek out items with a similar texture. This is a bad, bad habit among many cats. Chewing on plastic could be something that occurs out of boredom, a need to destroy and let out aggression, or simply because the dog doesn’t know better. ... and that would be bad. Because it can be difficult to diagnose flea infestation in cats, some veterinarians recommend trying reliable flea control products purchased from a veterinary office for six to eight weeks to see if it reduces the incidence of licking, scratching, or chewing.  |  If your cat swallows a piece, it can lead to a costly trip to the vet and sometimes even surgery to remove it. Playing with plastic bags creates a risk of strangulation and suffocation. Just like many individuals tend to pick off their nail polish, some cats get the urge to chew off nail caps because they just don’t feel natural and who can blame them? Plastic food storage, plastic bowls, toys, crates, chews, squeakies, gates, ball, Frisbee, pill bottles, and tags, to name a few. Finally, a great way to keep a cat disinterested in plastic items is by attracting them to items that are not plastic. Dr. Eric Barchas Pica is a term used to describe an eating disorder where items of no nutritional value are consumed like litter or dirt. However, it’s best to keep those items out of reach. Also, a variety of objects are made out of plastic and can be found around the home, such as containers and plastic bottles. Some cats are more adventurous than others and may lick or bite items to see what happens and when the item makes a fun noise or has an interesting taste, they continue. For this reason, jumping to behavior-modifying drugs is not typically recommended for cats who seem to be strongly driven to explore and chew specific tastes and textures. Many cats also enjoy chewing other forms of thin plastic, or chew on (and sometimes swallow) rubber bands. If your cat chews on plastic, you should have to worry. Pica can be incredibly dangerous because some or all of what the cat chews on can make it down their throat, where it may cause a serious stomach or intestinal obstruction. Cats also chew on items like plastic because of their teeth. Not every cat does this behavior but if your kitty does, it can be a seemingly endless battle to keep plastic bags out of reach. Lots of cats lick or chew plastic or styrofoam, which is sometimes attributed to the animal by-products in those items. Ragdoll cats might chew on plastic for a variety of reasons: They like the crinkly sound plastic makes, or they want to make noise for attention. Per all the sites, you should not allow your cat to persist in licking a plastic bag, as this may tempt them to chew and swallow plastic pieces which may result from the activity. He bit holes into it all the way down the edge (without actually eating pieces). 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