Do you have a cat who is interested in eating plastic? Some cats may just lick the plastic and some try to chew or even eat them. But why?
Pica
Pica is a psychological disorder and it is having an appetite for eating non-food items for example hair, plastic, paper, feces, litter, etc.
Feline pica is a mystery to many cat owners as well as veterinarians.
There are speculations as to why a cat is interested in non-food items:
- Pica could be stress-related.
- Pica could be due to boredom, lack of toys or playtime.
- Pica is due to lack of a certain nutrient in the cat’s food.
- Pica is due to genetics.
- Pica is a compulsive disorder.
In order to understand what your cat is going through, consider the following points:
- Stress or anxiety in the cat’s environment?
- New home, did you recently move?
- Construction or noise outside or inside the cat’s residence? Are you renovating your home?
- New pet added to the household (another cat, dog, bird, etc.) Did you recently adopt or buy a pet? are they getting along?
- Boredom, lack of interaction, little or no mental stimulation. Is it possible that you are not engaging your cat enough? Does your cat have toys to play with?
I suggest, if your vet has not found any health-related issues with your cat, it would be best to consult a cat behaviorist or animal behavior consultant.
