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Questions
- Why do Cats Eat Plastic?
- Is it Dangerous For Cats to Lick or Eat Plastic?
- What You Should Do if Your Cat Eats Plastic
- How to Prevent Your Cat From Eating Plastic
We can all agree that cats do some pretty strange things with little to no explanation as to why. At most, we can make educated guesses as to why they do a lot of their quirkier behaviours. Cats, alike humans, are full of character with individual personalities that make every single one a unique pet. But sometimes these abnormal behaviours aren’t just limited to your cat, they become a bit of a common habit that many cat owners notice in their beloved pets. Once it becomes an almost universal experience, it usually means that there must be something more to it other than your moggy just being a bit strange!
You may be one of the many cat parents asking themselves “why do my cats eat plastic?” We’ve done all the research for you and collected the most common reasons why your feline friends might be licking or eating plastic.
Why do Cats Eat Plastic?
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There are a few different reasons as to why your cat may take a shine to plastic. One of the most common is an affinity for plastics or shower curtains and investigating them. Whatever the type of plastic your moggy favours, you’re likely to find that it’s not an uncommon behaviour in other cats too.
They Could Mistake it For Food
There is a theory that plastic might just retain some of the taste of animal fats and proteins. Plastic usually contains some form of animal derived products so it’s no surprise that our moggies take an extra special interest in them. The smell of the plastic might be alluring to them and when they do lick or bite into it, either the taste or the sensation of it crinkling beneath the force of their teeth can be just as satisfying as it is tasty.
They’re Practicing Hunting
For softer plastics like carrier bags, there could be a chase element involved where the movement of a bag caught in a breeze can look strikingly similar to hunting prey. Many cats, especially indoor cats will never get the real sensation of hunting prey and catching them, so a carrier bag may be the next best thing.
Cats love to chase, that’s no secret. They love to pounce after soft toys and chase them if you dangle a feather on the end of a string. If your moggy is used to playing these kind of chase and catch games then they are more likely to take an interest in anything that moves in a similar way. You might catch them trying to catch your shower curtains if they’re caught in the breeze!
They Have Nothing Else to Do
Curiosity can get the better of cats quite easily and have them investigating things that aren’t beneficial. Without plenty to do to keep them from getting bored, they may resort to making their own entertainment which can come in the form of licking or eating things they shouldn’t.
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Eating plastic can provide a form of mental enrichment if there is none to be had which can quickly form into a bad habit. If it’s allowed to develop, it can become more rewarding than other forms of mental enrichment. Giving a cat toys and food when they have already developed a liking for eating plastic can be futile and you have to manage the issue heavily before you see any improvement.
Medical Issues That Cause Cats to Lick or Eat Plastic
While eating plastic is not often linked to medical issues, there are a few cases where it can be linked. Any illness that causes the appetite to rise radically such as undiagnosed diabetes or if they’re on a course of steroids to help treat an ailment, eating plastic can be a result of just feeling hungry all the time.
In cases of inflammatory bowel disease, it has also been reported that some cats may try to eat plastic as a means of trying to access nutrients when their intestinal tract is struggling to obtain hem. On some rare occasions, cats with dental issues may also resort to chewing and licking plastic to try and relieve any pain from their mouth.
Is it Dangerous For Cats to Lick or Eat Plastic?
While chasing a plastic bag or nibbling on your shower curtains may not appear to have any negative impact on their health, it can be quite detrimental if allowed to become a habit. If they are swallowing even small amounts of plastic over a period, it can be dangerous. Soft plastics like carrier bags can quite easily become trapped in the small intestines and cause a blockage where food can’t continue its journey through the intestinal tract. Blockages are dangerous and will often need surgery to remove.
Harder plastics can be quite sharp, especially if a cat is chewing off little parts of it. Those sharp edges can really do a lot of damage while travelling through the gastrointestinal tract and cause internal damage and bleeding. Cats who have swallowed small pieces of hard plastic will very often have bloody diarrhoea. While there isn’t much research done to investigate the impact of ingesting such chemical-heavy materials, it’s assumed that licking and eating plastic items can cause a breakdown of the chemicals in the body and have some pretty nasty effects.
What You Should Do if Your Cat Eats Plastic
If you notice your cat eating plastic, getting them to the vet should be a priority, especially if you notice a large amount of the plastic item missing. If it’s likely that they’ve only just started to investigate the item, then making sure all of the plastic is tidied away to prevent any further nibbling might do the trick. However, if you are at all worried then give your vet a call. If they show symptoms of any stomach upsets after you think they may have eaten plastic, you should visit your vet. Symptoms of stomach upsets or blockages include:
Vomiting
Diarrhoea
Pain around the abdomen
Lack of appetite
Lethargic
Sudden weight loss
Drooling
How to Prevent Your Cat From Eating Plastic
For whatever reason your cat is eating plastic, their ability to do so will need to be managed if you hope to stop them. By repeating the behaviour it becomes something they will do time and time again if they find it rewarding. Your first step to stopping them from eating plastic is to remove any excess plastic from the environment. Any carrier bags, children's toys, and whatever plastic they have an interest in around the home should be discarded of or put somewhere they don’t have access to.
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If you want to see a decline in this behaviour, you will need to provide different things to keep your feline friend mentally stimulated. If they are feeling bored and looking for things to do, you could try feeding them from an activity feeder, that can really extend their meals and tire them out working for it. If it’s the thrill of the chase that has them running around after plastic then you can harness their prey drive into toys like cat teasers and wands. This KONG Laser Teaser Cat Toy is perfect for cats who love to chase and run after fuzzy prey items.
For cats that have developed a habit of eating plastic, giving them something that will distract them like the powerful smell of catnip in this Kong Refillable Catnip Corduroy Mouse can redirect their attention onto something that is safe to chew and investigate. For everything you need to keep your feline friend busy and all of your other kitten and cat essentials, take a look in store and online.