My cat keeps chewing shoelaces. Why and how can I make it stop?

Wanting to bite on wires, shoelaces, strings, and other things is completely normal behavior in a kitten this age - this is how they explore the world, and how they instinctively want to play :) You will not be able to stop this behavior, as it's hard-wired and very natural for them. Instead, you need to focus on redirecting Lucky to appropriate things for him to bite and chew on, and keep him safe by putting things away that might be dangerous. Make sure to provide a variety of different toys that you can use to play with him - it sounds like he would probably enjoy fishing pole type toys very much! He should also have a few good, solid scratching posts and a cat condo or tree to climb on. Put your shoes away when you aren't wearing them - if he tries to bite at the laces when you have them on, use one of his toys to redirect his attention so he can bite on that instead. Wires should be safely tucked away behind furniture whenever possible - you can also try using Bitter Apple spray on wires and cables to help make them taste bad, which should help to discourage Lucky from biting them. He will grow out of this behavior on his own as he gets older, so for now you need to be patient and consistent while he learns. I would not recommend using any type of punishment to try and discourage him, such as a spray bottle, hitting or smacking, etc. as cats usually respond very poorly to this and it doesn't tend to be effective. Instead, focus on proving appropriate things to bite and chew on, kitten-proofing the environment, and redirecting him to his own toys as needed.

This is likely behavioral. I would recommend providing her with plenty of toys that will keep her occupied. You can also consider using a bitter spray to apply to the things she chews on most to try and deter her from continuing this behavior. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is of course a severe case but there is always something to try which is the good news. The best thing and what I would recommend is contacting a pet trainer that can work with you and him in person. There are plenty of highly trained people around the country that can help with this. That would be the best approach as you have already tried toys and everything else. You can try using catnip which sometimes has a positive effect in these cases. There is a product called Feliway which can sometimes make them feel more at ease and that could also help. I hope that helps. Have a good night!

What you are describing sounds behavioral . The best thing for Domino is to begin reinforcing good behavior. The way to go about doing this is to address his behavior when it is happening. I would suggest using a spray bottle filled with water or using a loud noise (such as an empty soda can filled with coins) and use these to startle him during the behavior while saying "no!" or "off!". This can take time and persistence but many times it will succeed in correcting the behavior. I would also make sure you provide Domino with plenty of chew toys to keep him occupied. You can also use chew deterring sprays such as bitter apple, which can be found online quite easily. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

There are products that you can purchase from pet stores (such as Petco or Petsmart) that you spray or rub on things to deter your pet from. They work by being bitter tasting or smelling bad to your cat so that she won't want to go by them. That would be my recommendation so that she stops chewing on the cords. Good luck!

Cute kitty!! I'm sorry that you are having a hard time with her. It sounds like you've been trying all the right things up to this point. I think the most helpful thing for you at this point would be to consider investing in a consultation with a behaviorist. Here is a great site to find one near you: https://iaabc.org/consultants Additionally, consider a laser pointer toy at multiple times throughout the day to help keep her occupied: https://www.amazon.com/SereneLife-Automatic-Cat-Laser-Toy/dp/B07537S2LJ or a motion activated mouse is also a great option. Use a "hunter" type feeding toy... this allows cats to "hunt" their food. This is a great system: https://docandphoebe.com Here's a site with some additional info that may help you better understand the behavior and intervene appropriately: https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/cat-care/common-cat-behavior-issues/aggression-cats I hope that helps you! Thanks for asking PetCoach!

This could be a normal behavior for Cleo. You can start disciplining her for this behavior. If you catch her in the act you can spray her with a little water bottle and tell her “no”. Also if she has anything particular she wants to chew up, I would try to keep those objects out of site. If you worry about her being stressed, you can try to add feliway didfusers throughout the house. Feliway is a cat pheromone that helps to calm cats but doesn’t work on everyone. Also, make sure she has plenty of cat toys to play with and make sure she is getting enough attention. Sometimes they do this if they are bored. Look up “environmental enrichment for cats” for more ideas on how to prevent Cleo from becoming bored. I hope this helps!