My cat eats plastic and string. How can I stop this pica behavior?

If she actually ingesting the non food items, this condition is indeed called feline pica. If she is sucking or nursing on them, this is an entirely different behavior. Ideally, she should be physically examined by your veterinarian to diagnose any underlying medical causes. Once those have been ruled out you can focus on behavioral causes. Many times, stress or boredom can cause aberrant behavior. Consider a pheromone product such as Feliway Spray or plug in diffuser to decrease any stress or anxiety. Keep Maui engaged and distracted using a variety of toys and exercise. Restrict access to those items she eats or sucks on, stopping and correcting the behavior when observed. Be consistent and be patient.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is concerning as this can eventually result in Salem developing a gastrointestinal obstruction from eating a foreign material. I recommend that you avoid this behavior as much as possible and let him know that this is wrong when observed. Clinical signs consistent with a gastrointestinal obstruction include inappetence, vomiting and abdominal pain. If ever observed, have Salem evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Often times foreign body gastrointestinal obstruction requires surgery for treatment so it is best to avoid it. Good luck and have a great day!

Unfortunately some cats love to eat strings and bite these types of objects. Hopefully since Peanut is so young he will grow out of it, but that may not always be the case. The concern with this if he swallows something and it gets stuck somewhere in his intestines. A string like object can be very difficult to find on X-rays and he could need surgery to find it. The only way to truly stop him from eating them is to make sure everything is put away. I would make sure you put time aside to play with him and get his energy out. Also make sure there are places he can climb up on and hide in. Hopefully with getting his energy out he doesn't have the energy to eat the string like objects. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

What a cute cat ! The only way to make sure she does not eat these things is to remove these things from the house or keep them put away so she cannot get to them. If she continues eating this type of material, she may have serious GI issues or a blockage.

Address the underlying cause of anxiety or stress – In some cases, the abnormal consumption of nonfood objects may stem from an underlying stress or anxiety. Trying to determine the cause of your pet’s angst is an important step in eliminating the behavior. To determine the source, careful observation of the behavior, including its frequency, duration, and time of occurrence are important. In many cases, the behavior may occur only while the animal is not under your supervision. In this instance, the use of a video camera may be used to capture the act. Understanding the circumstances in which your pet feels driven to perform the behavior is important to works towards elimination. Another important point to keep in mind is how you interact with your pet on a daily basis. Setting proper boundaries helps your pet respect you as the leader figure. Being conscientious about the use of rewards when interacting with your pet is important to let your pet know that he must be behaving properly and actively participating in maintaining proper behavior to gain attention and rewards from you. Enrichment – You can help reduce this behavior by increasing environmental enrichment. Giving your pet toys that are breed and size appropriate may decrease unwanted behavior by increasing positive stimuli. Redirecting your pet’s energy towards an acceptable outlet is a good alternative. Exercise – With our busy lives, it can be hard to find time to help our pets get sufficient exercise. However, a physical outlet can be an excellent alternative to reduce abnormal eating habits by increasing the level of neurotransmitters that support healthy brain function. Counter-conditioning & Remote Punishment – This technique involves retraining an animal to avoid certain behaviors that they previously sought. For both dogs and cats, placing a discouraging taste or smell on the object of desire will help them avoid eating that object in the future. For example, you can put hot sauce on the wool that you wish for your pet to avoid. Alternatively, association of a negative stimulus, such as turning on a vacuum cleaner at time of the pica, can lead to stopping the behavior. These things by themselves will not address the underlying problem. Medication – As an adjunct to behavior therapy, medication MAY be used to reduce anxiety if the pica is induced by stress. Pica is a complex behavior with many possible underlying causes. Remember to always seek professional advice from your veterinarian when determining the cause of your pet’s motivations.

Since Vivi can't talk, it's hard to know why this behavior is occurring. Many dogs exhibit this behavior. Some dogs out grow it and some don't. Unfortunately, there is no training that will stop the behavior for a determined dog because humans cannot watch dogs for 24 hours a day. Dogs who exhibit this behavior at at risk for a potentially fatal intestinal blockage. The safest thing to do is to always watch Vivi any time she is loose in the house or the yard. She should be crated any time she is not directly monitored to prevent ingestion of objects. Even if you are just taking a shower, Vivi needs to go in her crate. Use baby gates or a leash in the house to prevent her from wandering off and eating things. She should also not be left loose in the back yard. You may create a dog pen that is free of objects she may eat. Be aware dogs will eat just about anything, even glass and sewing needles! I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional question.

Cats are weird creatures! It is common for cats to chew on non-food items, though you should be careful about keeping things picked up because they can swallow things that can cause internal harm or intestinal blockage. However, it may be a good idea to have him examined by a vet to make sure there isn’t a medical reason for this. Here is some more information: http://www.catster.com/lifestyle/pica-in-cats-eating-disorder Who said cats can’t taste sweets?? They can taste a lot of different things, and will have preferences for different flavors. I would avoid offering them many seeets, though, since it can contribute very quickly to obesity and could cause an upset stomach. Remember, one bite of sweet food for them would be like you eating 15 of them at once!