Have you seen your feline friend chewing on electrical cords? When your feline friend starts chewing electrical cords or other inedible things it may be a sign of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) or other related health problems.
The problems may be dental, stress or just a mistaken identity case. Whatever reason your cat is chewing on cords it is very dangerous.
You cat may destroy your electrical appliances when she starts chewing cords or you may have to replace the cords. Fortunately for you there are a couple of things you can do to prevent your cat from chewing cords.
Reasons for chewing on cords
Before you know how to stop your cat from chewing cords you need to understand why she does that in the first place.
There are a number of reasons that make cats to chew on cords. One theory is that cords resemble an animal’s tail and cats attack anything that look like a tail.
This however is not a reason enough to why the cat continues to chew the cords even after knowing it is not attached to an animal. Here are some of these reasons.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder abbreviated (OCD) is a condition that makes a cat to chew and gnaw.
This condition is common in oriental-heritage cats such as: Burmese and Oriental short hair cats. These cats have a tendency of developing a strong urge to chew, suck and even eat inedible objects.
Cord chewing is the primary behavior for cats with OCD however there is also other observable behaviors or symptoms.
It is unclear why some cats tend to develop a certain combination of OCD symptoms. Some other symptoms of OCD include:
- Self-mutilation particularly on the tail and chasing the tail repetitively
- Over grooming may also be a sign characterized by a cat licking and chewing its fur making it to fall out in spots
- Obsessive sucking, licking or chewing on fabric, a condition commonly known as wool sucking
- Feline hyperesthesia may also make a cat to suffer from OCD.
Dental Issues
Cats that have mouth pains due to dental issues will also chew on cords to try and relieve the pain. Statistically 7 out of every 10 cat have developed periodontal diseases before they reach 3 years old.
This explains why you need to visit the veterinary frequently for dental checkups and cleaning.
Boredom
Older cats may have a combination of issues that make them chew cords. Due to a drastic reduction of their activity level they tend to develop some degree of arthritis.
Due to boredom cats tend to seek alternative outlets such as chewing cords when they are unable to move around, exercise and interact with the world.
Medical Issues
Hyperthyroidism is a metabolic issue that older cats may suffer from. Hyperthyroidism tend to increase the activity level of a cat and she may get the urge to chew on cords.
Blood screening may be helpful in determining the treatable conditions that your cat has and this way find a possible cure.
Pica
Pica is a nutritional deficiency that occurs in rare instances. Cats that have the deficiency tend to eat odd materials.
It is speculated that cats know when a certain nutrient is missing in their diet and will always want to replace it. Unfortunately they opt to ingest inappropriate items.
Anemic cats may also start targeting inedible items to ingest.
Stress
Lastly stress may also cause a cat to chew on cords. Stress can prompt a number of other odd behaviors. Chewing on cords make cats to relieve anxiety and feel better emotionally.
How to stop cats from chewing on cords
Here are a number of ways to stop your cat from chewing on cords.
You should take your cat for veterinarian checkup if it has odd chewing behaviors. This is to help you know if your cat has any underlying behaviors and take the necessary measures. You should also take all the necessary steps to keep your cat safe.
Also run the cords through PVC pipes to cover them. Another way is covering them with hot sauce or a bitter apple substance to make them less appetizing for your pet.
The smell of menthol will keep your cat away thus you can smear a little on cords to keep your feline friend away from cords.
The cat motion detector that hisses if a kitty comes closer can also be helpful if placed near cords. Another solution is offering your feline friend alternatives to chew such as cardboard.
You can also add digestible fiber on your cat’s diet; this will help reduce their chewing activity. Another trick is adding cat greens, green beans or lettuce to a cat’s food bowl.
Some hairballs formula commercial diets may also work as they provide more fiber. You should reduce your cat’s anxiety.
Consider using synthetic kitty facial pheromone to relieve your cats stress. Ensure your cat has enough toys and playtime to avoid boredom.
Lastly make sure the cats litter box is spotlessly clean. You may be away for a while and the litter box will be left unclean. For this reason I would recommend you use an automatic litter box.