Pet Help

I have a similar problem. I have 2 female kittens (9 weeks) and a female cat (3-4 years). The kittens love plastic bags from the store. When I'm cleaning out their cat box and dumping it into one of those bags, all they do is play with it. It takes a long time to clean out the box. They're like little babies and love anything that makes the crinkle sound. I have toys for them. But they love the plastic. They also like paper products. Cardboard boxes are a lot of fun to them, as well as the newspaper. How old is your cat? Because I think it's mainly a young cat thing. My grown cat wasn't playing with any of that stuff until I got my kittens, and now she'll walk on paper or bat at it a few times and walk away. I figure eventually my kittens will grow out of it--maybe when they're 2 or so. So if your cat's a young one, maybe that's what it is. I can say that at least for a while, a sock with catnip in it keeps my kittens' attentions. When they move onto something inappropriate I throw a sock at them. Then they're all about the sock for a while. May as well try it! Good luck!

I just read online that cats have a natural instinct to tear or pluck at the things they hunt (birds, etc.) and eating cat food gives them no way to satisfy that urge. Poor kitties. I don't think it's harmful, but it's definitely annoying, I'm sure. What if you put out paper that they could "eat", like toilet paper tubes or paper bags? Maybe if they have enough paper "toys" they'll leave what's important alone?

We have to keep our toilet paper in drawers so our one cat won't attack it, and my sister's cat ate the sleeve off her wool sweater once. If I had a dollar for every time I tried to understand the psyche of my cats, I'd be beyond rich. Good luck. Figuring out pets is harder than figuring out kids.

S.:

all I can do is commiserate. my male eats anything... dust/ plants/ pump tubing. my female licks plastic and will get herself caught in a plastic bag so I am obsessed with keeping all plastic out of the house or in a drawer.

you might talk to you vet about what is going on with her.

P.,RLC, IBCLC
Pres. Lactation Support Group, Inc
www.lactationsupportgroup.com

They like the noise and texture of it. You can try making special toys that they can play with so they can learn what is and is not a toy. My cats have a little toy box. All their toys go in there at the end of the day. Cats aren't allowed on countertops or tables at my place. They could be doing it for attention since they like to get a reaction out of you.

Ignore the cat and take the paper away or take cat away from a surface designated for food or papers. Avoid putting any emotion from showing. Also water bottle squirts without any warning are very good at deterring them. Mine like water though so I just take them away from designated paper/food surfaces or if the paper is on a surface that the cats are allowed to be move the paper.

If it is happening at night they might have to be contained in a small room with litter box and water.

Cats can be trained somewhat like dogs. They just have more attitude.

Oh they also might need more toys, more playtime, or attention.

Hi S.!

We had a cat who had similar tendencies. She ate paper, licked plastic, and drove us nuts! Trying to keep her out of certain areas was about all we could do. There is an article that I had read when asking the same type of question you have. I found the address so you could take a look too. Good luck!
http://en.allexperts.com/q/Ask-Veterinarian-700/Paper-eat...