Cord Chewer

[LSpector]

Hi all -

So my 12 week old kitten Dillon has developed a lovely little habit over the past couple of weeks...chewing on AND through my chargers. So far he has chewed clean through one, completely damaged another, and judging by teeth marks in various cords, is going for more. I've never had this problem with a cat or kitten before so I am not totally sure how to approach this situation.

He has no shortage of toys, he gets his monthly MeowBox subscription filled with new toys and treats, a cat tree and scratching post, self-grooming post...you name it, this little one probably has it. I am also a student so it's not like I am working a 9 to 5 job either. He is alone for maybe 4 to 5 hours a day at the MOST. We do also have playtime where I am not distracted doing anything else. So I don't think it's a boredom thing.

My main concern is his safety. The cord he chewed through was plugged into the wall at the time so I have no idea if he was shocked (he never acted funny and has since been to the vet for vaccinations, so no need to worry about that) and I want to avoid him getting hurt. My secondary concern is the cost...chargers can get expensive

There are some things I can't unplug when I leave like my fans (my apartment has no air conditioning and it is far too hot and humid in my city to have them off). Does anyone have any tips on how to curb this behaviour? I mentioned it to my vet but she didn't really suggest anything. Thanks in advance.

 

[susanm9006]

My cat ate through cords for a number major and minor appliances , and was not deterred by getting shocked by them. We tried bad tasting liquids on them without much success so we ended up keeping as many cords as possible behind furniture and covering the remainder. If you go on Amazon there are inexpensive cord covers you can purchase that come in 100 foot rolls. The cord covers are thick and cats don't enjoy chewing on them. Alternatively you can buy plastic tubing and split it. The plastic tubing is a little less conspicuous than the purchased covers since it is clear.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

Try rubbing them with citrus oil. MOST cats loathe it. This might give you some ideas, as well:
How To Stop Problem Chewing In Cats
Solving Cat Behavior Problems: The Key Ingredient

 

[PushPurrCatPaws]

When my cat went through her kitten cord-chewing phase, I used the cardboard tubes found inside of paper towel rolls to put over the exposed portions of the electrical cords. Worked for me.

 

[maggiedemi]

Some will probably disagree with me, but I used a bicycle type horn. I had to teach them really quickly to stay away from cords because I was afraid of them causing a fire. They learned pretty quickly, they hate the sound of that horn. I only really use it when they are doing something really dangerous.

 

[Ardina]

Saipha, my pica cat, chewed through a number of cords (some attached to expensive things) before I discovered grannick bitter apple spray. I use the one for dogs because it comes in a spray bottle rather than a dabbing-type applicator. She hasn't touched a cord since!

 

[kissthisangel]

Luckily, my second kitten never went through a wire period, but Mojo, my now 2YO did. I actually used dry pasta in a bottle, just a short shake whenever she approached a wire.( to make it clear this didn't help) Four phone chargers later, she was done. I found removing any velcro attachments helped. The velcro bits attracted her to the charger, also the thinner the wire the more she went for it.

Honestly I think it was a teething issue. Once I realised she was teething I added floods of different teething toys and introduced these Jerkey sticks (they are like peperami for cats) and she was alright after that.

 

[bluebirdy]

When did they outgrow the habit? I'm dealing with this with one of my 10 month old kitten it it's with hair elastics.

 

[LTS3]

An inexpensive alternative to cord covers is clear plastic tubing sold as aquarium air lines or the heavy duty PVC ones sold in hardware stores. The hardware store will have tubing that are pretty thick and you can even get reinfored tubing. Slit the tube lenghtwise and tuck the cords inside.

Some kittens will chew out of boredom even with lots of toys and playtime. My Aby was like this as a kitten and only stopped once I got him a friend to chase around all day. A second kitten may not work for everyone, though.

 

[LSpector]

Thank you all for the replies and suggestions!

My go-to is loudly clapping, but this doesn't seem to phase him. I may try other noises like you suggest and if that doesn't work, then I will move onto bitter tastes. I will look into teething toys as well. At his vet appointment last week I was told that he's already lost his two front teeth, so he's definitely teething!

 

[Mamanyt1953]

And that is probably 90% of the problem. We shall hope so, because that means it will fix itself.