Eating Dryer Lint!

[vince]

I have a bad little girl who likes to make like an alley cat and raid the trash basket in the kitchen. This morning, I caught her eating a big ball of dryer lint I'd put in there yesterday.

Most of it is cat hair anyway, but is there anything else in the lint that might present a problem? I don't use dryer sheets, as a rule.

 

[FeebysOwner]

She is likely after the cat hair - if she is anything like my Feeby. Feeby will go after her brush in an attempt to eat the hair from it, and will eat any she finds on the floor.

Obviously, eating dryer lint is not a good idea, but probably won't hurt her in the long run. If you are a bit concerned, try giving her a dab of butter/margarine from your finger or put it on her paw. The butter should help the lint pass through her system like it does with hairballs.

My sister had to remove her kitchen trash basket to a place behind a closed door to stop her dog (not cat) from raiding it. If you can do that, it might be the best option going forward. Or, check out some the trash baskets that have tamper proof lids on them, if you need to keep it in the same location as it currently is.

 

[vince]

I thought more about the lint having some kind of fibers from the clothes that might cause problems. I'm a proponent of buttering their paws to pass hairballs which, in the case of my cats, is something they don't have problems with. So far, there seem to be no issues.

The trash bin is already in the broom closet. Meep is excellent at breaking into things; she manages to open the closet door easily. I guess I'll have to put some kind of latch on it. Good thing she doesn't have thumbs!

 

[FeebysOwner]

How big could those fibers be? My lint doesn't normally have much of anything in it - but, yes if there was something that had loose threads to begin with, that might come off and remain intact. What do you think the odds are of that?

I think the latch is a good way to go for your agile girl!

 

[FeebysOwner]

Just checking to make sure all is OK with your little lint eater!!

 

[vince]

Oh, she's doing just fine. No problems. I'm just a worrywart.

 

[neely]

Oh, she's doing just fine. No problems. I'm just a worrywart.

Glad to hear she's okay, that's a relief.

Cats are so inquisitive as we learned the same way as you about getting into the trash can. I would also check anywhere in the house where you may have a waste basket, e.g. bathrooms, etc. A previous cat got into the bathroom waste basket and we ended up having to take him to the emergency vet because it was late at night.

 

[vince]

She does climb into wastebaskets. Mostly, she's interested in heavier crinkly plastic wrappers that she likes to chew up, but does not ingest. I think it's more an issue of the noise they make. Paper products are also of great interest. She doesn't get into the bathroom wastebaskets, because I take the toilet paper cores and blow loud Bronx cheers at her through them. As soon as she spots a toilet paper core in the basket, she takes off at a run!

I'm more concerned with the kitchen trash basket.

 

[FeebysOwner]

As soon as she spots a toilet paper core in the basket, she takes off at a run!

I'm more concerned with the kitchen trash basket.

I realize it might less than 'attractive', but you could string a row of toilet paper cores around the top edge of the kitchen trash basket, since she is already 'trained to avoid' them?

 

[vince]

Who cares what it looks like inside the broom closet? Good idea! I'll try it!