Gonzo Hasn't Eaten In A Week...

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Gonzo's grandma

Gonzo's grandma

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OMG! Can you believe I just caught Gonzo chewing on a flip-flop? Can I put a muzzle on him? This kitty is going through his nine lives fast...

He's ok, though, got to it on time so he did not pick any pieces off.
 

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tarasgirl06

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Gonzo's grandma said:
OMG! Can you believe I just caught Gonzo chewing on a flip-flop? Can I put a muzzle on him? This kitty is going through his nine lives fast...

He's ok, though, got to it on time so he did not pick any pieces off.
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He sure is gorgeous and has unusual markings. *PRAYERS* for his complete recovery, wellbeing, and good health -- and that he stop trying to eat things he shouldn't! He must have a serious case of pica (search this if you're unfamiliar with the term -- it's a phenomenon where cats chew on and ingest things that aren't of any benefit to them, and has various causes, including the old "idiopathic" *we don't know the reason why* one).
 
mservant

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Ugh, flip-flop chewing. :nono: Sounds like he has not learned his life lessons yet. :frustrated: Sounds like you are going to go through a few more dramas with Gonzo so it's just as well he's as cute as he is. :loveeyes:

Loving that happy expression of his, sure to win over a thousand hearts. Give him a few head scritches from me.
 
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Gonzo's grandma

Gonzo's grandma

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tarasgirl06 said:
He sure is gorgeous and has unusual markings. *PRAYERS* for his complete recovery, wellbeing, and good health -- and that he stop trying to eat things he shouldn't! He must have a serious case of pica (search this if you're unfamiliar with the term -- it's a phenomenon where cats chew on and ingest things that aren't of any benefit to them, and has various causes, including the old "idiopathic" *we don't know the reason why* one).
Click to expand...
I'm a special education teacher by training, although now retired. I worked with emotionally impaired students and I am very familiar with pica. I had students who ate crayons, glue and chalk. I even mentioned it to our vet. She actually agreed with me. So I'm constantly picking things up that he might be inclined to chew on. He likes paper too but that doesn't seem to be such a big problem because it's more digestible. Do we have kitty psychologists on the site? They might be able to shed some light on this problem. I don't mean to make light of it, it has turned out to be a serious problem for us...
 
tarasgirl06

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Gonzo's grandma said:
I'm a special education teacher by training, although now retired. I worked with emotionally impaired students and I am very familiar with pica. I had students who ate crayons, glue and chalk. I even mentioned it to our vet. She actually agreed with me. So I'm constantly picking things up that he might be inclined to chew on. He likes paper too but that doesn't seem to be such a big problem because it's more digestible. Do we have kitty psychologists on the site? They might be able to shed some light on this problem. I don't mean to make light of it, it has turned out to be a serious problem for us...
Click to expand...
You might want to run this by a cat behaviorist or look at some of their presentations/writings! Jackson Galaxy is one such, and he has lots of videos on YouTube as well as his amazing Animal Planet show, MY CAT FROM HELL, and his books. He also does consults, of course. You probably already know all of this.
 
Mamanyt1953

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You know, pica seems to be stress-related, at least insomuch as high stress levels can trigger it in cats who have it, or make it worse. If that is the case, you might try giving him chamomile tea. It is perfectly safe for cats, both internally as a calming agent, and externally to sooth skin "ouchies." Just brew a cup, chill it in the fridge, and administer via syringe, 1-3 tsp, 1-3 times a day. It certainly won't hurt a thing. LOL, sounds like you could use a cup of it (hot with honey for humans) yourself!
 
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Gonzo's grandma

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tarasgirl06 said:
You might want to run this by a cat behaviorist or look at some of their presentations/writings! Jackson Galaxy is one such, and he has lots of videos on YouTube as well as his amazing Animal Planet show, MY CAT FROM HELL, and his books. He also does consults, of course. You probably already know all of this.
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Actually, I didn't know about Jackson Galaxy. Thanks for the information. I will follow up on it.
 
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Gonzo's grandma

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Mamanyt1953 said:
You know, pica seems to be stress-related, at least insomuch as high stress levels can trigger it in cats who have it, or make it worse. If that is the case, you might try giving him chamomile tea. It is perfectly safe for cats, both internally as a calming agent, and externally to sooth skin "ouchies." Just brew a cup, chill it in the fridge, and administer via syringe, 1-3 tsp, 1-3 times a day. It certainly won't hurt a thing. LOL, sounds like you could use a cup of it (hot with honey for humans) yourself!
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It could be stress related. I will definitely give chamomile a try, for both of us... Thanks!
 
Mamanyt1953

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LOL, I keep saying that the chamomile growers really should be giving me a kick-back, I recommend it so often. And don't forget that you can use it as a wash externally for mild burns, rashes, etc, for you OR your cat!
 
tarasgirl06

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Gonzo's grandma said:
Actually, I didn't know about Jackson Galaxy. Thanks for the information. I will follow up on it.
Click to expand...
Oh, wow, great! If you have streaming, you can probably stream his shows on the Animal Planet app. Otherwise, there are the videos and his books. He's off season right now, but I'm sure his extremely popular show will be back soon.
 
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