Need some guidance.....

[kittenkiya]

Good morning everyone. I have a peculiar problem. I have a new (to me) cat, dilute calico, female, 1 and 1/2 years old (I think), fairly long haired. Her name is Jezeray, and she is a plastic eater. I discovered that one part of my shower curtain is no longer level, but has reached a high "C." The only other time I have encountered a plastic eater is the stray that we took in when we lived in New Hampshire, Mia Mia. But she had kidney problems. Naturally, there is not a plastic bag to be found outside of a drawer in my house. Does anyone know why the cats chew on plastic? Jezeray is a throw-away....she caused trouble with the resident Queen (So I was told). She has been declawed in front (Not my doing) and came to me so thin that I almost cried. She has gained about two pounds now and is looking good. Any help would be gratefully appreciated. Thank you all in advance.

 

[carolina]

Not that peculiar... Bugsy is a huge plastic eater, especially when he wants attention from me, as he knows I will come running! I need to be extra vigilant to make sure there is absolutely no plastic bags around, otherwise he will eat it. No clue why he likes it, but some cats are know for eating plastic. Just make sure to not have any plastic accessible to her.

 

[luvmyparker]

Buddy is a plastic eater too. Straws (learned they make bad toys for him) q-tips, bags, bread ties, etc. He doesn't chew on the shower curtain though. You may have to keep your bathroom door closed or just use the cloth curtains without the plastic liners.
For Buddy, he first learned that some bags meant food was inside (bread bags or bags brought in from the grocery store). That sort of got the ball rolling. Never understood the q-tip thing though.

 

[my4llma]

Lynxx

would go nuts over plastic. He'd chew on every plastic bag in the house if we let him. Our original vet told us that there's something that plastic is made with, that cats like the smell of, that's why some cats will eat plastic.

 

[katkuddler]

The only cat of our three (Sam) licks plastic bags but doesn't eat them. Maybe it's the sound, or lack of texture of the bag. Seems like smooth things like the inside of my arm, or my forehead at 3 A.M. tastes good to her too.

 

[momofmany]

One of the ingredients in plastic is a form of oil, which is what attracts cats to it. I have a few that will give plastic bags, shower curtains, etc a chew once in a while, so I have to store plastic bags inside a cabinet.

For the shower curtain, perhaps find a citrus smelling spray that isn't harmful to eat and spray the curtain with it? Cat generally don't like citrus and it could deter her from chewing on it. The other option is bitter apple, which many animals don't like.

 

[ritz]

Maybe she likes the SOUND she makes when she is eating/chewing the bag. I read that the sound of plastic bags mimics the sound of mice.

 

[kittenkiya]

Thank you all for your help. Jezeray is quite unique....in her own way, of course. I wonder if she was testing me to see if I would hit her or something. She seems to have stopped.....just like that. However, there will be NO plastic bags anywhere that she can get at. Thank you again for your help.