- Joined
- Jun 8, 2016
- Messages
- 16
- Purraise
- 17
My one year old male cat started chewing the wood around our home about a month ago. He's always been orally fixated- suckling on a blanket everytime he lays with us on the couch, but it's grown into some really destructive behavior. He'd gnaw on a wicker hamper, some cheap wood paneling that we're eventually going to replace anyway. But now, he moved on to the decorative wood molding that flanks our staircase. The first time he did it was when my husband and I were at work (we've both worked full time jobs the entire time we've had him- since December 2015). Then he did it more frequently while we were sleeping to wake us up at 5am (worked like a charm since it's not like I can just ignore that crunching sound that says "I'm tearing the place apart!")
We adopted him with his litter-mate brother at the same time and they are very bonded and get along well. His brother has zero behavioral problems but our little guy is driving me crazy. I tried bitter spray- it did nothing. I covered up the areas he chewed, he he just chewed more. I now have the entire staircase covered with blankets but fear he will just move on to a new spot to chew. We've given him cat and dog chew toys, which he does gnaw on sometimes--- but he still likes to go after the wood.
We play with both cats for about an hour a day. We took him to the vet- he is in perfect health.. No gum or teeth problems and his blood work came back fine. I just don't know what else to do. We started putting them both in our large bathroom at night to sleep (they have litter boxes, food, water, toys, their blankets and beds) so the little guy at least can't gnaw on the molding while we're sleeping, but he's still doing it during the day.
Aside from playing with him 24/7- I don't know what he wants from me I just want my sweet little boy back I am about to cancel our vacation because I can't ask anyone to watch them for us if he's still doing this (a vacation my husband and I desparetly need after our house caught fire last year and we spent months rebuilding). Has anyone ever had this problem and found a solution other than medication or having to give him up? I can't stand the thought of either scenario but I don't know what else to do.
We adopted him with his litter-mate brother at the same time and they are very bonded and get along well. His brother has zero behavioral problems but our little guy is driving me crazy. I tried bitter spray- it did nothing. I covered up the areas he chewed, he he just chewed more. I now have the entire staircase covered with blankets but fear he will just move on to a new spot to chew. We've given him cat and dog chew toys, which he does gnaw on sometimes--- but he still likes to go after the wood.
We play with both cats for about an hour a day. We took him to the vet- he is in perfect health.. No gum or teeth problems and his blood work came back fine. I just don't know what else to do. We started putting them both in our large bathroom at night to sleep (they have litter boxes, food, water, toys, their blankets and beds) so the little guy at least can't gnaw on the molding while we're sleeping, but he's still doing it during the day.
Aside from playing with him 24/7- I don't know what he wants from me I just want my sweet little boy back I am about to cancel our vacation because I can't ask anyone to watch them for us if he's still doing this (a vacation my husband and I desparetly need after our house caught fire last year and we spent months rebuilding). Has anyone ever had this problem and found a solution other than medication or having to give him up? I can't stand the thought of either scenario but I don't know what else to do.