Plastic Snatcher

[feral]

Our 1 year old male cat named Simon has recently started a bad habit. If he can find any trace of plastic around the house he will try to eat it. Today he found my child's easter grass and ate several strands which he later expelled. I don't understand why he would begin to do this. We have oat grass for him and lots and lots of toys. I am worried that if I don't break him of this he will become sick. I use a squirt bottle when I see him go near the trash bags and also keep up any particles that I see but somehow he manages to find a trace here or there. Does anyone have any ideas as to why he would want to do this or how I might get him to stop? Thanks bunches.

 

[deb25]

My Joey is a big fan of plastic too. I have to make sure he doesn't get into the grocery bags. He goes into the kids' room and makes off with pieces from their Lego set. His favorite "toy" is a Lego piece that is a long and skinny rod. Joey trots around with it in his mouth (looks like he's smoking a cigarette). Then he puts in his his shoe (he has adopted an old sneaker), and fishes it out again repeatedly. He'll carry around that round thing off the top of milk forever.

 

[simon's mommy]

My 3 year old female have a thing for plastic too. She licks plastic bags. She will sit there for hours licking bags if we let her. We find it very amusing but we worry about her.

 

[Anne]

feral, does he only chew the plastic or does he try to swallow as well? Here's a couple of ideas:

Take some of his favorite plastic stuff and spray it with anti-chew bitter spray that you can get at the pet store (don't use anything else that is not pet safe) and leave it around for him to find. Make sure it's not something small that can be swallowed by mistake. Let him learn by himself that no good comes of cheewing plastic.

Get him some safe cat toys that he can play around with. Set up daily sessions of interactive playtime and tempt him to play using a fish-rod like toy.

 

[alieneater]

My kitten has a thing with plastic, she loves to bite it, and if she can't get it in her mouth, she licks it. I used the anti-bite spray and it worked on some of the smaller pieces, but not the larger things, like her cat carrier. I am using a water bottle sprayer to get her away, and for the most part, it has worked. She only licks when she is on the inside of the carrier and I can't get to her. Sneaky little thing.

 

[donna]

Deb25,

I was laughing hysterically when you said it looked like your cat was smoking a cigarette. Cats do weird things don't they??

Simon's Mommy,

My cat Casey has the same fettish of licking plastic shopping bags. He also likes licking envelopes (I guess he likes the flavor). I try to keep all my plastic shopping bags locked up, but every once in a while he gets hold of one. All you hear is the noise.

 

[deb25]

Donna:

Believe me, when I see it I crack up every time! If it's true that laughter keeps you young, then Joey is my fountain of youth!

 

[sandie]

Deb25...you need to take a picture of that one and post it for us!!

 

[deb25]

I think I actually have one! Scanning it would be the trick. Now I have to go run and look! If not, I have to search for the little Lego piece. I haven't seen it in awhile. They hide things, you know.

 

[donna]

Deb,

I pulled out my drawer on my stove where I store pots and lo and behold there were a PILE of rattling mice that the cats managed to get stuck there. The cats were all gathered around so I just threw the mice up in the air and they scattered. I'm sure I'll find them back there again. You MUST post a picture of your cat with the leggo piece. my cat Maya Linn likes to play fetch with the mice. If I don't play with her, she puts the mouse in my sneaker. I find it the next day when I go to put my sneakers on.

[Edited by donna on 04-11-2001 at 06:23 PM]

 

[deb25]

Found 2 pictures with the plastic piece. One looks like he is flossing his teeth with it. The other looks like a cigarette, but you'll have to look really closely to see the piece. I'll have to see if I can get them scanned at work tomorrow.

 

[feral]

Thank you for your advise. No, Simon ate several strands of my child's Easter Grass and it made him very sick. He vomited most of the day to get it out of his system. I was truly worried about him because plastic strands like that could have gotten caught up and injured his intestines. I believe he is fine now because he is acting much better. I gave him some PetLax I purchased from the vet to help ease out the grass. We also threw out the Easter Grass and replaced it with shredded color tissue paper which looked prettier anyway and is more pet friendly. Simon loves to nibble on plastic from garbage bags and anything else that crinkles. He also carries those plastic milk rings around to play with. I am constantly scanning the floor to see if any stray pieces are on the carpet. How he finds such minute pieces are beyond me. I am going to buy some of that anti-chew spray the next time I get to town. Maybe that will discourage his chewing antics. Simon is such a curious cat. He noses into everything but we love him dearly and would hate to see him injured. Thanks everybody.

 

[alieneater]

Feral,

If your cat likes those milk rings, try looking in the pet store for little toys that look almost exactly like the milk rings, but are kitty safe. I know the pet store here has them, and my Chips likes them, and I know they won't hurt him.

 

[feral]

Sure will have to look into that. Simon has a cat jungle gym with little dangling toys but maybe he would prefer something that he could pack around. His play mice I know need replacing. They have been chewed "to death" so to speak.

 

[deb25]

Ok, here's Joey with his famed Lego piece. He looks like he is flossing his teeth here.

http://albums.photopoint.com/j/ViewP...p=47028391&f=0

 

[airprincess]

Oh my gosh!!!!

how adorable is that picture!

that is so awesome.