It’s also not recommended for your cat to eat plants or grass that may have been treated with fertilizers and herbicides as these can be toxic.Īny number of vitamin and mineral deficiencies can cause strange eating behavior in cats. This behavior can be dangerous as some plants are poisonous to cats. It’s quite normal for a cat to nibble on grass occasionally, but cats with pica will show a sudden sharp increase in their desire to consume lots of plant material. This could cause them to begin eating their litter to self-treat anemia, or soil to supplement minerals. If you see signs that your cat may have pica, it’s best to speak to your vet sooner rather than later.Ī predominant reason for cats with pica to suddenly consume strange things is that they are attempting to self-correct a nutritional deficiency. With no one definitive cause, it can be a tricky one to diagnose and treat. Pica is a perplexing condition that can be linked to a number of potential causes. Therefore, we strongly recommend consulting with a veterinarian in a vet clinic or via Online Vet and monitoring your pet's behavior to stay on top of things. Pica that starts up later in a cat’s life is usually a result of an underlying illness or due to some kind of stress. These could indicate that your cat may have swallowed something that is disagreeing with them or causing a potentially life-threatening obstruction.įeline pica is more often seen in kittens but can develop in older cats as well. Look out for vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, low energy, and loss of appetite. There are a range of symptoms to look out for which may indicate cat’s pica - especially helpful if you’re not able to catch your kitty in the act of eating strange things. Be warned, though, cats can chew and swallow very fast, so you’ll need to pay close attention in order not to miss it. If your kitty is playfully shredding away at the daily paper or clawing at fabric, then that’s normal and nothing to be concerned about.īut, if your cat is chewing and swallowing the non-food item, then you may have a pica cat and you’ll need to intervene.
Cats are predators and enjoy stalking and hunting just about anything that moves (your unsuspecting toes at 3 am… sound familiar?). Playtime is a good occasion to look for irregular eating habits. This sounds simple enough, but it’s not an easy feat if you’re not able to be at home with your cat round the clock. The best way to confirm if your cat has pica is to observe them consuming something that isn’t food. So, you suspect your cat might have pica, but how can you tell for sure? If you suspect that your cat may have pica, you should not delay in getting them to the vet as soon as possible.
Unsurprisingly, cats eating non-nutritional items is one of the most common reasons for a trip to the vet. In humans, it’s commonly reported among pregnant women, but cats and dogs can have pica too.įeline pica is a common condition that presents as a cat that will obsessively eat nonfood items like plastic, paper, cables, plants, grass, and even fabric.Ĭonsuming items that aren’t edible might seem like a harmless eccentricity, but it can lead to some serious health conditions like intestinal obstructions, poisoning, and other physical injuries that, if left unchecked, can be fatal. Pica is an eating disorder characterized by an obsessive urge to eat items that are not typically food. If you’ve ever witnessed your cat eating anything that isn’t what you’d assume to be edible, then your cat may have pica. Wait a second… Is that cat eating the yarn? That can’t be right. Picture a gorgeous, fluffy feline playfully batting and chasing a ball of yarn.
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