Obviously, cats eating items they arenвЂ™t supposed to can be risky for their health. Your kitty having low energy or seeming fatigued.Man made materials (like electrical wires and shower curtains).In a British study, the most common materials sought out by cats with chronic pica included: This kind of constant focus on chewing, eating and sucking is the biggest symptom of pica, and many cats will go to serious lengths to get their paws on something they want in their mouth! WhatвЂ™s different about a pica sufferer is that they will tend to obsessively chew, suck or grind the object along their back teeth and then sometimes swallow. This is totally normal predatory behavior. Many young kitties will chew or tear apart cardboard, toys or other items while they are having a crazy play session (yes thatвЂ™s you, Yoda!). So how can you tell if your cat is suffering from pica rather than just going through a phase, or just playing? What Are the Signs of Pica in Cats? So itвЂ™s not such a stretch to think that our cats are seeking that warm feeling of well-being and comfort.Д«ut problems happen when this behavior becomes an addiction, rather than a cute kitten activity. Thumb sucking releases feel good hormones and reduces tension in humans. Such a huge range of possible causes can be hard to digestвЂ¦literally! This is why many researchers are now trying to look at what could be the root, root cause.Дid you ever suck your thumb as a child? Or did you have that special comfort blanket or toy you loved to put in your mouth as a toddler?Д¬hewing or sucking on objects in animals is now believed to be similar to this human behavior. Other possible causes that scientists have found include: Early weaning вЂ“ on a similar note, other research has found that weaning kittens early can lead to a higher chance of them developing pica.Which makes a lot of sense, right? Those are scary things for our fur babies! ItвЂ™s often linked to the stress of being in a new place and to the possible emotional effects of a kittenвЂ™s separation from their littermates. Rehoming вЂ“ according to researchers, pica is most likely to affect your cat in the 2 months after they are rehomed.Interestingly though, neutering seems to have little effect on the symptoms. This means it could be linked to your furball reaching maturity (those pesky hormones!) and their first feelings of territorial behavior. Age вЂ“ pica is most likely to affect your kitty during the first 4 years of their life, usually between 6 to 18 months.Breed вЂ“ do you have a gorgeous Siamese or Birman? Did you know that these breeds are more prone to pica than others.There are a few things that could be causing your kittyвЂ™s chewing habits. The name pica comes from the Latin word for magpie вЂ“ as these birds are renowned for their unusual ability and willingness to eat pretty much anything. Unlike eating grass, which some cats may be doing to help them with any stomach issues, pica sufferers will usually be drawn to chewing anything вЂ“ even things that could cause them to get really sick. What this means is that an animal suffering from pica has the desire and drive to eat items that are not providing them with any nutritional or health benefits. Pica is categorized scientifically as вЂњthe compulsive eating of non-nutritive substancesвЂќ. Pica in Cats вЂ“ Symptoms And Treatment What Is Feline Pica? While a little playful chewing is normal, pica is potentially dangerous for our fur babies, specifically because what they end up eating really isnвЂ™t good for them! This is why itвЂ™s important to understand what drives our kitties to chew.Д«ecause the more we know, the better we can care for our beloved fluff balls, right? So letвЂ™s get started! Medical treatments, stress management, environmental enrichment ideas & supplement suggestions.Including the common materials cats reach for.The possible genetic, behavioral and environmental causes.So weвЂ™ve compiled here the latest research and findings, to help shed some light on this issue for worried fur parents. Whether you find your cat chewing your shoelaces, your shower curtains or even your electrical cords вЂ“ it can be an unsettling and worrying experience for us pet parents.Д«ut by far the biggest question we see floating around the cat community is why is my cat eating plastic? Tupperware, grocery bags, or any other plastic goodiesвЂ¦whatever they can get their paws on, our kitties seem totally fixated with the stuff.Дescribed by researchers as вЂњthe ingestion of inedible itemsвЂќ, this condition can affect cows, birds, dogs and even humans too! But itвЂ™s estimated that around 40% of cats will be affected in their lifetime вЂ“ which is a huge number of our beloved felines.ДЄs the saying goes, knowledge is power.

If youвЂ™ve ever walked in to find your kitty munching on something bizarre, yet again, this question might have popped up for you.

Felina pica syndrome