http://www.care2.com/greenliving/does-your-cat-eat-strange-things.html
Does Your Cat Eat Strange Things?
My cat Iggy likes to eat tortilla chips–a little strange, but not nearly as odd as her taste for tape, preferably of the scotch or packing variety. Old Serena loved broccoli…but not as much as she loved licking photographs. I’ve yet to meet a cat that wasn’t a little quirky, but eating tape and photographs? Although I attributed these habits to the animal-based ingredients used to make the tape’s glue and the gelatin in developing photos–I also had a nagging suspicion that I might be justifying some obsessive behavior in my pets. Although I think it’s amusing in that special kitty kind of way I have to wonder: is it normal for cats to eat strange things?
As it turns out, just like humans can manifest a disorder called pica (whereby non-nutritive items like dirt and clay are eaten) so do cats. And it can be pretty common in our feline friends.
In addition to tape and photographs, there is an abundance of other odd items that many a cat find irresistible: shoelaces, paper, plastic grocery bags, houseplants, shower curtains, even electrical cords. Yikes. And I am sure there is a whole of host of other strange things that cats find appealing to the palate. But why? Often times it’s nothing to worry about, but it turns out that pica has been associated with a number of diseases including feline leukemia and feline immunodeficiency virus–a veterinarian should examine any cat with unusual eating habits. Here’s what a vet will look at when presented with a cat pica case:
Dietary deficiencies. Some cats will eat their cat litter if they’re anemic. This makes sense, as in the case of human pica the cause is quite often a mineral deficiency.
Medical problems. Cat pica is also associated with feline leukemia and feline immunodeficiency virus, or it may be triggered by conditions like diabetes or brain tumors.
Genetic predisposition. For some cats, pica might just be in their genes. For example, wool sucking, sometimes a precursor to pica, is seen more frequently in Siamese and Birman cats (More on wool below.)
Environmental factors. Is the cat bored or seeking attention? Maybe he needs more mental or physical stimulation. Behavioral reasons for pica can include boredom, attention-seeking, attractive scents, hunger, and learned behavior
Compulsive disorder. Once other possibilities are ruled out, some pet behavioralists start to look into the possibility of compulsive disorder.
A related behavior that is often seen in cats is the desire to suck on wool–and although this is often lumped together under the umbrella of cat pica, it seems to me to be of a slightly different nature. Nursing on wool seems more of a nursing behavior similar to kneading. To back me up, Arnold Plotnick MS, DVM, ACVIM, ABVP of Manhattan Cat Specialists says that “Wool-sucking is a commonly described abnormal ingestive behavior in cats. Wool-sucking, however, is a compulsive, misdirected form of nursing behavior and technically should be distinguished from true cases of pica.” He continues that “the younger a cat is weaned, the stronger its drive to nurse, and the more likely the cat is to suck on wool–or its owner’s arms, earlobes, or hair. Although some cats may only suck on such fuzzy items as wool, fleece, and stuffed animals, others progress to actually eating these fabrics.”
Next: Dangers and treatment
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102 comments
add your comment »Our kitty Elvis loves to eat all kinds of human food, like pasta, cheese, milk, yoghurt, bread, peas etc.. He also loves to chew on my bras, for some odd reason. He goes straight for them if there's a pair on the floor or the chair, he even drags them out of the laundry pile sometimes :D. He's also fascinated by toilet paper :)
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Sylvester eats lizards, and Avril loves nachos and black olives.
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After I got married, I had a kitten that wouldn't play with her toys. Instead, she would dig her turds out of the litter and carry them where they would skitter across the wooden floor. No matter how much scolding she got, she always managed to do it...even if she had to wait until we'd gone to work. And if anyone upset her, she would hide under the couch and eat one of them. Of course, if she batted it out from under the couch before the person left, it was a warning. She would sink her sharp little claws (and sometimes teeth) into them and not let go until they headed for the door. She would be a very old cat by now. But I miss her still. And it's funny to me now that the cats I've had since are all tiger gray tabbies, just like she was. It's hard to turn down a cat or kitten that decides it belongs with you. Or maybe I just think I belong with them. Who knows?
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Nickodemius(part Siamese) and Timothy(Maine Coon) have a little thing for raspberry serbert. Timothy has a thing for anything left unattended.
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My cat, while she gets a grain free, meaty food as her staple, loves to eat my vegan food! She loves non-dairy milk, vegan cheese, soy ice cream, tofurkey, veggie bologna... I keep telling her she's an obligate carnivore and shouldn't like mum's plant foods so much, but she doesn't listen.
Heck, if I spill some of the rats vegan dog kibble (rats are omnivores and do well on a veg diet) she'll eat that, too. Weird, weird cat. Healthy as can be - just weird.
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i love the midnight louie series. thank you for the reminder, michael. :)
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I had a cat that was queer for grapefruit juice. I couldn't eat one without sharing. All you cat lovers should look up this author: Carole Nelson Douglas. She has a series out about Midnight Louie, a cat who is a private eye.
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My cat is obsessed with cheese. She'll eat anything that even vaguely resembles it, such as corn of pasta. Also, when I sprinkle some catnip on the floor, she doesn't roll in it, she eats it!! ;)
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Hi...my name is OmsaiRam, im a descent of my grand grandfather a big Russian Blue...I´m a very dangerous and rude gray colombian cat!
This is my first time writting, its my diary i guess...you know Elvira, she is my very sweet slave...and seeing that you people are too interesting about why my race eat strange things, prrrr prrrrr let me purrr while i´m thinking...Have you see yourself people? Humans eat EVERYTHING...we dont smoke...we dont intoxicate with alcohol, drugs, and noise!!!
dont you realize we eat all that strange thing BY EXAMPLE FOR YOU..we're trying to be like you...mewuuumiauuuu
and you're welcome! i hope i help to make less your ignorance...ahhh this is a secret dont tell my poor slave Elvira...meuwmiaupppprrrrrrrrrr
she is cleaning my de luxe pupu-room and taking care of my food as a good slave does!
bye humans and be good slave with my race...we´re superiors of course be happy to serve one of us!!!!
OmsaiRam
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My cat Pedro enjoys canned peas!
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