Cats often chew on objects, even ones that aren't supposed to be chewed on, but occasionally the behavior can go out of control. In addition to harming your possessions, it could be harmful to the cat. But cats will chew on objects because they use their jaws to explore. A few potential medical issues, such as teething in kittens, might result in excessive chewing in cats. However, boredom is the main factor that leads to house cats chewing, and it is a rather simple fix.
What makes cats chew destructively?
See a vet to rule out a medical problem before concluding that your cat's chewing behavior is due to boredom.
1: A digestive problem may cause a cat to chew and slobber on objects to help with nausea, and gum disease may cause a cat to gnaw on objects to calm its mouth. Chewing may have medical causes such as early weaning, dietary deficits, and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
2: The most popular way to treat periodontal disease in cats is to give them a comprehensive cleaning while they are sedated in order to get rid of the tartar and plaque that harbor the germs that cause the disease. Periodontal disease is an inflammation involving the gums or the tissues around teeth. Teeth that are impacted by periodontal disease may need to be extracted in more severe cases. The severity and type of a gastrointestinal disease will determine how your veterinarian treats it; a sick cat will typically exhibit more symptoms than just chewing.
3: It's likely that you're dealing with a bored cat if there isn't an underlying medical reason. While gnawing may not seem like a big deal for a kitten, there are some severe risks you might be missing around the house.
Next Actions
1 - Cords and wires
Typically, cats will chew on cords and wires, especially if they are left alone throughout the day. Make an effort to provide your cat or kitten lots of "play alone" toys, such as toys that are fixed on walls or doors that they can bat or swat, cat towers that they can explore and have toys connected for extra fun, or even a set of cardboard boxes arranged on the floor to create a tunnel with holes cut in the sides. They can indulge their hunting instincts with toys that shoot rewards.
You need to come up with a plan to hide the cords, prevent access to them, and make them taste bad to chew on in order to deal with the cord dilemma itself.
Cover the cords: A lot of computer supply businesses sell kits for organising computer cords in addition to pre-split hollow tubing or covering electrical wires and cords. Most hardware or building supply stores carry elastic poly tubing in various sizes, if you're adept with a utility knife. Cut the tubing to the appropriate length for every cord after slitting one side. If larger "corrugated" tubing works for you, you may also try running many wires through it.
Try putting multiple rows of dual-sided sticky tape on the floor around a sizable cord tangle (like the ones that sometimes occur around laptops) to discourage people from accessing the cords. It will be difficult for cats to cross the tape. Read This: Tips for Stopping Your Cat from Chewing on Electrical Cords
Make Most Cords Taste Bad: Bitter apple spray has been by far among the best training aids for any type of destructive chewing. Your cat will undoubtedly remember the unpleasant taste it left in his mouth for a long time. Note that if your cat is persistent, you might have to reapply this in the place you want them to stay away from.
2 - Houseplants
Your live houseplants may become a target for your cat, which has a natural affinity for greenery to gnaw on. You must learn to identify and remove these plants for your cat's protection because some of them can be very harmful to cats.
If any of these houseplants are on this list of dangerous plants, you should either remove them from your home or keep your cat from having access to them altogether.
3 - Items made of fabric and leather
Chewing wool is considered an OCD behavior. The best method to stop your cat from engaging in the type of chewing behavior we're talking about here is to provide them with other "legal" chewing objects, like chewable soft toys. If your cat isn't able to stop chewing on all the fabric or leather objects you have, consider using bitter apple spray for the chewing area. Just make sure it will not stain by testing the spray on a small, hidden seam first.
Tips for Preventing Cats from Chewing Destructively
One thing that really helps when a cat is teething is a plastic drinking straw, particularly the big ones that are used for milkshakes. They are a terrific interactive toy and provide kitties with the crunchy contact they require. Using the straw to tease your kitty and then letting him "capture" it will provide hours of interactive play, as you can watch him happily carry about his "prey." It's common to observe adult cats batting straws around the floor, as they may recall them.
How to Clicker-Train to Stop Destructive Chewing in Cats
Clicker training works best with dogs, but it can also work with cats. When the animal exhibits the required behavior, the trainer and pet owner will hear a clicking noise on a small, hand-held gadget. For clicking training to prove successful, the animal must receive a treat right away after the click in order for it to associate the gesture with the click with something good. The threat may eventually be phased away.
Avoid hitting and yelling.
Most animals don't respond well to it, especially cats, who won't connect misbehavior with the intended negative reinforcement.
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