Why Is My Cat Consuming Cat Litter? 10 Vet-Reviewed Causes

Cats are able to doing many factors that go away us feeling bewildered and scratching our heads. It’s usually troublesome to seek out out if one issue that’s unusual to us is actually widespread for cats.

Relating to consuming cat litter, we’re able to safely say that this isn’t widespread habits no matter how slightly so much your cat tries to make it appear widespread. Consuming cat litter is commonly related to an underlying successfully being downside that requires medical consideration. Listed beneath are just a few doable the reason why your cat could also be consuming cat litter and what you can do to assist them cease this habits.

The ten Causes That Cats Eat Cat Litter

1. Pica

Pica refers to a state of affairs the place cats will chew or eat inedible supplies and objects. Cats with pica are acknowledged to eat objects like cardboard, vegetation, soil, and picket. They could furthermore develop a habits of consuming cat litter.

Pica could possibly be attributable to quite a lot of elements, it could possibly be seen as an indication of an underlying medical state of affairs or it could possibly be a behavioral drawback. Some medical circumstances which have been linked to pica embody endocrine sicknesses, gastrointestinal sicknesses, and parasitic infections.

2. Dietary Deficiency

Normally, cats can begin to eat cat litter and completely totally different supplies on account of a nutrient deficiency. They do that in an attempt to compensate for any important dietary nutritional vitamins that they lack of their on every day foundation meals routine. Attributable to this reality, it’s essential to hunt suggestion out of your vet and guarantee your cat is consuming high-quality cat meals and consuming related parts. Making healthful modifications to their meals routine may put an finish to your cat’s litter-eating habits.

3. Anemia

Anemia could possibly be associated to nutrient deficiencies, significantly iron deficiency, so some anemic cats may begin to eat cat litter. Riboflavin, vitamin B12, and niacin deficiencies might even set off anemia.

Utterly totally different indicators of anemia embody low power, little stamina, pale gums, and lethargy. After a cat has been restored to successfully being and any nutrient deficiency has been addressed, the cat litter-eating habits often goes away.

4. Curiosity

Cats are curious animals, so they could merely be involved in having enjoyable with with and tasting cat litter. Cat litter may truly actually really feel fulfilling or have a novel texture that cats should kind. Normally of curiosity, your cat will often kind cat litter just some occasions before they alter into disinterested. So, in case your cat continues to eat cat litter on quite a lot of events, it’s protected to say that it’s not due to they’re excited by it.

5. Fashion

Normally, cats can revenue from the type of their cat litter and develop a liking for it. This often occurs when their cat litter is made with pure supplies like grass, wheat, or corn husks.

In case your cat likes the flavour of their cat litter, it is doable you will attempt switching to a definite cat litter that’s made with a novel provides. Likelihood is you will as successfully attempt offering them with cat grass as a protected various.

6. Coprophagia

Coprophagia refers to a state of affairs that causes cats to eat their very private feces. Cats with coprophagia may appear to be they’re consuming cat litter, nonetheless they’re truly consuming their very private poop.

Coprophagia is commonly an indication of 1 totally different underlying successfully being state of affairs, resembling malnutrition, colitis, or dementia. Attributable to this reality, it’s essential to get your cat your veterinarian inside the event that they begin to eat their very private poop.

7. Boredom

Cats who truly actually really feel bored or wired may resort to consuming cat litter. Consuming litter could also be a technique for bored cats to primarily actually really feel stimulated, or it might very properly be a habits that cats develop as quickly as they’re feeling wired or anxious.

Guaranteeing your cat will get sufficient apply and playtime will help alleviate boredom. Offering mentally stimulating actions like deal with dispenser toys might even stop boredom. Assuaging boredom might set off your cat’s litter consuming habits to go away by itself.

8. Hyperthyroidism

Normally, cats with hyperthyroidism may begin to eat cat litter. The acute ranges of thyroid hormone can improve a cat’s urge for meals and metabolism, which might make them consuming inedible objects like cat litter.

Hyperthyroidism is the most typical endocrine illness in cats, and it’s most prevalent in older cats. Utterly totally different indicators of hyperthyroidism are weight low cost, consuming higher than common, poor physique state of affairs, and an enlarged thyroid gland.

9. Ideas Tumors

Ideas tumors are a weird type of most cancers and an unusual motive for a cat consuming litter. Nonetheless, ideas tumors can have an effect on a cat’s habits relying on their location and it’s doable for them to extend starvation.

Older cats who’re over 10 years earlier have a higher danger of rising a ideas tumor.

10. Intestinal Parasites

It’s not completely clear what the hyperlink between intestinal parasites and pica is, nonetheless some cats with intestinal parasites resembling worms may also develop pica. Cats may develop to be persistently hungry, which might set off them to begin consuming inedible objects.

Treatment will fluctuate since there are quite a few types of intestinal parasites. As rapidly as your cat is free from an intestinal parasite infestation, their pica furthermore often goes away.

Is It Protected for Cats to Eat Cat Litter?

It’s not protected for cats to eat cat litter, so it’s essential to go looking surroundings pleasant selections to forestall them from consuming it. Some cat litter isn’t protected for consumption and should set off intestinal blockages. Clumping clay litter and silica litter are each types of cat litter which will probably be notably unsafe for consumption. It’s often okay if a small quantity will get in your cat’s mouth, nonetheless consuming large parts will set off factors contained in the gastrointestinal system.

Consuming cat litter will probably be unsanitary. Ingesting parasites and micro organism from soiled cat litter can result in gastrointestinal factors.

Easy methods to Stop Cats from Consuming Cat Litter

Step one to stopping your cat from consuming cat litter is to take your cat to your veterinarian. Since consuming cat litter is commonly related to a medical downside, it’s essential to get your cat in for a bodily examination. Your veterinarian might run diagnostic exams to go looking the rationale behind your cat’s litter-eating habits. In case your veterinarian finds a prognosis, they’ll have the ability to present a therapy plan to assist your cat return to good successfully being. In quite a few instances, cats will cease consuming cat litter as rapidly as they’ve gotten bigger.

In case your cat continues to eat cat litter, attempt switching to a novel model or type of cat litter. This may make the cat litter so much a lot much less palatable to your cat and discourage them from consuming it. Ensure that to furthermore play collectively alongside along with your cat recurrently and distract them with one totally different prepare whenever you happen to seek out them going to their litter self-discipline to eat cat litter.

Conclusion

Cats can begin to eat cat litter for quite a lot of causes, nonetheless this habits is commonly tied to a successfully being downside. Attributable to this reality, it’s greatest to get your cat to your veterinarian as shortly as doable whenever you happen to seek out that they’re beginning to eat cat litter. Your veterinarian will make it simpler to grasp what’s inflicting this habits and the way in which one can stop it from occurring.

Together with getting your cat medical assist, it’s essential to make sure they’re residing a healthful life-style that consists of a nutritious meals routine, enough parts of apply, and mentally stimulating actions. Prioritizing your cat’s wellness can stop them from consuming cat litter and rising completely totally different unsafe or unhealthy habits.

Featured Picture Credit score rating score: Oleg Opryshko, Shutterstock