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

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

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The information is current and up-to-date in accordance with the latest veterinarian evaluation.


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Cats are capable of doing many points that depart us feeling bewildered and scratching our heads. It’s usually troublesome to find out if one factor that’s uncommon to us is certainly common for cats.

Regarding consuming cat litter, we’ll safely say that this isn’t common habits no matter how lots your cat tries to make it seem common. Consuming cat litter is often associated to an underlying nicely being problem that requires medical consideration. Listed below are plenty of attainable the reason why your cat may be consuming cat litter and what you’ll be able to do to help them stop this habits.

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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 provides and objects. Cats with pica are recognized to eat devices like cardboard, crops, soil, and picket. They could moreover develop a habits of consuming cat litter.

Pica will likely be introduced on by a variety of elements, it could be seen as a sign of an underlying medical state of affairs or it could be a behavioral disadvantage. Some medical circumstances which have been linked to pica embody endocrine illnesses, gastrointestinal illnesses, and parasitic infections.

cat sniffing cat litter
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2. Dietary Deficiency

Sometimes, cats can start to eat cat litter and totally different provides due to a nutrient deficiency. They do this in an attempt to compensate for any essential nutritional vitamins that they lack of their day by day weight reduction plan. Resulting from this truth, it’s important to hunt suggestion out of your vet and assure your cat is consuming high-quality cat meals and consuming acceptable elements. Making healthful modifications to their weight reduction plan may put an end to your cat’s litter-eating habits.

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3. Anemia

Anemia will likely be related to nutrient deficiencies, significantly iron deficiency, so some anemic cats may start to eat cat litter. Riboflavin, vitamin B12, and niacin deficiencies might also set off anemia.

Completely different indicators of anemia embody low vitality, little stamina, pale gums, and lethargy. After a cat has been restored to nicely being and any nutrient deficiency has been addressed, the cat litter-eating habits usually goes away.

tabby cat sniffing the litter box
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4. Curiosity

Cats are curious animals, so they might merely be interested by participating in with and tasting cat litter. Cat litter may actually really feel fulfilling or have a novel texture that cats must fashion. Normally of curiosity, your cat will usually fashion cat litter a couple of events sooner than they grow to be disinterested. So, in case your cat continues to eat cat litter on plenty of occasions, it’s safe to say that it’s not because of they’re interested by it.


5. Style

Sometimes, cats can profit from the style of their cat litter and develop a liking for it. This usually happens when their cat litter is made with pure provides like grass, wheat, or corn husks.

In case your cat likes the flavour of their cat litter, you’ll try switching to a special cat litter that’s made with a definite supplies. It’s possible you’ll as nicely try providing them with cat grass as a safe totally different.

cat sniffing litter in the box
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6. Coprophagia

Coprophagia refers to a state of affairs that causes cats to eat their very personal feces. Cats with coprophagia may look like they’re consuming cat litter, nevertheless they’re actually consuming their very personal poop.

Coprophagia is often a sign of 1 different underlying nicely being state of affairs, much like malnutrition, colitis, or dementia. Resulting from this truth, it’s important to get your cat your veterinarian within the occasion that they start to eat their very personal poop.


7. Boredom

Cats who actually really feel bored or careworn may resort to consuming cat litter. Consuming litter may be a method for bored cats to essentially really feel stimulated, or it may be a habits that cats develop as soon as they’re feeling careworn or anxious.

Making sure your cat will get adequate practice and playtime could assist alleviate boredom. Providing mentally stimulating actions like take care of dispenser toys might also forestall boredom. Assuaging boredom might trigger your cat’s litter consuming habits to go away by itself.

cat climbs to the litter box
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8. Hyperthyroidism

Sometimes, cats with hyperthyroidism may start to eat cat litter. The extreme ranges of thyroid hormone can enhance a cat’s urge for meals and metabolism, which can trigger them to consuming inedible objects like cat litter.

Hyperthyroidism is the commonest endocrine sickness in cats, and it’s most prevalent in older cats. Completely different indicators of hyperthyroidism are weight discount, ingesting larger than common, poor physique state of affairs, and an enlarged thyroid gland.


9. Thoughts Tumors

Thoughts tumors are a unusual type of most cancers and an uncommon purpose behind a cat consuming litter. However, thoughts tumors can impact a cat’s habits counting on their location and it’s attainable for them to increase hunger.

Older cats who’re over 10 years earlier have the following hazard of making a thoughts tumor.

cat using the litter box
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10. Intestinal Parasites

It’s not absolutely clear what the hyperlink between intestinal parasites and pica is, nevertheless some cats with intestinal parasites much like worms might also develop pica. Cats may grow to be repeatedly hungry, which can set off them to start consuming inedible devices.

Remedy will vary since there are numerous sorts of intestinal parasites. As quickly as your cat is free from an intestinal parasite infestation, their pica moreover usually goes away.

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Is It Protected for Cats to Eat Cat Litter?

It’s not safe for cats to eat cat litter, so it’s important to hunt out environment friendly choices to forestall them from consuming it. Some cat litter isn’t safe for consumption and should set off intestinal blockages. Clumping clay litter and silica litter are every kinds of cat litter that are considerably unsafe for consumption. It’s usually okay if a small amount will get in your cat’s mouth, nevertheless consuming big portions will set off points inside the gastrointestinal system.

Consuming cat litter may be unsanitary. Ingesting parasites and micro organism from dirty cat litter may end up in gastrointestinal points.

cat sitting next to the litter box
Image Credit score rating: Oleg Opryshko, Shutterstock

How one can Forestall Cats from Consuming Cat Litter

The 1st step to stopping your cat from consuming cat litter is to take your cat to your veterinarian. Since consuming cat litter is often associated to a medical problem, it’s important to get your cat in for a bodily examination. Your veterinarian could run diagnostic checks to hunt out the rationale behind your cat’s litter-eating habits. In case your veterinarian finds a evaluation, they’ll be succesful to current a treatment plan to help your cat return to good nicely being. In a number of circumstances, cats will stop consuming cat litter as quickly as they’ve gotten larger.

In case your cat continues to eat cat litter, try switching to a definite mannequin or type of cat litter. This might make the cat litter a lot much less palatable to your cat and discourage them from consuming it. Be sure that to moreover play collectively along with your cat repeatedly and distract them with one different train while you uncover them going to their litter subject to eat cat litter.

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Conclusion

Cats can start to eat cat litter for a variety of causes, nevertheless this habits is often tied to a nicely being problem. Resulting from this truth, it’s most interesting to get your cat to your veterinarian as rapidly as attainable while you uncover that they’re starting to eat cat litter. Your veterinarian could assist you understand what’s inflicting this habits and the way one can forestall it from occurring.

Along with getting your cat medical help, it’s important to verify they’re residing a healthful lifestyle that consists of a nutritious weight reduction plan, passable portions of practice, and mentally stimulating actions. Prioritizing your cat’s wellness can forestall them from consuming cat litter and creating totally different unsafe or unhealthy habits.


Featured Image Credit score rating: Oleg Opryshko, Shutterstock



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