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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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 definitely frequent for cats.

Relating to consuming cat litter, we’re able to safely say that this isn’t frequent habits no matter how slightly rather a lot your cat tries to make it appear frequent. Consuming cat litter is commonly related to an underlying successfully being downside that requires medical consideration. Listed under 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.

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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 offers and objects. Cats with pica are acknowledged to eat objects like cardboard, vegetation, soil, and picket. They might furthermore develop a habits of consuming cat litter.

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

cat sniffing cat litter
Picture Credit score rating ranking: Lightspruch, Shutterstock

2. Dietary Deficiency

Often, cats can begin to eat cat litter and completely completely different offers 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 day by 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.

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3. Anemia

Anemia might 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.

Fully completely 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.

tabby cat sniffing the litter box
Picture Credit score rating ranking: Pixel-Shot, Shutterstock

4. Curiosity

Cats are curious animals, so they could merely be involved in having enjoyable with with and tasting cat litter. Cat litter may really actually really feel fulfilling or have a novel texture that cats should sort. Often of curiosity, your cat will often sort cat litter just some occasions prior to 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. Type

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

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

cat sniffing litter in the box
Picture Credit score rating ranking: Duet PandG, Shutterstock

6. Coprophagia

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

Coprophagia is commonly an indication of 1 completely 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 throughout the event that they begin to eat their very private poop.


7. Boredom

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

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

cat climbs to the litter box
Picture Credit score rating ranking: Oleg Opryshko, Shutterstock

8. Hyperthyroidism

Often, cats with hyperthyroidism may begin to eat cat litter. The intense 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. Fully completely 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 peculiar 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 better threat of rising a ideas tumor.

cat using the litter box
Picture Credit score rating ranking: Danielle Masucci, Shutterstock

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 additionally develop pica. Cats may develop to be constantly hungry, which might set off them to begin consuming inedible objects.

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

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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 searching atmosphere 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 kinds of cat litter which shall be notably unsafe for consumption. It’s often okay if a small quantity will get in your cat’s mouth, nonetheless consuming huge parts will set off factors contained in the gastrointestinal system.

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

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

Simple 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 searching the rationale behind your cat’s litter-eating habits. In case your veterinarian finds a prognosis, they’ll be capable of present a therapy plan to assist your cat return to good successfully being. In quite a few circumstances, cats will cease consuming cat litter as shortly 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 rather a lot a lot much less palatable to your cat and discourage them from consuming it. Be sure to furthermore play collectively alongside together with your cat recurrently and distract them with one completely different prepare once you happen to seek out them going to their litter self-discipline to eat cat litter.

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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 once 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, ample parts of observe, and mentally stimulating actions. Prioritizing your cat’s wellness can stop them from consuming cat litter and rising completely completely different unsafe or unhealthy habits.


Featured Picture Credit score rating ranking: Oleg Opryshko, Shutterstock

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5 thoughts on “Why Is My Cat Consuming Cat Litter? 10 Vet-Reviewed Causes”
  1. The mention of pica and dietary deficiencies was quite enlightening. I always thought cats were just being quirky. This article is a good reminder that their strange behaviors can sometimes indicate health issues.

  2. This article sheds light on a topic I had never considered before. The connection between boredom and eating litter is something I’ll keep in mind for my own cats, who can be quite mischievous at times.

  3. I appreciated the detailed explanation regarding the potential health problems associated with litter eating. It’s crucial for pet owners to stay informed about their pets’ behaviors and seek veterinary advice when necessary.

  4. It’s interesting to learn about the various reasons why cats might eat cat litter. I had no idea that it could be linked to something as serious as anemia or hyperthyroidism. This definitely warrants a visit to the vet if it happens.

  5. I find it fascinating how seemingly odd behaviors in cats can have such diverse underlying causes. The advice on how to address this issue is practical, making it a useful read for any cat owner.

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