Kitties

Kitties & Wool Sucking

by Nancy Korman

Our kitty friends sometimes have habits that are quite strange. One of the behaviors that some cats exhibit that certainly falls into the category of being strange is when they chew on your sweaters, suck on towels, blankets or even carpets. It’s commonly called wool sucking. Many times this will damage the material that the cat is working on. Any type of fabric can be susceptible to some cats although they do seem to be partial to wool.

The causes of this behavior are not well understood, but many feel that weaning kittens too soon adds to the likelihood that the adult cat will exhibit this habit.

There are a few things that you can do to try and wean your cat away from destroying your fiber articles. The most certain way to eliminate damage is to keep any of the things the cat prefers to chew on out of reach. Sweaters and other clothing can be put away in dressers or closets and the cat can be kept out of rooms where there are articles that you can’t put away, like the carpet. If the cat has a favorite spot to chew on, you might want to try spraying it with bitter apple spray or a sprinkling of cayenne pepper to deter her.

Using a can of coins to scare the kitty may work well also. If you can catch him in the act, rattle the can loudly to scare him away from what he is doing. A water pistol can be used in a similar fashion to train him not to suck on items. A quick spritz will surprise and disrupt the behavior and in time teach the cat that his wool sucking behavior results in an unpleasant shower.

Changing or adding to your cat’s food can totally eliminate this habit. A raw, natural diet is the best approach to take. Even if that is not possible, adding fiber to the cat’s diet is an improvement. Try adding a bit of wheat or oat bran to each meal mixed in with the regular food. Also, some cats will eat lettuce leaves, which makes them stop their chewing or sucking. Other additions to the diet that have helped some kitties are other crunchy foods like green beans or bacon.

Keeping lots of toys around for your kitty friend to play with may help also. Remember to spend a few minutes every day playing with your cat too. They will only benefit from the extra attention.