Why Does My Cat Chew on Everything?

Do you have a cat that is chewing on your belongings and ruining everything it can sink its teeth into? It’s a common problem which most cat owners are faced with at one time or another. So, why does my cat chew on everything?

Boredom

One of the main reasons why cats will chew on everything and anything is due to sheer boredom. If you have not noticed by now, cats are very active creatures. They’re always on the prowl, and they’re always looking for the next thing to do.

Boredom will often lead to them chewing on things, if for no other reason than because there is simply nothing else to do. Cats want to play, they want to have fun, they want to interact with people, and they want to hunt their prey.

If you have an indoor cat, especially if you don’t have some good chew toys and scratching posts, you can rest assured that at some point that cat is going to start chewing on your belongings. They need something to do.

A good way to put an end to chewing due to boredom is to simply keep the cat occupied. Provide them with a few more toys, give them a perch to sit on, and a scratching post too. There is nothing more destructive in a home than a bored cat.

Play Hunting

Another reason why your cat might feel the need to chew on some of your belongings is because they are play hunting, or in other words, they are practicing their killing technique.

This is something that usually causes them to chew on smaller objects, things like balls of string, shoes, socks, and other such soft and furry things. If your cat keeps chewing on small and soft items, it can be an indication that their hunting instinct is shining through.

Cats are great hunters and they love to do it. If you have a cat that has very strong instincts, and you don’t let it go outdoors, it will still want to hunt. The only difference is that instead of hunting rats and mice outside, it’s going to hunt for your belongings. A few toys that resemble small prey animals should be enough to take care of this issue.

Destructive Nature

Sometimes cats are just destructive. This is going to depend on the species of cat you have, as some species of cats are more destructive than others. Moreover, this is also going to depend on the specific cat in question.

Cats have personalities too, and they’re all different, with some cats being far more destructive than others. Male cats who are just going through puberty and reaching sexual maturity are often some of the most destructive cats around.

Maybe you just have a cat that loves to chew and destroy things. Sure, this behavior is much more common in dogs than cats, but they still do it too. If your cat is chewing due to just being a little wrecking ball, make sure to give it enough toys to chew on, or else your belongings will suffer.

Gum Disease

Unfortunately, cats often suffer from gum disease. This can start with simple plaque and tartar buildup, which can then lead to periodontal disease, which is characterized by painful, swollen, and bleeding gums, along with massive amounts of plaque and tartar.

This can be very painful and uncomfortable for cats, and more often than not, chewing on something soft will help relieve some of the pain, at least temporarily.

What you want to do is to take a look at your cat’s teeth to see what kind of shape they are in. If things don’t look so good, you’ll want to take the cat to a vet for an oral hygiene appointment.

OCD

There are some other causes of chewing which are not simply part of a cat’s nature, such as the playing and boredom discussed above. Just like with humans, cats can also suffer from mental illness, and yes, OCD or obsessive compulsive disorder is one of them.

If you can find no other reason why your cat is chewing on everything, it may be suffering from a disorder like this. OCD causes compulsive and repetitive behavior, which in cats can mean constant chewing. This is something which you should consult a veterinarian about.

Conclusion

Having a cat that chews on your belongings can certainly be annoying. However, for the most part, there is usually a cause which can easily be remedied. Generally speaking, getting them some more toys, scratching posts, and other things to chew on should take care of the issue.