Pica in Cats: Causes, Symptoms, & Treatment

Kirsten McCarthy / Cats.com

Does your cat display peculiar behavior like licking or chewing fabric, bags, cables, rubber, plants, straws, cardboard, and household objects?

Rest assured you’re not alone. Some days, our lounge resembles a paper shredding factory and our blinds have bite mark dents. Don’t even mention plastic bags—they’re the flavor of this month.

Cats who obsessively lick, nibble, or consume non-food items are exhibiting a behvior called pica.

What Is Pica in Cats?

Pica involves the ingestion of non-food items. Frequently reported items that cats may chew include wool, fabric, wood, plastic, paper, and plants (Case, 2003, Horwitz & Mills 2009). Often the molar teeth are used to chew holes in such materials.

Pica shouldn’t be mistaken for the kitten behavior of suckling, which might persist into adulthood. When adult cats exhibit suckling behaviors, the material isn’t consumed, simply sucked repetitively and often accompanied by front paw kneading.

Likewise, many young kittens will chew and tear at objects when exhibiting predatory behavior during play. In this case, pieces are torn off but not consumed.

Pica involves not just chewing or biting but also swallowing and ingesting non-food objects. The ingestion of some kinds of non-food objects, especially string, cords, and hair ties/bands, can result in life-threatening blockages in the stomach and/or intestines that require urgent veterinary medical attention.

Why Do Cats Get Pica? Hypothesized Causes of Pica Explained

Cats know that meowing will get you to look at them, and making crinkling sounds can accomplish the same goal. Liz Coleman / Cats.com

Since there’s no test to diagnose pica, veterinary professionals depend on your observations at home. Theories on the cause of pica include:

Genetics

Pica is most often seen in breeds like Siamese, Tonkinese, and Burmese, which are all predisposed to eating or sucking on wool. Domestic short hairs and Ragdolls may also develop pica.

Pica in cats can start as early as 12 weeks and many of these cats will grow out of it by 1–2 years old. For others, the habit will continue into adulthood or even become life-long.

Dietary Deficiencies

Cats with prolonged nutritional deficiencies, such as adequate fat, minerals, or vitamins in their food, may ingest non-edible material. Other cases could also be due to dietary imbalance from a lack of roughage (fiber), although a clear dietary cause has yet to be documented.

Medical Reasons

Licking or absorption of weird substances has been correlated to endocrine and gastrointestinal conditions, such as hyperthyroidism, diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), gastric motility, and hookworm infestation.

Two studies uncovered a high prevalence of pica diagnosed in cats with immune-mediated hemolytic anemia, pyruvate kinase deficiencies, and feline infectious peritonitis (FIP), but with lower occurrences (Isabelle Demontigny-Bédard, 2015). Infrequently, eating inappropriate things may also stem from medical issues like fatty liver disease.

Additionally, neurological disorders and cancer can disrupt appetite control and contribute to uncommon cravings resulting in pica.

Pica prevalence is considerably greater in felines housed exclusively indoors. Potential contributing factors include boredom, anxiety, frustration, and lack of social contact.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

According to certain literature, pica may be considered an obsessive-compulsive disorder in anxious cats. Gnawing or sucking on objects releases endorphins and serves as comfort.

Distress can exacerbate pre-existing pica and chomping of things is also used as a coping mechanism.

Stressful life events like moving to a new home, a new pet adoption or death of an owner can trigger compulsive ingestion of non-food items in individual cats.

Symptoms of Pica in Cats

If your cat suffers from pica, they must be closely monitored. While some cats may ingest non-food items and show no signs of illness, it’s important to watch out for the following signs just in case of the risk of a gastrointestinal blockage:

• Vomiting
• Constipation
• Diarrhea
• Lethargy
• Changes in eating patterns (decreased appetite)

Is Pica in Cats Dangerous?

Since pica is defined as the compulsive eating behavior where cats consume non-food items such as fabric, plastic, rubber, paper, cardboard, soil, string, and plants, ingesting these non-traditional items can lead to various health risks for cats, including gastrointestinal obstruction, toxicity, choking hazards, and dental issues.

How to Treat Pica in Cats

Pica may be caused by both behavioral and physical issues, so you must rule out health problems before pursuing behavior-focused treatment. Katelynn Sobus / Cats.com

Rule out any medical conditions with a thorough vet examination before seeking a behavioral evaluation. Therapy options for mild cases:

Minimize Exposure to the Substance

• Removing the item from view could be a sufficient measure in simple cases to manage the problem.
• Minimize access to plants by placing them outside, hide plastic bags in cupboards, keep clothes together with socks in drawers, and manage the environment to reduce the presence of preferred substances.

Stress Reduction

• Create a haven with escape routes in addition to comfortable sanctuaries for retreat. These should be in low traffic areas. Cats also like secluded, darker areas like closets and under beds.
• Provide consistent daily social interaction, ensuring your cat has full control and is able to escape when they feel threatened.
• Use a variety of coping strategies and rotation in multi-cat situations to assist non-related adult cats in successfully getting along.

Boost Environmental Stimulation

• Boost your cat’s surroundings by adding vertical space like a catwalk.
• Incorporate frequent play sessions to increase environmental stimulus, especially for young kitties with a high exploratory drive.
• Redirect and motivate undesirable behavior with the help of interactive prey-type toys and clicker training.
• Build a catio or a bird feeding station for your cat’s viewing satisfaction and to alleviate boredom and frustration.

Alternate Feeding Methods

• Introduce puzzle feeders to encourage foraging with hidden food.
• Oral stimulation with the aid of cat grass, dental chews, and durable munch toys can help redirect their instinctive prey drive.

Dietary Modification and Supplementation

Cats with pica benefit from a dietary modification to a high fiber content diet. Try introducing probiotics, digestive enzymes, or a half-teaspoon of psyllium husks in wet food.

Other felines may like to change to a raw diet with fibrous muscle and organ tissue, keeping in mind that homemade diets for cats can be challenging to formulate properly without professional help and raw diets can carry some of their own health risks. Always talk to your vet about an appropriate diet, especially for cats with GI issues.

Compulsive Behaviour

Dietary supplementation and other modifications can help to resolve any deficiencies that may lead to pica. Kirsten McCarthy / Cats.com

If pica is a compulsive behavior, refer to a certified behavior specialist, since medication might have to be contemplated.

Pica can cause owners emotional distress, expensive vet surgery, and even pet relinquishment. Consumption of inedible material requires veterinary intervention and behavioral therapy. Although pica may be a lifelong disorder, it can be managed or resolved with appropriate toys, environment, and diet modification.