Overview
Pica refers to the ingestion of non - food items . While many cats have a non - food detail at some point during their biography , pica disorder in cats refers to felines who do this on a repeat , regular basis .
What Is Pica in Cats?
kat with pica may eat or chew on a variety of point . Plants , string , and paper are common targets for many cats with this circumstance . Cats may also exhibit a physique of pica known as wool - suction , in which they suck on mantle , clothing , or other fabric .
Pica is a poorly sympathise precondition . Many cats shew some degree of pica as part of their normal behaviour , which can make it gainsay to determine whether an individual cat ’s pica is normal or a cause for concern . Additionally , there has been little enquiry on this vista of feline conduct , leave in limited information and awareness .
However , if you see your cat eating non - food item more than common or if you feel like your cat ’s deportment is cause for concern , it ’s important to see a veterinary surgeon . Pica increases the likeliness of your cat ingesting an physical object , which could result in enteric obstruction .
Symptoms of Pica in Cats
symptom of pica in cats diverge and it can be challenging to secern between normal playful conduct and destructive behavior .
True pica is link up with an abnormal relative frequency or an unnatural fixation on the consumption of non - food item .
The following sign may be seen in cat with pica :
What Causes Pica in Cats?
There are legion hypothesis about what get computed axial tomography to develop pica . Unfortunately , the want of enquiry on this national mean that we do not yet know which causes are the most common . Wool - sucking and wool - mastication appear to be more common in Siamese and Burmese cat , but the cause for this tie-up is unknown .
Potential medical causes of pica include :
In most cats with pica , however , no underlying aesculapian cause can be found .
Psychological factors also play a function in pica and may increase a cat ’s endangerment . These factors let in :
Diagnosing Your Cat With Pica
There is no trial that can be used to name pica . Diagnosis is based on your reflexion at home , so it is important to take note of which items your cat is chewing or eating and how frequently this behaviour occurs .
If your hombre is showing signs of pica , consult your veterinarian . It may be helpful to impart detailed notes about your pet ’s routines and behaviour . Some helpful things to note and questions to ask yourself include :
When you bring your cat to the clinic for an naming , your veterinarian will perform a physical test to seem for signs of sickness and carry bloodwork to govern out internal disease .
Your veterinarian will also verify that your quat is on a well - balanced dieting to prevent nutritional deficiencies . A dieting variety may be recommended .
Finally , your veterinarian may recommend further nosology to rule out gastrointestinal disease or other likely underlying weather .
Pica Treatment for Cats
The intervention of pica primarily focuses on environmental modification . First , limit your cat ’s access to those detail that they are jaw on . Next , cater appropriate wall plug for chewing . little wienerwurst chew miniature and cat pot can be offer to let your CT to chew on items with a low risk of exposure of causing intestinal obstruction .
Ensure that your cat has rich electric outlet for play and hunt instincts , by using feeders that are designed to encourage instinctive scrounge behaviors . add together even , scheduled play academic term into your cat ’s daily routine . Additionally , you may want to count create a good , outdoor inclosure for your computerized tomography to spend some time in .
If there are particular stresses in your home , these stressors should be address . For object lesson , if your cat is fighting with a housemate , you may postulate to devise a way to keep the guy divide or derogate interaction . If your African tea is accentuate by the presence of outdoor cats at your door or window , consider motion - activated sprinkler to discourage outdoor quat from pick up around your home . spill the beans to your veterinarian about any possible stressors that may be affecting your cat , for manage your African tea ’s anxiety horizontal surface and derogate stress in the home .
In guild to preclude strange physical structure impediment , you may ask to apply hindrance to keep your cat from manducate on or ingesting sure objects . acrimonious nebulizer are designed to have a foul taste , which may dissuade your cat from eating specific object .
In severe cases , medication may be necessary . Your vet may order antidepressants to help oneself melt off your computerized tomography ’s anxiety level and manage pica .
Common Medications for Pica
While medication is not commonly used in the handling of pica , some CT do do good from antidepressant and anti - anxiety medications . Clomipramine and Prozac are two of the most unremarkably - used drugs for this condition , although they do not successfully address pica in all cats .
General Cost to Treat Pica in Cats
Many case of pica do not need discussion . If your cat requires medicinal drug or has to undergo surgery for a gastrointestinal foreign body , however , there may be associated costs .
These cost may include :
discussion cost for cats with pica will vary base on your location and the veterinary handling that is need .
How to Prevent Pica in Cats
The safe prevention for pica in computerized tomography is tominimize stress . Ensure that your cat has outlets for normal play and hunt behaviors .
If you live in a multi - cat home , see to it that each computerized tomography has their own area , so that CAT can have quiet time off from the other big cat . Place an tolerable number of food and water station and an enough issue of litter loge in your dwelling . You should have one more bedding material boxful than the number of cat in your place .
Cats are natural hunters , so they need outlets to absorb in hunt behaviors . The typical lazy sprightliness of an indoor khat does not give them an chance to exercise these instincts .
rather of give your cat from a stadium , reckon feed all or part of your cat ’s meal from a confluent that sham innate hunting behaviour . These feeders are designed to be shaken or rolled by your bozo , dispensing small amounts of food for thought with manipulation . This is far more stimulating for hombre than eating out of a bowling ball and allows them the opportunity to exercise normal hunting demeanor .
