MetaChat - AskMeCha: Why does my cat eat plastic?

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26 December 2006

AskMeCha: Why does my cat eat plastic? Seriously, my cat licks any plastic item that comes her way, especially pieces of plastic wrapping used to ship things like DVDs. She also licks glass, the legs of chairs, and occasionally, the floor. Is this a sign of a nutritional deficit or is my cat just strange?

post by: grapefruitmoon at: 20:53 | 15 comments

MSNBC article...doesn't explain why as much as offers tips on prevention.

posted by LinusMines 26 December | 21:30

I've said this before and I'll say it again: the 'C' in cat stands for 'crazy.'

posted by birdherder 26 December | 21:54

birdherder: What do the "a" and the "t" stand for? As turnips?

posted by grapefruitmoon 26 December | 22:00

Ah, yes. A cry of "Oi! Don't lick the floor, bitch!" peals out around here at least once a day.

posted by trondant 26 December | 22:02

The problem with prevention is that there's NOTHING that it is out of reach for a cat, and while lacking thumbs, she still manages to open drawers. Also: She licks the windows. I can't exactly do anything at all about that. I just pray she doesn't die of lead poisoning anytime soon.

posted by grapefruitmoon 26 December | 22:04

Crackly Air Tasters. One of my cats does this, too.

posted by interrobang 26 December | 22:10

As long as you're feeding your cat a good quality food and providing lots of fresh water, I vote for crazy.

posted by deborah 26 December | 22:19

One of my sister's cats used to do this with grocery bags. Apparently that plastic is coated with some kind of animal-based fat spray to keep them from sticking. Justina (the cat) liked the taste of it.

posted by frecklefaerie 26 December | 22:22

According to my cats' old vet, this little phenomenon is usually due to separating the kitten from its mother too early. It creates in the kitten an inability to produce a certain mineral or vitamin, or something, and the cat gets it from licking plastic. Nothing you can really do about it now. Note: this is completely unsubstantiated second-hand info, but the dude knew cats. I trust his explanation.

[ps: first post to metachat, hi bunnies]

posted by synaesthetichaze 26 December | 22:39

My cat wasn't separated from her momma until she was 7 months old, so I doubt that's really the cause of the licking.

We feed her Purina One Organic Food With Lots of Yummy Bits in it, which my vet has approved. Of course, since she also eats plastic, she barfs up a great quantity of said food.

I don't know what to do about it since other than being clearly insane, she's in fine health. I just can't imagine that plastic is good for her and I wish she'd stop barfing so much.

posted by grapefruitmoon 26 December | 23:08

One of my cats will eat any kind of sheet plastic or plastic bags. Garbage, grocery, feed, food, mesh, birdseed, library book bag, even a roll of vapour barrier, it's all the same to her (apparently yummy). I really should start a collection of images.

posted by Mitheral 27 December | 01:41

Maybe she's doing it so that she will barf - to help bring up a hairball or something.

This guy has lots of theories (2nd last graf).

This guy thinks your cat has OCD.

I knew a guy who took his cat to a pet psychotherapist, but I think that it was less that he believed it would be helpful and more an extravagant display of wealth.

posted by bigblueroom 27 December | 03:56

My cat Widget licks plastic bags.

Vegetable oil is often used in production of plastic or to grease the molds.

My cat also loves soybean and vegetable oil (and jumps on the counter when he smells them.)

posted by shane 27 December | 12:04

One of my cats does the same thing. I've heard what Shane posted: that vegetable oil and animal fat is used in the production of plastic. My cat Charlie will chew plastic from certain bags, and especially the heavy duty plastic that cases of bottled water come in.
Of course, Charlie also sleeps on his head, but that's another story.

posted by redvixen 27 December | 19:05

Yeah, my cat eats plastic bags all the time. She chews holes in them. She also goes crazy for cellotape and other gluey plastic things. Oh and she goes crazy for the plastic collars from milk bottles.

She's been doing this for six years now and is perfectly healthy. I would say that as long as she isn't swallowing down great, long lenths of the stuff (for example cassette tape would be a bad idea) then it should be ok. I tend to think of it as chewing gum for cats.

posted by dodgygeezer 28 December | 06:49

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