My cat has pica, and even canned food doesn't taste good anymore!

Review expert: Zeng Shenming, professor of the Department of Animal Reproduction and Developmental Sciences, China Agricultural University

Cats are soft, cute, clean and noble and have always been loved by people. When you finish a day's work and drag your tired body back to the room, if there is a soft and fluffy ball of fur rubbing against your feet, it is enough to clean and heal the fatigue of the day.

In fact, as many people have said, people are not just raising cats, but cats and humans are keeping each other company.

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However, cats at home sometimes like to chew plastic bottles, wool products or paper towels with relish when their owners are not paying attention. In serious cases, they even hold the trash can and rummage through it. These strange habits often make cat owners worried, wondering if their cats have pica .

Pica in cats

So, what is pica in cats?

From a scientific point of view, cat pica refers to the intentional ingestion of inedible substances such as dirt, cotton, plastic, rubber and feces by cats . Medically speaking, the causes of cat pica can be divided into two aspects: psychological and physiological. The former is caused by the cat's emotional instability, and the latter may be related to the lack of certain vitamins and mineral elements in the cat's body. The incidence of pica in cats of different breeds is different.

Specifically, there may be the following situations:

(1) Cats suffer from certain diseases : such as diabetes, anemia, parasitic diseases, etc. These diseases can cause endocrine disorders and metabolic disorders in cats, which in turn cause abnormal taste and loss of judgment of food.

(2) A psychological adjustment of cats to unfamiliar environments : Cats are more sensitive, and sudden changes in the external environment can make them feel oppressed. At this time, chewing or tearing something to make a noise can help them seek comfort and relieve psychological pressure. Pica at this time is often caused by accidental ingestion.

Cat biting a branch Source: pixabay

(3) Nutritional deficiencies in cats : When cats lack minerals such as sodium, iron, sulfur, zinc, etc., or vitamins, especially B vitamins, they will use non-edible fiber, metals, soil, plastic, etc. as food substitutes.

If you find that your cat at home is suspected of suffering from pica, you must pay great attention to it. Swallowing too many indigestible or sharp objects will cause harm to the cat's stomach and intestines. Thin and long objects such as ropes can easily cause intestinal obstruction, and sharp objects can easily cause perforation or obstruction in the gastrointestinal tract. If cats eat the feces of other animals, they are also prone to other diseases.

All of the above may cause your cat to retch repeatedly, become listless, and refuse to have its belly touched. Therefore, if your cat at home shows the above symptoms, please take it to the hospital as soon as possible to seek professional help. Don't ignore these symptoms by mistakenly thinking that it is just having a temper tantrum.

What should I do if my cat has a strange diet?

Now that we know that pica is very harmful to cats, how can we correct them when they show signs of pica?

(1) Keep non-food items that cats may chew as far away from their living environment as possible , or spray lemonade, which cats hate the most, on these items to make it difficult for cats to eat them.

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(2) Provide cats with nutritional supplements and provide them with nutritious foods such as chicken and beef. If there is still no improvement, it is recommended to take the cat to the hospital as soon as possible to test the main blood biochemical and trace element indicators to determine which nutrients are deficient, and then provide them with more targeted nutritional supplements.

(3) If it is not due to nutritional deficiency, some human intervention or punishment measures can be taken to correct the mistake in time and make the cat realize that eating these things is extremely dangerous. For example, when a cat repeatedly exhibits pica behavior, gently pat its nose as a warning to let it realize that this behavior is bad and unacceptable to the owner; you can also buy alternative items for them to chew and vent their emotions, such as teething sticks, to help cats relieve psychological pressure.

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(4) Take the cat to the hospital for a physical examination in time to see if the cat is lacking in certain trace elements or has other diseases, and then prescribe the right medicine according to the doctor's instructions. Never supplement trace elements for your cat without a doctor's diagnosis, as this may have the opposite effect.

(5) Increase the time you spend with your cat , and help it adapt to unfamiliar environments or accept new cats that have just entered your life. This will allow it to gradually build up a sense of security and trust, and eliminate the anxiety and restlessness that can only be relieved by biting other things.

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The causes of pica in cats are complex and although it is not a major disease, the hidden dangers are extremely huge. It is recommended that cat owners must accompany their kittens with a positive attitude to control and correct their behavior, so that they can feel accompanied and cared for, so as to better overcome pica.

I wish everyone's cats can be healthy and stay with their owners safely~