A bored cat will look for something to do and that could include chewing and ingesting non-food items. Mental/physical stimulation can be helpful if stress is the trigger to self-soothe. Consult with your veterinarian for suggestions to curb this behavior. Management is critical to reduce the risk. An unexpected incident like this could cost around $1000 or more to treat! Pica syndrome is serious and can end up in surgery or death. The incident was unexpected and escalated quickly. Repeated radiographs at 10pm showed the blockage was not going to budge and needed to be removed surgically ASAP. It was uncertain if the material would be able to pass on its own with a little time, but as the day went on she became less comfortable and more lethargic. I brought her in for radiographs and it was apparent there was material in her GI tract. I went up to the cat’s room to find many large piles of vomit. One day I came home for lunch and noticed she didn’t eat her morning meal and had no interest in eating, which was alarming for a cat that never misses a meal. She is 2 years old now and has ingested many blankets and clothing items over that time. Her most favored item to chew is fleece and other soft materials. Her onset for this behavior was about 4 months of age. Personal Experience Ceci post-intestinal blockage removal. Wool sucking is when a cat simply sucks on bedding, but this behavior can become addictive and quickly transform into actually ingesting the materials. Oriental breeds are believed to be more likely to suffer from pica due to their predisposition to wool sucking behavior. This behavior is highly rewarding for susceptible individuals, and they will go to great lengths to seek out material. Ceci and evidence of her Pica syndromeĪlthough many young cats will chew or tear apart items during play, a pica sufferer will grind the object repeatedly along their back molar teeth before swallowing. The onset of pica can be as early as 3 months of age and some cats are able to grow out of it by 1-2 years of age. The cause of pica is unknown, but experts speculate that it could be due to a number of causes such as being weaned too young, dietary deficiencies, genetics, boredom, compulsive disorder, or stress.
Young cats are more likely to suffer from pica syndrome. In cats, these items most often include fabrics, elastics such as hair binders, cardboard, paper, and plastic. Pica is the behavioral urge to eat nonedible materials.