This cat blog will answer the major question, “Why does my cat eat cardboard?” we will also cover what are the reasons for cats eating cardboard, how you can stop this behavior, and what you need to keep in mind if your cat is chewing on cardboard.
Why does my cat eat cardboard?
Your cat will eat cardboard because of the following reasons:
- To have fun
- Basic Instinct
- Teething
- Marking habits
- To relieve boredom
These are the major reasons for cats chewing or eating inanimate objects. You need to diagnose the problem in your cat and treat it according to the condition.
What are the reasons for cats eating cardboard?
Following are the reasons for cats to eat cardboard:
Basic Instinct
The first reason is the basic instinct. Your cat will chew on cardboard because chewing is in the genes of cats. Cats chew on things in the wild. It is also prey hunting behavior of your cat too. Your cat will grab the cardboard like prey and then chew on it and eat it.
In the wild, the cats are the hunters. They hunt small animals such as mice, sparrows, and other birds. They are very active and quick. Domestic cats have the same behavior and they will take the cardboard as prey and will pounce on it.
To have fun
Cats are curious animals. They love to play and run. They are very active and love to catch things. They will try to eat cardboard as a part of the game. You should learn the difference between chewing on cardboard and eating it.
Both have different reasons. If your cat is chewing on things, it will probably be the normal behavior of your cat, but if your cat is eating cardboard it means there is something wrong with your cat. You just need to find out the cause of these problems.
Teething
Teething is a normal phenomenon in your kittens. There are two types of teeth in cats. The first one is the milk teeth which are narrow and small and the other type is permanent teeth which are broad and strong.
Your kitten will shed milk teeth and the permanent teeth will grow after it. During the process of teething, the gums become swollen and your cat will feel pain and irritation in the oral cavity, so it will chew on cardboard to escape from the present painful condition.
This is a normal process in your cat. You don’t need to worry about it.
Marking habits
Every animal in the wild marks its territory and no other animal is allowed to enter the territory without the permission of the owner of the territory.
The territory marking has been evolving in the wild for centuries and it is transferred from one generation to the other. In the same way, the domesticated cats mark their territory in the house by chewing on things, rubbing, and urinating on the things in the house to claim them.
If another pet happens to enter the area your cat will attack it as it is the basic instinct of the cat.
To relieve boredom
Boredom is the major factor of anxiety in your cat. Anxiety can be dangerous for your cat as it can cause abnormal behavior in your cat. Your cat can become aggressive to the pets and the people in the house.
How can you stop this behavior of your cat?
Following are the things that can help you to stop this behavior in your cat:
- The first thing is to train your cat to obey your commands. This will bring discipline to your cat and your cat will not do these kinds of things.
- The next thing is to provide enough opportunities to play and run in the house through games and other stuff.
- The next thing is to spend time with your cat and love it.
- You should visit your vet off and on for the routine check-up of your cat.
- The last thing is to provide enough nutrients to your cat so it doesn’t feel hungry.
What do you need to keep in mind if your cat is chewing on cardboard?
There are two things you need to keep in mind if your cat is chewing on cardboard:
- The first thing is your cat shouldn’t eat the cardboard and if you saw your cat eating it, limit access of your cat to cardboard.
- The next thing is to make sure the cardboard doesn’t have chemicals.
Conclusion
In this cat blog, we answer the major question, “Why does my cat eat cardboard?” we also covered what are the reasons for cats eating cardboard, how you can stop this behavior, and what you need to keep in mind if your cat is chewing on cardboard.
