Best Ways to Stop A Cat's Wool Sucking

Many cats tend to lick and chew on woolen clothing. Could there be anything wrong with the cat's diet? This seems to very rarely be the case. Many cats seem to have the weird habit of sucking on wool and other fabrics or even on non-fabrics. If the cat is being served a healthy diet and there seems to be nothing else wrong with it, other than the sucking, you may be safe to assume it is not the diet that is at causing your cat's wool sucking. Although, some illnesses like diabetes may provoke your cat to act in such a way. Let us now discuss how to stop the cat's wool sucking.

Why is my cat sucking on wool?

There is no real answer to this question. It is assumed that this is due to either genetics or weaning or the combination of both. Wool sucking seems to be prevalent among cats of Oriental descent, it is believed to be related to the matter of fact that Oriental cats have a longer weaning period than other cats. If their weaning period is shorter than 6-7 weeks, their suckling instincts may remain "unsatisfied", so to speak. Other cat breeds tend to develop wool sucking as well, if their weaning period is disrupted at a much earlier period. Some cats tend to outgrow this habit, while others seem to never let go of wool sucking.

Is wool sucking dangerous?

Often, cats will not be just sucking on wool, but even ingest plastic or fabric. Most of the time these non-food items move safely through the cat's intestines, but unfortunately, often enough this can end up causing an intestinal obstruction. Felines that swallow a lot of hair have a greater likelihood of developing hairballs. Usually, sucking on wool is more annoying than dangerous, but you must not let it go unnoticed, if your cat tends to do it very often. Be sure to get in touch with your vet, if your cat starts developing the symptoms of intestinal obstruction.

How can I stop my cat from sucking on wool?

You could try tapping the cat on its nose and admonishing it to stop its wool sucking, some people have tried squirting their cats with a water bottle with great success. To succeed in this is, it must be done right away after you see your cat engaging in unwanted behavior. It is also important to keep your cat away from the stuff it likes to chew, whenever the owner is not there. Do not leave your clothing lying on the ground around the house, so that cat could not engage in wool sucking.

There are also some alternative solutions for your cat's wool sucking problem. My friends had success in putting something with an unpleasant taste on the items that the cats likes to suck on. Others have found a solution by giving the cat an item that it is allowed to suck and chew on, thereby keeping the other pieces of clothing intact. Another option would be giving the cat dietary high-fiber dry food or providing it with some wool sucking chew toys, similar to ones used for dogs.

Another important thing to do, would be setting aside some time every day to play with your cat. If the cat is bored out of its mind, it may resort to its evil deeds in order to gain your attention.

In rare cases, the cat's behavior could actually be a compulsion, so the tips provided above will not really help at all. For these cats, a vet must prescribe some special medicine to relieve the compulsive disorder. The process of stopping your cat's compulsive wool sucking can be long and excruciating. You should definitely contact your veterinarian, if you believe your cat is affected by such a disorder.