Cats are no doubt among the most adorable and common pets. They are the second most to be adopted by people around the world, behind dogs. They are quieter and require you to spend less time than dogs. But they are also as loving as dogs or any other pets you may have. Adopting any pet, in our perspective, is a give-and-take situation. You will gradually learn to take care of something and receive their love for you.
Taking care of a kitty in the early stage as you bring him or her home will have lots of difficulties, especially health issues. One of the most common problems of cat parents is their cats chewing electrical cords, leading to unwanted outcomes. In the following sections, we would figure out the reasons why our cats chew cords and several solutions to tackle this state.
1. Figuring Out Why Our Cats Chew On Cord
Now, let's talk further about the issue we have. Cats chew electrical cords or any cord type for more than one reason. The causes can come from their boredom, unstable mental health, physical issues, or simply their instinct as an animal. We would now go from the most basic to the complex reasons. Through our investigation and survey, we have collected 6 reasons leading to cats chewing cords.
It is their natural instinct
First of all, take cord chewing as their instinct. Cats, whether mature or not, get used to their surroundings through the sense of smelling and tasting. They can chew the cords as a result of getting to know what it is or what it tastes like. They consider whether the cords are a danger to them or a food source.
It is understandable if your cat first arrives at the house and chews or bites the stuff she or he has found. It is not that they would do it on a regular basis. They are just trying to understand what they are approaching. This wouldn't repeat many times if it is simply an instinct.
Age impact
Age impact can be a massive contributor to your cat's chewing electric cords. The smaller they are, the more curious they get. They have the urge to know about the surrounding world. If they are in the fourth or fifth month, their curiosity gets greater. It is also the time when they have the need to chew a lot.
If you have a mature cat, this is less likely to happen because their personality has become more calming. Besides, the urge to chew things gradually disappears as the cat gets older by year.
Boredom can be a cause
Boredom is another cause leading to your cat chewing electrical cords in the house. Like dogs, cats tend to chew on things around them if they feel bored. When there is nothing else that interests them, chewing is probably the most relaxing method to help decrease their boredom level. Boredom can be improved by spending more time playing with your kitty or buying them new exciting toys.
Stress or anxiety is occurring
Mental statements are always a huge reason leading to our pets' strange behaviors, including chewing things that are food or allowed to do so. When in stress or anxiety, cats can have a few signs, such as sleeping too much or not sleeping at all, overeating or losing their appetite, and chewing furniture or cords in the house.
When your cat has some of the mentioned signs, pay close attention to predict what the issue is. Apart from mental related problems, these behaviors can come from physical issues.
Your kitty may have dental issues
Dental issues can be a reason for our cats constantly chewing on cords. Their aim of chewing cords in this case is to relieve their discomfort. Hence, you should not be shouting or scolding your kitty. Taking him or her to the vet for a total health check is a good idea. You should also do a regular dental check every 3 to 6 months per year for your pet for healthy dental.
Dietary relating reasons
There are two particular reasons in this section. Your cat's current diet can be lacking necessary nutritions, leading to your cat eating cords, paper, plastics,... if that is your circumstance, adding essential nutrition groups such as fiber and protein is advisable.
Another situation can be that your cat is having an eating disorder. Eating disorders come from numerous causes. If this is the case, take your kitty to the vet for proper treatment.
2. Several Methods You Can Apply To Prevent Your Cats From Chewing Cord
Covering the cords
Prevention will be better than cure. The saying truly applies to the situation we have got here. Before getting your kitty arrives at home, cover all the electric cords with PVC covers or any relating methods that suit your circumstances. If your cords are all well covered, the chances of your cats chewing electrical cords are decreased to the lowest level.
Applying repellents to the cords
Secondly, when you want your cat to stay away from the electric cords, add some repellents to them. Any scent that is mint or citrus related would work well for this task. The two ingredients are naturally repelling cats. You can buy products from this sector or make a DIY sprayer from easy-to-find citrus peelings and mint. Menthol will do just fine in terms of cat repellent.
Spending more time playing with our kittens
It is vital that we play with our cats. It is a way of expressing our love for them. Also, playing together is one way for them to express their love for us. The emotional bond between you and your cat can be more important than you have ever thought of.
Playing with our cats also lets them be more active and give out their redundant energy during the day. Keeping them active and playful not only reduces their boredom but also decreases their stress or anxiety if existing. Their mental health can affect their overall health, not just physical conditions.
Providing them with more exciting alternatives
One more solution that will work for the issue of a cat chewing electrical cords is the alternative toys. You should provide your cat with colorful and chew-encouraging toys. There are numerous options to select from with various price ranges. We suggest that you pick the non-toxic and washable toys so that your cat will have less health concern when playing with the toys purchased.
Creating adjustments to their diets
In addition, when you figure out your cat's chewing cords come from dietary-related reasons, the first thing to do is check carefully what the cat eats daily. After checking the diet, you can determine what substances are missing or redundant. Making suitable adjustments here is encouraging. Your cat's nutrition mode should be balanced for better health and higher longevity.
Remember to pay attention to their dental
From 50 to 90 percent of mature cats engage in dental issues. The biggest cause is the cat parent's ignorance of the dental. If you want your cat to be dentally healthy, a regular check every 3 to 6 months is recommended. The signs of your cat having dental problems can be bad breath, swelling, or bleeding if worse.
Conclusion
We think that the cord chewing problem is barely avoidable. But the solutions are listed detailedly. We believe that with the methods provided, you can easily improve the condition of your kitty chewing on electric cords. Chewing cords can lead to serious conditions. Therefore, pay close attention to your cat, and if you see the signs of their mouth getting red or appetite loss, please take them to the vet for a further health check or treatment.
