Kitty likes licking concrete! Normal?

Has anyone had this situation before. She is an indoor kitty so I don't know if she is craving something that she would get if she was an outside kitty or not. Can someone please let me know whether this is normal?

Licking cement or eating litter can be a symptom of anemia. You don't say how old your kitty is, or if she is having any other problems. Fleas can cause anemia, if the infestation is severe enough. Eating foods that contain onions or garlic can cause Heinz Body Anemia, which can be reversed by eliminating foods which contain those ingredients. I would take her to the vet and have bloodwork done to rule out kidney disease, which is also a common cause of anemia. Regardless of the cause, licking cement or concrete is not normal, and needs to be checked out by your vet. Good luck to you and your kitty!

Thank you. Babe is going to be a year old in April. She doesn't act or look like she is sick. She did stop using the litter box about a month ago. We changed the litter brand and did a deep clean on the litter boxes and she started using them again but just the other day I was cleaning around her litter box and she squatted and peed on the mat next to the litter.

I would just take her in for a vet visit. Peeing outside the box could be due to a urinary tract infection--she could be associating the box with pain, and therefore peeing next to it instead of in it. My Willow had cystitis--inflammation of the bladder--and she would occasionally pee next to the box. It was never consistent, but a urinalysis showed signs of inflammation.

Willow also liked to lick door frames, wooden chairs and my pant legs. Some cats just like to lick. I'm not sure whether there is any correlation licking cement, but she did like to roll on the cement. You can check for signs of anemia at home--including pale gums and other mucus membranes.

Thank you, It is time for that well kitty check up so I am making the appointment for her to see the vet. I hope all is well and she doesn't get too upset with me.

Any sugestions on how to take your kitty to the vet and not freaking kitty out in the car?

The licking cement or eating litter can be an early warning sign - and cats are great at hiding the signs of illness anyway - so it's best get to a vet. We didn't know this, and our kitty was eating litter. In fact, our vet said it often doesn't mean anything. Well, he was wrong. Our kitty was severely anemic by the time there were changes in his playing and behavior. Our vet sent us to a specialist - and when we described the symptoms, the first thing we said was, "he's been eating litter," and the first thing the specialist said to us is "is your cat anemic?" So now our regular vet knows (in fact, he's pretty much an expert now on feline anemia its causes and treatments!). He has a rare disease - but we waited too long - and by the time Tuxie wasn't playing much, it was close. It took two years to fix, it was very expensive, and we almost lost him twice.

Spray the crate with some Feliway. Be as calm as you can be. Place the carrier on the seat, put a seatbelt around it, and open at least one window at least a crack (depending upon how cold it is outside). Talk to kitty the whole way there - tell her she's SUCH a good girl and you know she's unhappy about this, but she needs to see the doctor.

Give her lots of treats when she gets home!



Laurie