This may actually be a new one...cat chewing oxygen tubing- help for a friend!

Okay, someone I know's dh has been put on oxygen and has 60 ft of tubing for wearing around the house. Problem is, their kitty thinks it's great and has started chewing holes through it! Any help with rub on/spray on deterents (or whatever!) for this would be greatly appreciated!

You can try something like bitter apple spray. Go to Petsmart or one of those stores and look for anti-chewing sprays. See if that will work. It doesn't always. Good luck.

I have a cat who will chew plastic too. It can be a problem.. I have a ratty shower curtain and he has cut the phone cord and the mouse cord on the computer (twice). The theory as to why some cats chew plastic is thought to be the result of some plastics being made from rendered animal by products. I don't entirely buy that theory and it certainly does not help me to get the cat to cease chewing.

He is very persistant. I attempted diverting his attentio to more appropriate things, but the plastic is just "too good..." I believe the way to change a behavior is to redirect the animal to do a different behavior. Stopping something requires replacing it with something else more appropriate.

I finally got Cayenne Pepper and rubber gloves and made a watery paste of the pepper in water. I smeared this on the off limits plasitc stuff and that ended the proble, but only on the things so treated.

The issue with this on O2 tubing is if it is punctured it might be highly irritating to the user. Bitter Apple might pose a similar issue.

Is there any way the O2 tubing can be stung from the ceiling so it is out of reach of kitty? Just an idea.

Thanks for the ideas, and nope, though that is an interesting thought about putting it on the ceiling- it's 60' long so he can walk around the house. Putting it on the ceiling would make it stationary .

Good thought about the irritation factor...hmmmm...I guess that's gonna be a trial and error thing. I guess he could smell it beforehand to make sure it doesn't cause problems with his breathing.

I have a thought to help and asked Dh and he drew a blank but what about some type of cover? Like the tubes that are use to cover computer cables to keep them confined. Dh thinks if you go and find some aquarium tubing that is bigger than the oxygen tube and put the oxygen tube inside the larger one than if the cats do chew on it they will only destroy the outer tube. I don't know how to say it really but I guess just ty to find something to cover the tube so it the cats do start chewing they only chew the outer tube and bot he important one.

My thought would be to try the bitter apple on the tubing.

At the same time I would offer the cat a plastic bendable straw to chew instead. The idea would be to redirect the chewing to the bendy straws. They come in colors and you can get a box for cheap. Just throw them all over the place and keep a few in your pocket. Any time kitty goes for the oxygen tube give them a plastic straw and make a big to do of praise when he chews the straw.

Hope that made sense.

Originally Posted by KarmasMom

I have a thought to help and asked Dh and he drew a blank but what about some type of cover? Like the tubes that are use to cover computer cables to keep them confined. Dh thinks if you go and find some aquarium tubing that is bigger than the oxygen tube and put the oxygen tube inside the larger one than if the cats do chew on it they will only destroy the outer tube. I don't know how to say it really but I guess just ty to find something to cover the tube so it the cats do start chewing they only chew the outer tube and bot he important one.

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Thanks, good idea, I thought about something to cover it with too (but all I could think of was duct tape, lol), and the larger tubing would probably work, but it would probably make it heavy. The regular tubing is uncomfortable enough (been there), so adding weight to it might be worse. I really don't know what they're gonna do!

At the same time I would offer the cat a plastic bendable straw to chew instead. The idea would be to redirect the chewing to the bendy straws. They come in colors and you can get a box for cheap. Just throw them all over the place and keep a few in your pocket. Any time kitty goes for the oxygen tube give them a plastic straw and make a big to do of praise when he chews the straw.

Hope that made sense.

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It did make sense, lol (I pictured the floor covered in thousands of striped, multicolored bendy straws, rofl!). I think the problem is the cat chewing it where they can't see it though- the tubing would be through hallways/rooms that they wouldn't be in.

Had the same problem, solution is to cover tube with NARVA SPIRAL WRAP 6MM X 10MTR which is normally used for electric cabling. I also sprayed it with a mist of lime juice. Cats don't like citrus. Thereis atrick to getting it on easily but you will figure it out. JB

i had the same problem and i know this post is YEARS old now, but who knows maybe someone will come across this topic and it will help them.... i spent $6 and bought 6 packs of cheep white BIC pens. pulled off the black top, took the ink tube out, and pulled off the bottom cap. then i just cut the tail end of the cord. Threaded the hose through the pens, and it made like a hard plastic shield over the hose without adding a bunch of weight. Then attached the hose back, and presto change. Cat Proof Armored Oxygen Tubing!!!

iamsolo3 said:

 
i had the same problem and i know this post is YEARS old now, but who knows maybe someone will come across this topic and it will help them.... i spent $6 and bought 6 packs of cheep white BIC pens. pulled off the black top, took the ink tube out, and pulled off the bottom cap. then i just cut the tail end of the cord. Threaded the hose through the pens, and it made like a hard plastic shield over the hose without adding a bunch of weight. Then attached the hose back, and presto change. Cat Proof Armored Oxygen Tubing!!!

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You're right; it is an old thread, @iamsolo3, so the OP may not see your reply, but it's a great idea and should be helpful to others!

The bic thing would, but my friend has  30 foot tubing and drags it around.

What a great idea!  I have a cat who has taken a liking to chewing the oxygen hose for the fish tank!    Strangely he never bothered with it the first 8 months it was here....lol  thanks will give it a try! 

I also had two cats chewing holes on the tubing.  We solved it by a trip to Ace Hardware for Flex Tubing.

It comes in various lengths and round sizes.  I have the 10 foot by 3/8" which does not fit over the hose end pieces so has to be fitted on because the flex tubing is split and can be fitted but is quite hard and time consuming to do so just buy the smaller length and larger roundness. The 7 foot is about $6.00. The cats have not gone near it.  It sure beats the electrical tape I was using.

just thinking....what about the cardboard rollers from the paper towels or toilet paper? the tubing can be passed thru ti.. or would that make it too heavy?

or slitting plastic straws down the middle, lengthwise, so you can cover the tubing?

Thank you continuing to post. I have the same problem. My 92 year old mom's cats keep poking holes in her O2 tubing. I'm thinking I'll try to citrus on a fresh run, before they make the hole. She has a 50 ft line that we use when she moves from one room to another, so the bic pen solution would be hard to do (although I think it's a great idea).

I know this post has been going on for years, but I do have a solution to the problem. My cat chews on oxygen tubing where ever and whenever he sees it!
When I started on oxygen I tried all of the things I have seen here. The best solution was to sew a tubing cover. I got fabric at Wal-Mart and made 25 and 10 foot pieces. I put them together and secure them to the tubing as I need it. The cat never, ever, touches the fabric!
I would love to make them for other people!

Victoria McMillian said:

I know this post has been going on for years, but I do have a solution to the problem. My cat chews on oxygen tubing where ever and whenever he sees it!
When I started on oxygen I tried all of the things I have seen here. The best solution was to sew a tubing cover. I got fabric at Wal-Mart and made 25 and 10 foot pieces. I put them together and secure them to the tubing as I need it. The cat never, ever, touches the fabric!
I would love to make them for other people!

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Oh my gosh this sounds like a brilliant solution! Could I have more details about how your do it/what it looks like? I recently got out on oxygen and use a 50 foot cord....that my newest cat loves to play with and attack. Bitter apple hasn't worked so I really want to try sewing a cover over it to deter her from chewing on it!

Here's a few thoughts. For those that sew think like long fingerless gloves. You could do Velcro like this. You could straight up sew it without Velcro and run tube through it. This was under cord management eBay.



Now i saw this in another post. Might be an option.
Absolute USA SLT14 1/4-Inch x 100-Feet Split Loom Tube

My cat won't go a day without chewing holes in my O2 tubing. I've looked all over the internet, and your solution seems to be the best! Would you be willing to make 50' of tubing cover for me? You might just save my life! Or at least keep me from having to find a new home for my beloved kitty. Let me know how much compensation you would like and when you would be able to do it, and I'll be forever grateful. Could you send me a private message?