Chewing on cords...I can't plug anything in!

Mikey is about 7 months old. He LOVES to chew on things, especially electrical cords. I literally have to unplug everything. The things that are plugged in have to be covered by clothes. The good thing is, my electric bill is much cheaper! The bad thing is, the behavior has to stop or he could get zapped. Is there anything that can be done to discourage this behavior? The only thing I do now is cover the cords, but when I leave, EVERYTHING needs to be unplugged and certain rooms must have the doors closed (like my home office with sensitive equipment).

Any advice?

You probably know about the products that cover cords and plugs.  Can you restrict him to a room or two whenever you are gone and use those in those rooms.

You can also spray the cords and plugs with citrus (cats don't like the smell).

I had a friend whose cat electrocuted himself by chewing, so you are wise to be proactive here.  He ruined several computer cords and even got behind their refrigerator once.  They tried everything they could think of and he insisted on chewing.

So it seems to me that restricting his access is the key.  Good luck!

Thank you! There are products that cover cords? I will have to look into that. I also like the citrus idea!

I am SO sorry to hear about your friends cat!! That is so sad and tragic.

That is my fear with Mikey. I really want him to just stop doing it. Thank you soo much for your advice!

They are basically corrugated plastic tubes:


You can also use paper towel or toilet paper rolls but if he chews on cardboard, it won't work.

Thank you!

I'm in the same boat! I bought short slimline cords and rearranged my furniture so I could run things being bookshelves and I'm getting a TV stand that is covered in the back and everything is behind glass cabinet doors so those cables will be safe. I also got a charging station that keeps all the charging cords tucked away. I still got a ways to go and lots of my electronic stuff is still residing in a plastic bin most of the time! And I still unplug everything when I leave. What I've done so far just makes it so I don't have to run to stop him every minute. What helps the most is keeping things tucked down and so he isn't attracted to it in the first place.

I once had a can opener short out, which burned my kitchen down.  So I often unplug regular appliances, just to be on the safe side.  Of course, it doesn't work with most other electronics but I got into the habit in the kitchen.

I'm in the habit of unplugging appliances for safety's sake if we're going to be out of town for any length of time--an old habit I learned from my mom!  In the bathroom I keep the electric toothbrush and hair dryer unplugged all the time until I need to use them because Zoe chews on them.  Weird thing is, she doesn't chew on cords in any other room!  Lucky for me.

Thanks for all of the great ideas!

Ondine, ouch! That SUCKS!!

FlufflyBeard: That is similar to what I am trying to do with my TV, although the bigger he gets the less he is getting back there. I have one small lamp that I plug in in my room, and that cord runs behind the dresser.

BetsyGee: That is probably a good idea overall. Thankfully, Zoe only has a preference for one room!!