My female cat chews on plastic bags!

I have two Maine Coons. One female and her son. When I place a plastic bag(those from the store) on the floor, my female cat likes to chew on it. She does not eat any of the plastic. Is she just rinsing her teeth? she is a healthy cat and has good appetite.

Marianne

Lots of cats like to chew plastic bags as they are often made from fish oil. But it would be very dangerous if she swallowed any, which she might by accident even without meaning to eat it, and she could also get the bag around her neck (One of mine did this, panicked and ran away) so I would really suggest you don't put them on the floor where she can get to them. Now I keep mine high up, hanging on a hook on the wall where the cats can't reach.

I second Jenny on that - I too had a cat that got entangled in the handles, and she panicked - after ten minutes of tearing around the house trying to outrun the racket she herself was creating, she burrowed in under the couch and would not come out for anything, even after I removed the offending bag. I now know what abject terror looks like I honestly thought she would give herself a heart attack.

A suggestion: I put my plastic grocery bags in a little 3qt wastebin in my kitchen/laundry as soon as they're emptied. Then I nest them one inside another, for disposal of litter clumps. Works like a dream - I can carry the can with me throughout the house for all the boxes, and when I'm done I just tie off the handles and carry it out to the garbage. Lot cheaper than those litter disposal units!!

Originally Posted by jennyranson

Lots of cats like to chew plastic bags as they are often made from fish oil.

Click to expand...

Huh, so THAT explains why mika keeps knocking over and poking around in aforementioned wastebasket!!!!!

A few of mine love to nibble plastic here. Some cats also like to pee on plastic (have 2 of those here). It is best to put them away quickly when you bring them in the house.

Spirit loved any kind of plastic, she flosses with them. The first time she popped a bubble on some bubble wrap it scared her, but was so funny to see, because she overreacts.

I recycle plastic bags and use them to line my small garbage cans. Charlotte loves to lick them for up to 10 minutes at a time. I do agree that keeping loose bags on the floor is a safety hazard. Charlotte got stuck in one shortly after I emptied the groceries from it and she freaked out really bad. Still, that doesn't keep her from licking any plasitc bag.

my new boy explored all over my house, and found every bag he could, so I had to follow him around and remove them all. I recycle them too, but I have craft supplies etc in them under tables around my house, so I had to put everything into a cabinet. It was too funny because I had a couple I forgot about, but he found them. I never knew about the fish oil in them, that would explain the crave for them.

fish oil and animal renderings, that is what makes them so shiny, and also so dangerous for pets. Cats that eat plastic bags are prone to blockages, or worse. I have one cat that literally climbs the cabinet after plastic bags so all of mine get tucked into the closet quickly. I learned one expensive vet visit long ago what kind of complications result in letting cats play with plastic bags.

Thankfully Merlin doesn't like plastic grocery bags, but he does love those heavy plastic safety wrappings, like the kind on medicine bottles and other sealed products. Of course, he knows he's being bad, and will slink around the house carrying it, trying to find a good hiding spot. Too bad he's completely inept at doing so. I end up having to treat him like a dog, "Drop it.... drop it, Merlin".

Mine like to lick the bags, but they only tend to do it when they think that dinner is overdue. I think they must know that I don't deal with that rustly noise very well, and they hope that if they annoy me enough, I will get their food early.

Sue

Princess also like to lick plastic shopping bags. As soon as one enters the house she's all over it. I put them up as soon as they are empty but the whole time I'm constantly making Princess stop. I guess now that I know they are made from fish oil that would explain it. I've also used them as garbage bags and what worked for me was when I put them in the trash can I cut the handles so that if one of the cats does get them the bag can't get stuck around their neck.

Up until October we had 6 cats. Not one of them was all to interested in plastic bags, at best they'd play with them a bit because of the rustly noise when we're putting away groceries or the like. Tyger likes to sit on them like a dragon sits on its hoard. Mimi on the otherhand is a terror. I think she leaves plastic bags alone when I'm not in her/my room but when I'm trying to sleep and she feels she hasn't gotten what she wants out of me, she will gently gnaw at it. As far as I can tell she never swallows it, and although I've tried to get stray plastic bags out of harm's way, she manages to find something when she's upset. Last night was one of those nights, she managed to fish one out of a drawer in which I'd clumsily closed it, with a bit of the bag poking out! The little fiend! *grumble grumble*

Hammie loves plastic. I am very careful about plastic wrappers & bags, not to leave them lying about, cuz he just loves to gnaw on the stuff.

I have this thick plastic bag that I carry stuff to and from work in. Every night, Hammie puts teethmarks on it for me. The teethmarks are aaaaallll around the top of the bag. He cannot get any pieces off from the bag cuz it's a thick plastic. I think he likes the way it feels on his mouth or something.



So I have this bag that goes with me every day & my lil reminders of my darlin Hammie.

If the cats are under watchfull eye when playing with plastic bags I'd say it's fine. Limerick love to play in them. I give him a hour or so to play then I throw it out. He get's upset but gets over it. If the cat is chewing on it I'd take it away. Don't want her to swallow it.