Reilly has been a bad kitty

I'm not sure what to do about my cute little terror....he's always been a handful but now he's being just plain old destructive.

2 weeks ago he chewed through my USB cable
now he's pulling up my laminate floor and chewing it (tried rubbing vinegar on it and he seemed to enjoy the taste ) I also sprayed the area repeatedly with "bitter apple" but it doesn't seem to deter him.

and then last night he chewed the ON/OFF button off my calculator!

He seems to be interested in plastic or rubber, I've had lots of cats over the years but this behaviour has me stumped.

Is it possible he's missing something in his diet?

Any suggestions are welcome.

I have never heard of this but you might get him one of those healthy nyla bones for dogs and see if it interests him.

If nothing else, maybe it will distract him.

Also read this link. It might give you some ideas and it has some useful information about eating behavior disorders in cats...

http://www.news.cornell.edu/releases.../pica.hrs.html

Eating non food items is called Pica so you might do a search on that.
http://www.vmth.ucdavis.edu/home/beh...vior/pica.html
http://www.bestfriends.org/theanimal...ts/catpica.pdf
http://www.peteducation.com/article....articleid=1154

Those links might give you some ideas or might link to further information that might help you.

Good luck,
Jenn

a coworker has the same problem with her cat and she rubs a bar of soap on wires etc and it stops him - but if bitter apple and vinegar didn't work - soap might not either.

Thanks for the tips guys, and thanks for the links Jenn....very interesting reading!

Originally Posted by jcribbs

I have never heard of this but you might get him one of those healthy nyla bones for dogs and see if it interests him.

If nothing else, maybe it will distract him.

Also read this link. It might give you some ideas and it has some useful information about eating behavior disorders in cats...

http://www.news.cornell.edu/releases.../pica.hrs.html

Eating non food items is called Pica so you might do a search on that.
http://www.vmth.ucdavis.edu/home/beh...vior/pica.html
http://www.bestfriends.org/theanimal...ts/catpica.pdf
http://www.peteducation.com/article....articleid=1154

Those links might give you some ideas or might link to further information that might help you.

Good luck,
Jenn

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great post!

my mikey does the same thing. his thing is tv cords and phone chargers. I'm starting to see that in his case I thinks its out of bordem. He does it early in the AM when we are all sleeping, mostly I think cause the sound of the cords hitting the wall wakes me up and ill get up, chase him and then feed him wet food (gets it once day...usual he eats dry). I to have tried the bitter apple and it keeps him a way for a few days..then hes back to trying to chew on wires.

I use a spray bottle to get him away from the areas he likes to chew at. for now thats my method. other than that I keep the cords outta his reach. g-darn-kitty!!!