Cat Tearing Up Cardboard/Paper

[acidcrys]

Hi, new to this board so I'm hoping this is the right place to post this (pretty sure).

My cat (about 9-10 months) has been tearing up papers and cardboard viciously for some time now. This is infact the reason I joined these boards. At first he'd just find paper anywhere and start tearing it apart with his mouth just chew it to pieces. This wasn't a big deal to me. But as a college student I have to keep cardboard boxes stored - and now he's scratching and chewing these apart.

I don't punish I just try to move the boxes out of his reach - but he always finds them. He'll climb up as high as possible, sneak into the closet when I have it open for just a second, or find any kind of cardboard anywhere. As soon as I stand up to see if he is infact chewing up this cardboard he runs for his life (almost as if he knows he's being naughty !

)

I'm concerned for his health - can cardboard hurt him? I try to keep him from eating it but even when I'm cleaning up the mess he'll roll into the dirt pile and start eating the pieces of cardboard!

And its a huge issue because he'll do it in the middle of the night when I need to be sleeping, making it where I have to kick him out of my room because I can't go without sleep every night which makes me feel highly guilty.

Which adds another question.. is there anyway to try and train a cat to have the same bed time as you? I swear as soon as I lay down my cat appears out of no where and starts jumping on my desk and knocking down everything (he loves knocking down full cups) and tearing things apart. Its slowly driving me insane.


Any help at all would be wonderful

Thanks.

 

[kumbulu]

There are a few things I can suggest that might help you with your kitten. First, is he neutered? If not, you should get him neutered ASAP as this will help to calm his behaviour. Do you spend time playing with him? He may be bored and expressing this boredom by being destructive. Play with him for at least an hour twice a day and try and play vigorously with him right before bed-time to expend his energy. This will help him sleep through the night.

I know this sounds simplistic but you might try switching to the cheap rubbermaid boxes instead of cardboard.

 

[huggles]

welcome to the world of kittens

sorry I couldnt help but laugh because as I read your post - Tipsy is DESTROYING a cardboard box in the kitchen - and I mean destorying - he just adores them. I actually give my 2 cats a few cardboard boxes to play with which are spread around the house - they adore them!! - this may not work for you however as your trying to stop this behaviour.

I am not sure what advice to give - because cats love to pull things apart - if its not cardboard boxes then its toliet paper

- my local supermarket actually keeps a cardboard box for me once a week as they know my cards destory them and LOVE them!!!

as with the sleeping at the same time - maybe play with him as much as you can before you go to bed - really try to exhaust him so that he will sleep during through out the night..

hmmmm not sure if that helps - but I am sure someone else here will be able to help some more

 

[huggles]

Originally Posted by huggles

Tipsy is DESTROYING a cardboard box in the kitchen - and I mean destorying

oh and now he has finished and is sound asleep curled up inside the box - he exhausted himself

 

[acidcrys]

yep, he's neutered

I picked him up from a count Animal Services and they neuter kittens right away. I do play with him constantly (he loves hide and go seek

) but when I'm getting ready for bed I don't usually play with him.. I guess thats the main problem.. I'll definitely try that.

I guess I should be more accepting of him tearing them apart then? I mean he plays with Everything and I'm okay with it, I love it. .and I have given him paper to tear up before.. but I guess my main concern was him swallowing the cardboard or ruining his teeth.

Its so wierd.. I leave him shoe boxes and little boxes everywhere - but he sleeps in all of those but doesn't tear them apart.. he only tackles the big ones

I'll try to play with him more and bring him his "own" boxes to tear up and be more patient with the noise and chaos

thanks for the advice

 

[huggles]

Originally Posted by acidcrys

but I guess my main concern was him swallowing the cardboard or ruining his teeth.

swallowing maybe a problem - but how can we stop them swallowing everything that maybe harmful for them? some may disagree with me - but I wouldnt worry about it - as I said Tipsy has been destroying boxes for 10 months and i havent had any problems - except for the problem of cleaning up the mess!!!

and it wont effect his teeth

be more patient with the noise and chaos thanks for the advice

look on the bright side - he could be chewing worse things such as electrical wires or blinds etc...

I recommend to be patient - he is a kitten and EVERYTHING is exciting to him - obviously anything important that you dont want him to chew needs to be kept away from him

 

[trippysgirl]

There is a tv station in my area that does "Ask the Vet" and I asked the same question. My 6 year old and my 4 year old cats do this. It's just a bad habit. The Vet said just to try to keep him/her away from the cardboard or paper. They still do it if there's any around. I really haven't been able to do anything about it other than keep them away from it.

 

[acidcrys]

thanks

thank you everyone for all the advice

 

[huggles]

Originally Posted by trippysgirl

It's just a bad habit. The Vet said just to try to keep him/her away from the cardboard or paper. They still do it if there's any around. I really haven't been able to do anything about it other than keep them away from it.

I dont agree that its a bad habit at all - its fun for them - its play time for them - people may disagree - but I dont have a problem with it at all.
I actually work from home and I will sit at my desk and if I have printed out something wrong I often just scrunch up the paper and throw it towards which ever cat is around - they just LOVE it!! so maybe if it is a bad habit then I am contributing to it.
Obviously you dont want them to chew through anything important - but to be honest - I dont remember them ever chewing up anything important - such as a bill or something.

And whats with cleaning up a bit of mess if it makes your kitties happy?

Just my 2 cents worth

 

[acidcrys]

Originally Posted by huggles

I actually work from home and I will sit at my desk and if I have printed out something wrong I often just scrunch up the paper and throw it towards which ever cat is around - they just LOVE it!!

thats what i do too! he always comes running when he hears the printer start up

i dont mind the paper just the cardboard

but I guess I just need to get some rubbermaids or something!

 

[kmcook]

We have to be very carefull what is left lying around! Our babies will eat anything that is on the floor or coffee table, and I do mean EVERYTHING!

Sometimes it is like a treasure hunt when you clean the litter box, never know what you are going to find!! I have found stuff I didn't even know we had to begin with!

 

[deb25]

One of my best friend's cats does this, too. He will chew on anything just like a dog! You just have to be careful of what you leave laying around.

One plus is that my friend can always get Rudy to "sign" birthday cards and such. He just sticks them near his mouth and they get chomped like he is typing out Braille!

 

[kumbulu]

LOL Deb, I do a similar thing. I plant my cats paw in some non-toxic water colour paint and get them to step on the card. I always think it's a hoot, not sure about the people getting the cards though.

 

[trippysgirl]

I dont agree that its a bad habit at all - its fun for them - its play time for them - people may disagree - but I dont have a problem with it at all.


I'm just quoting what the Vet said when I asked this.

 

[huggles]

Originally Posted by trippysgirl

I'm just quoting what the Vet said when I asked this.

oh I know - I wasnt saying anything bad about you - just giving my opinion

 

[huggles]

Originally Posted by Deb25

One plus is that my friend can always get Rudy to "sign" birthday cards and such. He just sticks them near his mouth and they get chomped like he is typing out Braille!

Originally Posted by Kumbulu

LOL Deb, I do a similar thing. I plant my cats paw in some non-toxic water colour paint and get them to step on the card. I always think it's a hoot, not sure about the people getting the cards though.

oh what great ideas both of these are!!!! I am certainly going to do these things

 

[raksha]

I'm really glad to hear this is "normal" behavior... my cat is (at this very moment) destroying a cardboard box that some of his toys came in. I don't mind picking up the mess, and he spits out the cardboard, so I'm not worried about him ingesting it. I've seen him tossing around the larger chunks he's ripped off, so I'm guessing it's a "kill it dead" thing.

It may be partially my fault he started doing this, because I've used said box to hide his favorite toy mouse in... 

  but it was just too cute, watching him try to wriggle his fat little behind in to get at it!