eating soapy people hair from the tub drain????

[watermelonpunch]

I was cleaning the tub drain tonight, and there was a lot of hair with soapy bleh in the drain catcher. I pulled it off, and put it on the side of the tub (until I could get a piece of TP to scoop it up to throw it away).
I turned around to get the tub scrubber, to scrub around the drain...

And there was my 11 month old kitten Amoreena, at the side of the tub...
EATING THE SOAPY HAIR FROM THE TUB DRAIN!!!

Of course I shouted "NO! Don't eat that!" and tried to grab it quick out of her mouth, but I was too late, she was wolfing it down like it was a choice bite of a halibut fillet!

WHY oh WHY would she eat soapy hair from the tub drain?

I also can't help thinking that this must not be good for her to eat!!

And now I wonder if she's eaten it right off the drain sometimes!

My other cat, Nikita, 9 years old, has almost never had a problem with hairballs. And Amoreena the kitten didn't, until about a month or so ago, and I figured it was because it was shedding season.

Now I'm wondering if it's because she's started eating tub drain hair!
YUCK.

Has anyone else had a cat that does this? Does anyone know why? Is it harmful? What should I do to deter it?

 

[momof3rugratz]

Could cause her to be stoped up like hairballs do... The soap is not good... Mine have never done that am sorry...

 

[missymotus]

Many soaps contain animal fat, that's probably why she likes it. Make sure you clean out the drain, or keep the door shut.

 

[luckygirl]

all I have to say is...ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww

that's so gross! I don't even like to touch it, and I'm the one with all the hair!!!

 

[watermelonpunch]

Yeah, SO GROTESQUE. I was horrified, quite frankly.

I only saw it happen once... thank goodness.
And I've been pretty careful with it since then.

I checked, and nothing I'm using in the tub/shower contains animal fat on the ingredients.

I'm at a loss.

 

[katkisses]

Well I doubt it will do anything to her besides clog her up, give her some hairball remedy for the next few days.

Mayeb keep the bathroom door shut so she can't get to the drain? Or clean the hair out of the drain every day-I know a pain in the butt, lol!

 

[zissou'smom]

I have a hair eater too. She eats other cats' hair, her own hair (like if I'm brushing her she fights me to get at the brush so she can eat her hair), my hair, my roommate's hair. She sucks on my hair at night too.

Maybe your hair monster from the drain just stank good to your cat. Maybe she's a hair eater. Maybe she likes soap. Who knows? I doubt it'll hurt her much just this once.

What you could try doing is keeping the stopper over the drain pipe unless you're using it, but from what you said it is probably unnecesary since you pulled it out and put it on the side of the tub and then she ate it, not that she was digging down there for it herself. Maybe she's developed a taste for it now though!

 

[sharky]

what is this kitty eating for food ??? hair is mainly protein is why I ask

 

[watermelonpunch]

Originally Posted by sharky

what is this kitty eating for food ??? hair is mainly protein is why I ask

That's interesting that you should say that, because she's been off kitten chow for a little while now. Anyway, she's almost a year old now. But maybe I'll up the protein content for her, just in case.

No more incidents of hair eating, that I know about... But I certainly don't want anymore!

Originally Posted by KatKisses

Well I doubt it will do anything to her besides clog her up, give her some hairball remedy for the next few days.

Oh yes, I've had Amoreena on hairball goopy medicine AND hairball treats since spring started, because as soon as shedding season started, I found a hairball choked up on the floor. And I KNOW it's not my older cat Nikita's... Because Nikita has never had a problem with hairballs. In the 9 years of her life so, she only coughed up a hairball twice.

Originally Posted by KatKisses

Mayeb keep the bathroom door shut so she can't get to the drain? Or clean the hair out of the drain every day-I know a pain in the butt, lol![/b]

Yes, this is what I'm attempting. Unfortunately, she's picked up Nikita's habit of following me into the bathroom whenever I go in there. But at least then I can keep an eye on her.
The thing is, my cats seem to DESPISE closed doors. hahaha. I think most cats are like that though.

Originally Posted by Zissou'sMom

I have a hair eater too. She eats other cats' hair, her own hair (like if I'm brushing her she fights me to get at the brush so she can eat her hair), my hair, my roommate's hair. She sucks on my hair at night too.

wow! Well, I don't think mine's doing any of those things... But I'm going to watch more closely now to see...
She does go after the brush, but I just assumed it was kitten-playfulness.

Originally Posted by Zissou'sMom

not that she was digging down there for it herself. Maybe she's developed a taste for it now though!

That's was exactly my worry!! hahah!
I mean the way she gulped it down like it was wonderful really had me astounded!

 

[elenaqh]

My kittie who is 6 month old likes to pull the hair off the drain but I do not think she eats it. When I go to the bathroom in the mornings I find hair that is half way off the drain. Even once we had a marble stuck in the sink and for years and I found it on the floor one morning. She has gotten it out. Weirds because it was pretty far in and we could not reach it with anything. I hope she is not eating it, she is always jumping in the tub when ever I go to the bathroom.