My Cat Is A Cord Chomping Machine

[ladylemonade]

I think we've gone through 3 or 4 laptop cords and at least 4 phone chargers in the last 4-5 months.

Yes, I have bitter apple. It seems to be an effective deterrent after I first put it on, but within a day or two and then CHOMP. I've also tried putting away my cords when I'm not using them, but I work from home a few days a week, and she'll do it while I'm not paying attention. Twice I didn't notice til I got the message that my battery was running low.

I really help curtailing this behavior. I'm worried that she'll hurt herself, and it's also expensive and wasteful. I browsed a few other threads (it's how I found out about bitter apple), but I'm feeling very stuck!

Are there effective cord protectors, either DIY or something for purchase? Or am I just doomed to reapplying bitter apple every ten minutes for the rest of my life and risking an electrocuted kitty? Help!

 

[KarenKat]

We have some cord nibbling, but it’s much less severe than you have. We use something like this (I just googled, so not sure on the site)

1/4" Diameter Split Wire Loom Flex-Guard Convoluted Tubing

They work pretty good, it’s a plastic sheath that goes around the wire

 

[susanm9006]

There are a variety of cord covers out there including ones to cover thin cords like chargers. I would start by either googling it or looking on Amazon. You can also split plastic tubing to cover them.

 

[abby2932]

This is what I bought to kitten proof my house a few months ago before I brought my new kitten home:


Additionally, I bought two of these electrical boxes for the couple of surge protectors so my kitten wouldn't mess with it:


Pretty cheap and it has worked perfectly. It was a pain in the butt to cover every cord in my house though. You don't realize how any cords you have until you try to cover them all!

 

[susanm9006]

This is the one I remember seeing

 

[PushPurrCatPaws]

I must have been lucky when my cat was a kitten.

She chewed on electric cords but only ones that were grouped in a corner of one room and only if they were laying on the floor (not ones from a tabletop to the floor).

I knew that, since she was a kitten, it was likely just a passing phase. Not wanting to buy a lot of 'official' cord protectors, I just used the inner cardboard tubes of paper towel rolls. I saved them up, sliced a line down one side, slipped them over the cords, and taped the cardboard tubes back up.

It wasn't pretty but Milly soon left the cords alone. Later in time, I just cut them off and recycled them.

 

[Willowy]

There is also capsaicin tape to prevent mouse damage. Works for cats too.

 

[ladylemonade]

Thank you so so much for the suggestions!! I knew there had to be something out there, and feeling a little embarrassed that I didn't check amazon first. Of course they have everything! I think I was just feeling some in-the-moment distress after I lost two cords in one morning (RIP), so appreciate the personal recommendations and moral support

 

[LTS3]

Clear plastic tubing work well and is cheap. You can use the ones from the pet store (aquarium air tubing) or buy thicker ones in larger diameters from the hardware store. Slit the tube length-wise and tuck the cords inside.