Why Do Cats Eat Carpet – 6 Methods To Stop It!

Cats can be mysterious creatures. Not all cats are the same, and they each have their own personalities and habits. Some habits can be endearing, and some can be frustrating or worrying. One worrying habit is eating non-edible things. Ingesting non-food items can be harmful to a cat’s health. For example, they are eating carpet. This is not considered normal or healthy. It can be dangerous. Why do cats eat carpet?

There are a few possibilities why a cat eats carpet. The most common is a disorder called pica. It can be a very harmful habit for your cat and needs to be addressed no matter the reason.

Now that you know eating carpet can be dangerous for your cat, you may have questions about the causes and remedies for a cat exhibiting this behavior. Let’s dive in to find out.

Why Would a Cat Eat Carpet

Licking things is not unusual for cats, but compulsive licking is not normal. And actually, eating and swallowing things that are not normal for cats to eat needs to be looked into.

Reasons cats eat carpet are pica, stress, boredom, or a cat’s curious nature.

Pica is a syndrome where cats eat inappropriate things. This can have several causes and will be discussed further in the next section.

Stress or boredom can be caused by the cat not getting enough attention or changes in his environment. The cat may chew on something to relieve the stress or boredom and end up swallowing it.

Cats are curious about many things. The carpet may smell interesting. Maybe there is spilled food on the carpet. The cat tastes the carpet and eats some of it in the process.

What Is Pica Syndrome In Cats

Pica in cats is the habit of eating inedible substances. Mostly, these are fabric, elastics, plastic, paper, and cardboard.

Some likely causes are:

• Kittens being weaned too early
• Breed (it occurs more often in Burmese, Siamese, Tonkinese, and Oriental breeds)
• A deficient diet (especially not enough fiber)
• Compulsive disorder
• A change in environment (such as moving) or a change in your schedule
• An underlying medical condition (diabetes, anemia, a dental problem)

Young cats are more likely to suffer from pica syndrome. It can occur in kittens as young as three months old. Some cats grow out of it after a year or two. Some cats have this behavior for their entire life.

Discussing your cat’s habits and environment with your veterinarian can help diagnose pica. In addition, the veterinarian may do blood tests to rule out an underlying medical condition.

How Do You Treat Pica in Cats

There are many things to try to stop your cat from eating carpet and other non-food items. Here is a comprehensive list.

Diet

One of the first things to try is a more nutritionally balanced diet. Cats can be very picky about their food, and it can be challenging to change it. It would need to be done gradually over time. Cats can also have digestive upsets if you introduce them to a new food all at once. Start with mixing in a small amount of the new food with the old. Then, over time, gradually increase the amount of the new food by small increments so that your cat can get used to it.

Environment

There are changes to your home that may work. Removing all the carpet in the home is not the answer for most cat owners. 

Giving your cat more attention and playing with your cat more often and for longer times may help. Giving your cat appropriate toys that she can chew may help her substitute chewing the carpet with chewing the new toy.

A scratching post is one thing all cats should have. If there isn’t one in your home, consider buying one for your cat. Interactive toys and puzzle feeders are other options to give your cat something new to do.

Cats love to watch what’s going on outside a window. There are cat trees that you can place in front of a window. There are window perches that attach to a window, either with screws or powerful suction cups. All of these allow your cat to lounge comfortably while watching birds and squirrels in the trees. You may also want to put up a bird feeder in front of the window.

Perhaps you would like to be more extravagant and develop a way for your cat to experience the outdoors safely. There are various types and sizes of cat enclosures. You can get one that installs in a window with just enough space for a cat or two to sit in or a large enclosure with perches and platforms for your cat to sit on. These can connect to a window or a pet door. Watching birds and squirrels, in addition to smelling the scents of the outdoors, can entertain a cat for hours.

Alleviate Anxiety and Stress

For some cats, catnip is irresistible, so toys filled with it can be a good distraction for a bored cat. Catnip also relaxes a cat and can reduce stress and anxiety. Realize that not all cats respond to catnip, but try it out and see if your cat enjoys it.

Make the Carpet Uninviting

Some people have tried sprinkling black pepper on the carpet, especially at the edges, if there are loose threads the cat keeps chewing on. Try not to step in the pepper so it’s not tracked all over the carpet.

Others have tried having small bowls of lemon rind near where the cat chews since cats do not like the smell of citrus. These are not the most esthetically pleasing solutions for you, but they could be a start if you think they could work in your household.

Animal Behaviorist

A consultation with an animal behaviorist may be helpful. One can help you understand why your cat is doing what’s it’s doing. A behaviorist can help you learn to train or distract your cat effectively.

Medication

Your veterinarian may prescribe an antidepressant or anti-anxiety medication to help stop the compulsive behavior of eating the carpet. These do not always work for this behavior problem, so talk with your veterinarian if they recommend it to decide if it’s an option for your cat.

Do I Need to Take My Cat to a Vet

If you see that your cat is swallowing carpet fibers, watch your cat closely. Discuss the situation with your veterinarian. Some things can pass through the cat’s digestive system without doing any harm, but carpet fibers can cause an intestinal obstruction, which is a medical emergency.

Symptoms to look out for are: 

• Not eating
• Vomiting
• Not pooping
• Straining to poop
• Diarrhea

If any of these occur, call your veterinarian immediately. If it’s after hours, take your cat to a 24-hour emergency animal hospital right away.

Final Take

Can your cat recover from being a carpet-eating cat? Every cat is different, and there are several possible causes for this habit.

Dedication to finding out the cause by working with your veterinarian, and trying the suggestions included in this article, should help stop your cat from eating carpet.

But, if your cat won’t stop eating the carpet, you will need to keep a close eye on him to make sure he has no intestinal problems. Be prepared to deal with an emergency if it occurs. Keep your veterinarian’s phone number and the phone number and location of the emergency animal hospital handy.

Either way, in the process of trying out these suggestions, you should have a happier cat and a closer relationship with your cat than you did before.