Why do cats lick plastic bags, and is there any harm in doing so?

The cat really loves to eat packaging bags, tears them to shreds and eats them, even pulls them out of the bag, maybe she lacks some vitamins? Most often, eating plastic bags is a bad habit formed while living on the street. This behavior is typical for selected cats and can only be combated by hiding the bags from the cat.

Sometimes behavioral disorders also occur in initially domestic, “prosperous” cats, as a response to stress or a consequence of dysbiosis. In this case, it is recommended to eliminate factors that are traumatic to the cat’s psyche, if any, and drink 1 ml of Biovestin for a month. 2 times a day to restore normal intestinal microflora.

Reasons for cat behavior

Animals lick and chew plastic bags for several reasons:

• they retain the smell of food;
• soft polyethylene alleviates possible toothache or discomfort from inflammatory processes in the oral cavity;
• the material of biodegradable bags contains starch and fat, the taste of which the animal likes;
• the cat is attracted by the rustling sound;
• the animal is stressed or bored.

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What will the doctor advise?

Even an ordinary Christmas tree ribbon can be deadly for a cat who decides to play with it. The material from which it is made may be more dangerous than polyethylene and cause severe intestinal obstruction, but the most dangerous are considered to be Christmas tree rain, ribbons for Christmas decorations, foil or rough paper. Therefore, for safety reasons, do not leave your cat unattended where there is a Christmas tree or bags of food or leftover food. If the cat has eaten cellophane, do not try to remove it completely, as this may damage the esophagus or a piece of cellophane will get stuck in the throat and may cause suffocation. You should not give a laxative, as it will worsen the effect; consult a veterinarian.

After examining the cat, he will prescribe an ultrasound and x-ray. These studies will help determine the localization of polyethylene and the general condition of the cat’s body. In some cases, a study with a contrast agent is required. If the animal has a severe case and necrosis of intestinal tissue has begun, surgical intervention will be required. If there are underlying medical conditions or if the cat is over 7 years old, this can be very risky, so it is worth preparing for any outcome. If the x-ray does not confirm intestinal obstruction, and the foreign body does not injure the internal organs, the doctor will most likely prescribe a diet. The cellophane will come out along with the stool.

If the package is stuck in the intestines, a rich and dense diet is required. Under no circumstances should you try to interfere with this process on your own, especially if the cat has eaten a large piece of a plastic bag. In this situation, it is better to contact a veterinarian. Even if a string is stuck in your cat's intestines, do not remove it as it may damage the intestines. It can pass out of the cat’s body with feces on its own, or this will require the intervention of a specialist.

Absolutely forbidden!

If you notice that a cat has swallowed polyethylene, then under no circumstances should you help him get rid of it. You should not give your animal drugs that cause vomiting or laxatives; the notorious Vaseline oil for cats is also highly taboo! This can significantly aggravate the situation and harm the cat. If you deliberately induce vomiting in a cat, there is a high probability of the bag getting stuck in the throat and, as a result, suffocation of the animal.

All laxatives and oils are dangerous because in case of intestinal obstruction, under their influence the intestines will become even more clogged and the pet’s condition will worsen. Self-therapy and attempts to alleviate the cat’s condition with intuitively selected medications, in many cases, end in an emergency visit to the veterinary clinic and the possibility of surgery.

If you are one of the lucky ones and everything is fine with the cat after such a feast, you shouldn’t rejoice ahead of time either. There is a possibility that when trying to go to the toilet, the animal may get this same polyethylene stuck in its anus. Under such circumstances, you should also not “help” the cat on your own. You should not try to pull on a piece of the bag that is visible to you; you can damage the mucous membrane and gastrointestinal tract of your pet. It is better to contact a specialist who, using special devices, will painlessly and quickly remove the foreign body from the rectum.

Soft polyethylene relieves toothache

Chewing may be a way to relieve pain. If a cat has dental or oral diseases, then it instinctively begins to lick or chew soft plastic bags, trying to get rid of pain.

In addition to dental diseases, other reasons can lead to the desire to “feast” on bags:

• state of stress (change in family composition, renovation, moving to a new place);
• poor nutrition;
• Digestive problems (hairballs stuck in the stomach).

When to see a doctor

A cat eats something inedible not always in front of its owner. Therefore, it is impossible to immediately discover what happened. You need to focus on your pet's behavior. Small, delicate things independently leave the body through the gastrointestinal tract. This usually takes up to 3 days. The cats do not show what happened in any way, eat well, and behave actively.

Alarming symptoms:

• increased salivation – due to blockage of the esophagus;
• cough, wheezing, blue tongue - when localized in the pharynx;
• restlessness, neck craning, hunched back;
• abdominal pain, bloating, accumulation of gases;
• lethargy, apathy, weakness, inactivity;
• vomiting with belching, problems with bowel movements;
• lack of appetite, thirst, exhaustion of the body.

The listed signs appear with the development of obstruction and damage to organ walls. If the condition does not return to normal within 3-4 days after the cat ate the money or hair elastic, the veterinarian decides what to do. The owner needs to get the pet to the clinic as quickly as possible.

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Why do cats like bags?

Cats lick plastic bags for a number of reasons.:

• The simplest option is that a plastic bag retains the smell of the product that was wrapped in it. In the case of meat and dairy products, the increased interest in used packaging on the part of curious pets is easily explained.
• Your cat may have tooth or oral pain. By chewing a soft bag, the pet tries to relieve discomfort.
• Biodegradable bags are made on the basis of starch; animals may be attracted by the smell, although it is imperceptible to humans.
• To prevent the bags from sticking together during storage and transportation, they are treated with so-called “sliding agents.” Typically, it is stearic acid, which is obtained from animal fat. In this case, a curious cat may be attracted by the smell of the bag.
• The structure of the bag is smooth and cool; in the warm season, the animal may simply enjoy lying on such a surface.
• The rustling sound can attract animals, especially kittens.
• Stress can cause your cat to become more interested in bags. If a pet is in an unfavorable environment and does not feel safe, then this may be the impetus for increased interest in cellophane.
• A cat or cat is trying to entertain itself. When a pet is alone for a significant part of the time or left to its own devices, the owners do not pay attention to it and do not play with it, then the animal very quickly finds a way to entertain itself.

Thus, a plastic bag as a toy is not a signal of the onset of pathological processes in the animal’s body, but banal loneliness or curiosity. In rare cases, this may be due to health problems.

Is this useful?

Since playing with the bag gives the fluffy so many positive emotions, then he should definitely be allowed to play with it. After all, a pet’s good mood is not the last thing! But it is better for the cat to play “russling games” under the supervision of the owner, since polyethylene is known to be dangerous - the animal should not get entangled in it or chew the bag and swallow its parts. At a minimum, in this case the cat will be seriously frightened, not to mention medical assistance if it is necessary to remove pieces of the bag.

Many owners note their cats’ strange passion for plastic and paper bags. All you have to do is bring your purchases from the store, and your pet is already right there, playing with the bag. The most impatient cats cannot even wait for the owner to take out and put away the shopping.

Often, after returning home, you can find that the cat has torn the bag and the whole house is strewn with pieces of plastic, and the “hero of the occasion” sits contentedly in the middle of this mess. This story can be repeated with packaging film, and even with gift bags.

The most extreme option is the situation when the owners discover that their pet has a habit of chewing bags. There are cases where a cat has eaten the entire plastic bag. Some owners even note that the cat only has gastronomic cravings for specific packages.

Is there any harm in this?

In all areas, you should not allow your cat to lick the plastic bag, as this may encourage them to chew and swallow pieces of plastic that may result from the activity. Consuming these parts can potentially create an intestinal blockage. Some of the sites cited refer to cases where cats had to have plastic bags removed or plastic pieces were found in litter box feces. Additionally, you may not know the history of the bag; he may have come into contact with a substance that is toxic to cats.

I recommend, if possible, not allowing your cat to continue licking plastic bags.

How to stop playing with bags and licking

Although the factors considered are not supposedly about any pathologies in the body of cats, they can completely destroy these pathologies, and here the solution is clear - cats should be discouraged from chewing bags. Ant. accustom. For this purpose, quite understandable and accessible methods can be used.

1. Do not leave cellophane in sight of cats. Just don’t create situations, sometimes cats can get to the plastic.
2. Check your teeth. It is entirely possible that chewing is caused by some problem in the oral cavity. For that matter, you need to go to the vet.
3. Buy exercise equipment. You know how small fry can sometimes play with a stick or mud and, as a rule, they do this not because of the special value of these substances, but because of the lack of an alternative. Cats also turn to chewing and rustling plastic casually for something more interesting. Therefore, buy exercise equipment for your pet with ladders and ropes, and the devil will most likely not remember playing with a plastic bag at all.
4. Pay attention to the behavior of the animal. Cats can also get lonely, they look like such proud wanderers in this world, enjoying themselves as females, in reality they need your attention. Some time spent with a cat relieves stress, which can lead to chewing plastic, and is also a useful leisure activity for you that will distract you from everyday worries.

Should I worry?

From time to time, cats may eat sausage rinds, Christmas tree decorations, or bags containing meat or fish products. If the piece of polyethylene is small, then there is nothing wrong with that. It leaves the body on day 3-4 along with feces, without causing significant harm to the animal. Under natural conditions, cats can eat non-food fibers, which they use to cleanse their stomachs, so it is not surprising that they chew rags, bags and inedible things. Veterinarians advise that if cats start eating bags, bring them grass that has not been treated with chemicals, soft chicken bones or special solid food for animals, which is best selected together with a veterinarian.

How it can be used

Confined space forces a cat to adopt a posture that helps keep it warm

The pet's attachment to boxes and packages can be used to transport a naughty pet to the required place or to fix the purr during weighing if the animal does not want to get on the scales on its own.

So, a cardboard shelter for a cat is not only a place of leisure, but also a way to convey your wishes to a person. Therefore, you should not be angry if your furry pet chose this particular object for his games.

Rehabilitation

After surgery on the stomach or intestines, a sick cat should stay in the hospital for 2-3 days under the supervision of specialists. It is dangerous to take your pet home right away, since complications may develop, and there is no one to provide qualified assistance. When a pet can be adopted, the following conditions should be created for it:

Some cases require feeding through a pipette or tube during the rehabilitation period.

• Blanket. Necessary to protect the sutures from the cat’s rough tongue, dust and dirt getting into the wound. Sun lounger. It should have low sides or a U-shape to make it easy for the animal to enter. Help. A sick cat needs round-the-clock care, so the owner must temporarily put everything aside. The seams should also be treated regularly. Peace. Until the pet recovers, you should not expose it to stress and invite guests. Nutrition. Often during the rehabilitation period it is necessary to feed through a pipette or tube.

Cat is attracted to material

To prevent the bags from sticking together, lubricating chemicals are added to them during production. They contain stearic acid obtained from animal fat. And some members of the cat family really like the smell and taste of these substances.

Currently, manufacturers have begun to produce biodegradable bags. Corn starch is used as a raw material. Cats may also like it.

Well, we should not forget that a pet may be attracted by the color or shape of the package.

Causes for concern

The main danger in a cat's craving for bags is that the animal may inhale a piece of plastic while playing. If a cat has a habit of tearing bags apart, it is better for owners not to leave them within the pet’s reach. It is also worth removing the bags if your cat likes to chew or lick them.

The cat’s habit of hiding in a bag cannot be called harmless, because during the game it can become entangled and suffocate. It is better to offer your pet a regular box for these purposes or purchase a special gaming complex.

Preventive measures

If a kitten or cat appears in your house, then you need to know what to do so that it does not eat the fish along with the cellophane.

• Do not throw away the skins of sausages, sausages, bags in which fish or meat was stored in places accessible to the cat. Keep trash bags out of your cat's reach. To prevent your cat from eating the skin of a hot dog or sausage, throw it away in a special bag that will be stored in an inaccessible place. Store used cat food bags there too;
• If there is a Christmas tree in the room, keep an eye on your pet. To prevent the kitten from eating the rain and tinsel, hang it high from the floor, do not let him play with it;
• Remove ribbons and threads, especially knitting ones, so that the cat does not eat them, especially if the day before you noticed that he ate a rag or paper;
• Do not allow the cat to eat a bag that smells of valerian, or blisters for sedatives that contain this herb. Cats often lick things that have come into contact with valerian and can swallow them.

Remember that your pet's health is in your hands. And his well-being, and in some cases his life, will depend on your vigilance and attentiveness.

"Play with me"

During their games, cats simply love to lick each other. By this, among other things, they say that they do not hold any stones to their hearts and completely trust their partner.

The exact same motivation drives our pets when they start licking a person.

If your cat licks your fingers, looks sweetly into your eyes and literally trembles with impatience, then most likely she expects reciprocity from you, wants you to play with him.

However, we humans do not often pay enough attention to our little ones and do not share their interests, in which case licking hands is the only thing left for the cat.

Why cats are partial to bags and boxes

Cat in a bag. Cat lovers have this funny rule - if you want to catch a cat in a large room, you just need to put an empty box or bag in the middle of it, and she will definitely get in there herself.
This is indeed funny, but in most cases, for all the humor of this situation, cats actually act this way in most cases. I wonder if large representatives of the cat family, such as cheetahs, leopards, tigers and lions, are subject to a similar passion for boxes. And why are cats so partial to boxes? When an animal sees a box, it immediately thinks that this is a wonderful place where it can hide from prying eyes. It is quite natural that the cat immediately tries to hide inside the box. True, the role of such a box can be successfully fulfilled by a basket, a bag, and much more. The main thing is that you can hide there, using this object as a shelter, where potential prey will not be able to notice the hunter.

At the same time, owners should be aware that cats, even if they have never hunted or left the apartment in their lives, still keep in mind the potential possibility that somewhere there may be prey, which is periodically replaced by a piece of sausage or fish.

Cats love boxes.

Another advantage of the box, in a cat's eyes, is that it is, in the cat's understanding, a protected and safe place.

Moreover, even a wild cat is a small predator and also has its enemies, who will not miss the opportunity to deal with it, not to mention hostile brothers and, even worse, people.

For this reason, a cat is able to completely relax only when it is in a small and, preferably, enclosed space, which is almost no larger than the size of the cat itself and where no one else is guaranteed to get into. Thanks to this, she knows that her rear is reliably protected and enemy attacks are minimized. It is for this reason that our mustachioed and striped friends love to choose various secluded corners for sleeping, such as bags, closet shelves, open chest drawers and, of course, boxes.

Why do cats like to climb and hide in boxes?

This love for small enclosed spaces is so strong in cats that even when they are in an open space, they always prefer to choose a place that stands out at least a little and is small in size. For example, if you put a newspaper on the sofa, the cat will almost always sit on it and not on the sofa blanket, although both surfaces are equally warm.

In addition, boxes are also an interesting toy. Jumping into it and jumping back out, the pet entertains itself in a way that is most interesting from its point of view. You shouldn’t interfere with this, because in addition to the fact that he thus gives himself psychological stress and relaxation at the same time, he also benefits his musculoskeletal system (and the whole body), again at the same time providing it with the necessary level load and physical relaxation.

In addition, playing with the box not only trains the cat and entertains it, but also does not allow it to lose its hunting skills, since the ability to quickly hide and jump out of ambush is not only important for successful hunting, but also for the cat’s overall mental tone.

How to wean a cat from a bad habit

Licking bags is far from a harmless activity for cats. During this process, the animal chews and swallows small pieces, which can lead to intestinal obstruction. You can prevent unpleasant developments in the following ways:

• limit access to cellophane: do not leave food in bags on the floor or table, close the trash can in the kitchen cabinet;
• Check the condition of your pet’s teeth and entire oral cavity with a veterinarian;
• buy toys so that the cat always has the opportunity to occupy himself;
• eliminate factors that cause stress in your cat;
• balance the animal’s nutrition, including all necessary vitamins and microelements in the diet;
• treat your pet with special chewing sticks with mint or matatabi.

Wild animals have access to various plants, with the help of which they normalize digestion and replenish vitamin deficiencies. Therefore, it is advisable for domestic cats to grow special grass in pots or containers. If you don’t have the desire or time to sow greens yourself, you can buy ready-made ones at the pet store.

If all the measures taken do not help wean your cat from the bad habit of licking plastic bags, you should seek help from specialists.

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Host actions

A natural question arises: what to do if a cat licks itself after castration? First of all, to avoid licking a wound, you need to take care of your pet from a moral point of view. It is important to protect him from stress, not to scold him, to stroke him more often, and to take good care of him. This will allow the pet to calm down a little and stop trying to heal itself.

Of course, it is advisable to use special means to prevent licking:

• Special collar. There are funnel-shaped plastic models on sale, but you can make such a device yourself. The material should be quite rigid so that the cat cannot damage it - for example, thick cardboard will do. A circle is cut out with a hole in the middle. Then an incision is made on one side, and after securing the collar around the cat's neck, it can be sealed with tape or secured in another suitable way.
• Diapers. Regular children's smallest sizes will do. For convenience, a hole is cut in the back for the tail. It must be remembered that you should not keep your pet in them all the time, so as not to infect the castration site. Diapers can be used for a short time at moments when the cat licks the seam after castration especially actively.

Such isolation methods may cause additional inconvenience, but will help to avoid seam dehiscence and the development of infection.

If, in addition to licking, there are other warning signs, you should consult a doctor for advice. Even if the alarm is false, it is better to play it safe to avoid serious consequences for the animal’s health.

Castration of animals is a simple surgical operation that involves removing the gonads in males and stopping reproductive functions. The operation is performed in a veterinary clinic or at home under general or combined anesthesia. If all rules are followed, animals do not experience any serious complications after castration. Moreover, the duration of the postoperative period largely depends on the correct actions of the owners. After the procedure, you need to pay attention not only to the health of the fluffy, but also to monitor the condition of the postoperative area. If a cat licks himself after castration and does it furiously and intensely, sutures may come apart. Bacteria can enter the wound, causing suppuration and causing acute inflammation.

Is it safe to lick the bag?

Licking the bag is not dangerous as long as the owner or mistress is looking after his furry pet. Of course, it is important that the bag is clean.

You should be concerned when your pet starts chewing plastic. Chewing can lead to swallowing, which can even cause blockage in the gastrointestinal tract.

If you are concerned that this behavior will go unnoticed, it may be better to ban "relationships" with polyethylene altogether. Instead, explore safe alternatives to help your cat satisfy her licking and chewing needs. For example, you can offer the animal catnip or toys.

Based on materials from www.litter-robot.com

"Mortal boredom"

When a cat has accumulated a lot of energy during the day, the animal will definitely find something to occupy itself with. For example, why not lick the bag? This is how the pet tries to entertain itself.

To prevent this from happening, you need to keep your pet occupied with something during the day so that he can expend energy and have a good rest at the end of the day.