Pica Disease In Cats

Your cat gives you very good times. In fact, you love the perfect mix it has, an independent character coupled with the need to receive and give affection at certain times of the day.

Lately, you have noticed that it begins to bite everything that it catches in its reach. At first you found it funny, then it started to make you feel bad as it spoiled some valuable things.

Now you are worried, because you had to remove a plastic bag from his mouth with which he almost choked, he was no longer playing, but he was trying to eat it.

If something similar has happened to you, it is likely that your cat has pica disease. Today we talk about this disorder.

How to differentiate between pica disease

We have to start by saying that cats that live with people from a very young age usually have the habit of sucking on different objects that they have at hand, or even ourselves. This is normal and should not be given any importance.

The pica or malacia disease consists of starting in this way, licking an object, but they do not stay only in that but they try to chew it and, finally, eat it. It is a very dangerous practice, since they run the risk of poisoning or, in the worst case, drowning.

If your cat is behaving in this way it is very important that you pay attention to everything that we are going to see in this article and, of course, that you seek professional help.

Of course, you should keep in mind that it must be something that your pet does on a regular basis, if you have only caught him once, pay attention to how his behavior evolves.

Causes of pica disease

Among the causes behind the pica disease there are different factors, such as the following:

Bad nutrition

We don’t want you to feel bad, but in most cases the disease is caused by a poor diet. The cat looks for the nutrients that it lacks, generally minerals and fiber, ingesting objects that it finds around the house.

Previous illnesses

Another factor that can trigger malacia are certain pathologies, such as immunodeficiency or diabetes .

Imbalance

Any cause that causes an emotional imbalance in your cat can affect the appearance of the disease that concerns us today.

For example, a situation of nervousness or stress, that does not have stimulating activities or that perceives problems in the family environment.

Genetics

As with many other diseases, genetics can be decisive for suffering from it. In fact there are breeds in which this type of problem occurs more, for example, in Siamese.

It is because they have a greater predisposition to sucking, which can lead to the development of pica disease.

How to cure Pica disease

There are those who think that the best way to combat Pica disease is through punishment. However, it is an ineffective method, since the cat does not have our ability to understand the origin of the discipline and, in addition, what it is doing is satisfying some type of deficiency.

Other people try to make the animal reject the object that it usually bites by impregnating it with an odor that is unpleasant. In this case, you are most likely looking for something else.

However, it is much more convenient to try to go to the origin of the disease to correct the problem. It would be very appropriate if you try to optimize your diet by including more nutritious foods, rich in minerals and fiber. Maybe you can try a food supplement.

You can also improve the home environment, so that it enjoys peace and harmony. Make sure your cat is active, play with him at least once a day.

You can also get a scratcher with different levels to be entertaining or with a specific toy for this type of pets.

Try not to leave any objects that could be put in the mouth within reach , especially those that are toxic or with which they could choke. As much as possible, control their behavior at first, until the problem is solved.

Above all, check what happens with your vet. It will show you the best solution for your cat to overcome the pica disease. You will see.