Why does he do this???

Question

I have a 2yr old fixed male tuxedo cat. He was a friends cat and she gave him to me when she got divorced. He was an out door cat and he was with her and now hes an indoor cat.

Ace (his name) has a strange obession with plastic bags! He will chew and l**k them. And Im worried that he might choke or something! I thought that maybe he felt like he wasnt getting enough in his diet so i bought different kind of cat treats with different nutrional value.. but that hasnt solved it.

He eats treats for teeth care daily and I've checked his teeth and they look healthy.

any ideas??? anyone else have cats that do this???

Answer 1

One of my cats does the same thing...usually the thicker kind of plastic that is used to wrap boxes.  She doesn't like thin, flimsy plastic.  She seems to like to chew it, but doesn't try to eat it.  I'm pretty diligent about keeping all plastic wrapping out of her reach (I'd never forgive myself if something happened to her).  She usually gets ahold of it as I'm unwrapping something.

In contrast, her sister couldn't care less about plastic.

Answer 2

Put the bags where he can't get them! I found my boy dangling from the kitchen table one time with his leg stuck in one!  

Answer 3

Please put the plastic bags in a spot where your cat cannot get hold of them.  They cannot digest plastic, and it can knot up in their intestines and block them.  This can in the long run kill them if not treated.  If he has been eating them, please call your vet so they can take an xray to make sure his intestines are clear and there are no issues with his health.  

He almost sounds bored, and is playing with the bags because of the crinkley sound.  You can go to petstores and buy toys that make that same noise, but are pet-safe.  Please think about spending $5 or less for them. Also, as a side note for any cat owner - make sure the plants in your house are safe for cats - my friend just lost her feline-best-friend because she didn't know palms and ivy were poisonous.

Answer 4

Cats are attracted to the sounds that plastic bags make. Mine are, too. Keep the bags away from your cat, though.

Answer 5

Unfortunately, many cats are attracted to plastic bags.  And plastic bags are really dangerous for cats.  They can get the bags wrapped around their heads and suffocate or choke.  But usually they just chew on bags and swallow pieces of the plastic.  Some of the pieces can be quite large.  This can cause a total of complete blockage in the stomach and intestine.  If the cat is not treated quickly and properly, it will die.

So "trash" or better yet recycle all that plastic and keep it away from kitty!

Good Luck!

Answer 6

OH YEAH I have a male maine coon who does this ALL DAY LONG. I have the same fears as you do, but I have noticed that he dosent really eat the plastic even when he chews on it. I have made it a habit to keep all bread bags, grocery bags, chips and snacks out of sight ( if he sees it he will find a way to get to it) but my vet just says he has a touch of ocd which is very common in cats. I have had sammy for 2 years now and we have never had a health problem. I would suggest not to worrie about it. try to keep it away from him and he should be okay. any chance he can be an indoor outdoor cat? this could be from boredom. I doubt it has anything to do with his diet. there are kitty doors just like doggie doors that have a key you put on his collar, and only your cat can access the door. its pretty cool and there only about $50. make sure he has an id tag if he is taken by animal control in most cities he will be put to sleep within 72 hours without contact info for the owner. i hope i helped!

Answer 7

yes, I have 13 cats and several of them are bag fiends. Keep all plastic bags away from them at all times. I have to keep any of the bags that I save locked in the pantry. Seems they prefer the plastic grocery type bags.. and chewing on them isn't the only thing they do! So save their health and save yourself a lot of mess to clean up and keep the bags put away. I know a lot of people who have cats that love plastic bags, you are not alone and there is nothing wrong or weird about your cat.

Answer 8

Throw plactic away if you can it is realyl dangerous 4 them

Answer 9

The reason is believed to be the smell inside a plastic bag - either the smell of what it used to contain or the smell of the oils used in its manufacturer.  Many plastics are made with rendered animal fats, fish oils, gelatine or petroleum jelly and these are all substances attractive to cats. They are much better than us at detecting the faint odours of these things in the plastic so while the plastic seems odourless to us, it smells enticing to many cats.  Some cats also like the smooth texture of the plastic on their tongue.

I doubt he's lacking anything in the diet.  It's just the fact that plastic has interesting smells, an interesting texture and maybe also makes interesting crackling sounds.  It's an unsafe habit so to try to keep plastic bags out of your cat's reach.

If you think he's missing out on some fun when you've put the plastic bags out of his reach, get hold of a crinkle sack or a brown grocery bag and put a catnip toy or some treats inside it for him to find.