Eating litter?

Hi All,

GT has been sick again, in the bathroom this time and as usual it was more fur than anything, but when I looked closer (well, as close as I felt like looking at 6.30am) there was a fair amount of litter there as well

I thought he'd used the tray in the spare bedroom and had just got litter stuck to his paws, but no, he hadn't, so he could only have eaten it. I seem to remember reading somewhere about other cats eating litter, but this is the first time I've ever seen any of my cats do it.

Do yours ever eat litter like this?

Ian

I've not had this problem, it could be that he is deficient in some mineral, or more likely there is a condition and I can't remember what it's called where cats will eat inappropriate things, in Sophies case it's cardboard. I don't think it's really anything to worry about well not so much the cardboard but litter could be something to think about. What I worry about is if she gets an obstruction, so needless to say there isn't much cardboard lying around, but again litter is a tricky one, it has to be there. Try a google it and see what comes up.

Apparently eating litter is dangerous especially if it's a clumping litter. Keep an eye on this one Ian, doesn't sound good.

Me again, the condition is called Pica, there is quite a lot about it on the net. I think the problem in GT case is that he's eating litter which won't dissolve, he may need a vet visit. God Ian this wee cat hasn't half cause you some worry. (and us).

Teddy wrote:I've not had this problem, it could be that he is deficient in some mineral, or more likely there is a condition and I can't remember what it's called where cats will eat inappropriate things, in Sophies case it's cardboard. I don't think it's really anything to worry about well not so much the cardboard but litter could be something to think about. What I worry about is if she gets an obstruction, so needless to say there isn't much cardboard lying around, but again litter is a tricky one, it has to be there. Try a google it and see what comes up.

Apparently eating litter is dangerous especially if it's a clumping litter. Keep an eye on this one Ian, doesn't sound good.

Hi Kath,

It is clumping litter, but it came out much the same way as it went in so it wasn't there long if he did eat some. He's never done it before but I'll be keeping a close eye on him that's for sure.

It's still posible it was stuck to his paws afrer using the tray, this litter is so absorbent it's difficult at times to know whether it's soiled or not and there's litter on the carpets on the landing between the bathroom and the spare bedroom, so it's hard to know for sure if he had *dined out* on it or just trod it about.

Ian

Hopefully he has just trodden on it, but you know yourself, all you can do for the moment is watch him.

Damn, damn, damn, he is eating litter.

I caught him trying to eat some again earlier today, from the living room tray, but he didn't get much, if any, before I stopped him. He's now lay under the radiator in the dining room looking a bit sorry for himself, I hope he's not been eating it without my seeing him. It looks like a trip to the vets may come sooner than I'd wish if this behaviour carries on.

Ian

Oh, poor little confused GT!

Luckily none of mine eats it, but BG did have a spell of taking litter in her mouth and then spreading it all over the place.

I've mentioned before that Boo runs round with litter in her mouth and often drops it in her dads shoes (LOL).

What a worry that he's eating it. Could you phone your vet and ask advice Ian? GT does sound a worry (and a mystery, what a strange cat he is... well they all can be, I'm sure you know what I mean). I guess tho with his strange vomit/pee and now the Pica, he could have some sort of deficiency as Kath suggests. Oh I really hope you are able to get a solution. Poor GT and poor you. Such a worry.

As far as I can tell, he only eats litter from the tray in the living room, I guess because this one is the least soiled, if he ate litter from *his* tray in the dining room I would really be worried

For the past couple of evenings he's spent a few hours in the living room, asleep on my lap, but last night decided he wanted to stay on my chair after I'd gone to bed. I wasn't happy about that as he'd have free access to the tray while I was asleep, so I decided to put a bit of newspaper down on top of the litter in the hope it'd put him off eating any. He has used this tray, once by the look of it, so I was hoping he'd still be able to smell the litter thro' the newspaper if he wanted a pee, and it seems to have worked. The newspaper is dry but was undisturbed when I got up so he hasn't tried to get at the litter to eat it.

I'll be calling into the pet stall on my local indoor market today to get some fresh, non clumping litter. They have two sorts in stock, a gravel type which wouldn't be good if he ate this as well, and paper based, which while I'm not keen on this, it looks like it will be the best option atm.

Ian

I got some fresh litter, not paper based as I'd hoped, but wood based and it claims to be 3 times the absorbency of *standard* litters. I got a 15 litre bag and that claim was nearly put to the test the amount of sweating I did on the way back it weighed a ton, but at least I *shouldn't* have to worry about GT eating this litter.

Ian

Sorry to hear the fella is doing this Ian. Hopefully the wood based one will deter him. This is the type we use for our boy.
Humans can also "suffer from" Pica.
I always worry I am "verging on it" due to my likeness of licking shiny things (ie polished stones)! I have previously admitted to this on here when Ali admitted to her sniffing of rubber during pregnancy! )

Hi Nicki,

I took no chances and changed the litter for the new as soon as I got in. GT strolled over to the tray in the living room a bit later, had a good sniff as tho' he was looking for the old litter to eat, realised it wasn't there and wandered off. When I checked both downstairs trays again, he'd used both for the purpose they are there for, so it looks like it might do the trick.

Hopefully one less thing to worry about now where he's concerned.

Ian

Hopefully one less thing to worry about now where he's concerned.

Ian

[/quote]


Where Gt is concerned am sure sooner or later another worry will pop up.

Thats great Ian, fingers crossed this will do the trick.
Like Kath said, wonder what will be next with that boy!

*Prince* wrote:Thats great Ian, fingers crossed this will do the trick.
Like Kath said, wonder what will be next with that boy!

The very next thing will be getting him off my chair when I log off and go downstairs in a few minutes..........he will not be happy. He sat on my lap for a couple of hours last night and had a good 3 hour sleep there earlier today before I woke him to make myself a drink. He used to jump down, but now he just waits till I've got up then curls up and goes back to sleep

Ian

Sounds just like a normal cat to me.

Teddy wrote:Sounds just like a normal cat to me.

It would be if he was a *normal* cat, but he's anything but that

He was missing when I got up, strange, as the only time he normally does is when I get the hoover out, but he came trotting back in while I was feeding Bola (the rest were still asleep) and headed straight back to *our* chair. I've gotta be honest, I'm not keen on leaving in the living room at night, there's too many awkward places for me to get at for him to be sick in, and being a cat he's sure to pick the most awkward should he throw up

I had another look at his skin last night and reckon a good bath in a medicated shampoo of some kind would make a huge difference as a lot of the scabs/blood are in his fur, but I don't know if I'm brave (or should that be stupid?) enough to have a go myself.

Ian

I'm pleased to say there's been no sign of him eating the wood based litter ................but (and there's always got to be a but hasn't there?) I'm left with a unopened 12 litre pack of the litter he did eat I'll have to use this in the tray in my bedroom only, and hope he doesn't find it.

Ian

Ian B wrote:

I had another look at his skin last night and reckon a good bath in a medicated shampoo of some kind would make a huge difference as a lot of the scabs/blood are in his fur, but I don't know if I'm brave (or should that be stupid?) enough to have a go myself.

Ian

LOL! Aye, think you may need a chainmail suit! *passes Ian box of plasters and bottle of TCP* It may be easier to go to the vets and get a some steroids or something for him to hopefully clear it up. If you do bath him tho..... remember to have the camera nearby LOL

There maybe a dry medicated shampoo that you can dust all over him, then you leave it for so long and brush it off. Stil a bit of a hassle but not quite so daunting.

Teddy wrote:There maybe a dry medicated shampoo that you can dust all over him, then you leave it for so long and brush it off. Stil a bit of a hassle but not quite so daunting.

Good call about a dry shampoo.........but it seems every country in the world has online suppliers except here

Ian

Oh surely we have them too, keep searching, they will be there somewhere.