CATDOLL : What happens when cats eat cat litter?

What causes cats to eat cat litter?

1. It may be curiosity. Cats will eat a small amount of cat litter out of curiosity, but this situation mostly occurs in kittens under 3 months old, and it is rare for cats over one and a half years old.

2. They may be attracted by the smell. Some businesses will add some flavors to cat litter, and the main raw materials of most cat litters are tofu litter, soybean litter and other plant materials, so these smells will make cats mistakenly think that they are edible food.

3. It may be anemia. Iron deficiency and hypokalemia in cats are symptoms that cause cats to eat cat litter.

4. It may be pica, which may lead to trace element deficiency, malnutrition, etc., resulting in similar symptoms.

5. It may be a sign of other diseases and health problems, such as kidney disease and leukemia.

6. It may be boredom. Because cats love to roll around in the litter box, so cats may eat cat litter just to "try something new".

7. It could be caused by hunger. The cat litter tastes too much like food.

8. Nutritional deficiency. If cats do not get enough nutrition from food, they may eat randomly. The minerals contained in cat litter (bentonite, mineral sand) may attract cats and make them mistakenly believe that they can supplement nutrients.

How to solve the problem of cat eating cat litter

1. You can stop and educate your cat and not let it develop the habit of eating cat litter from an early age.

2. Diversified diet is recommended. You can feed cats different foods such as canned food and meat to achieve a diversified diet and balanced nutrition.

3. Go to the hospital for further examination and treatment, and strengthen nutritional supplements and ensure adequate sleep.

4. You can change the cat litter first and buy personalized cat litter.

5. Give the cat plenty of water to expel the cat litter from the intestines. In severe cases, the cat should be given gastric or intestinal lavage.

6. Divert the cat’s attention. You can buy some toys to entertain the cat, so that the cat’s life is not as boring as cat litter.