so very true
May 27, 2005 l Comments Off
What is Pica?
May 26, 2005 l Comments Off
Pica is the act of eating non-food items. In less serious cases, cats may chew or suck on objects, but not actually swallow them. Common targets include yarn or string, fabric, wool, phone or electric cords, and plants. Any object may be a potential target, however.
”Fabric-eating is the ingestion of non-food items, and it’s occasionally seen in cats,” explains Diane Frank, D.V.M., a resident in animal behavior at Cornell University. “Fabric-eating seems to start around puberty, most often with wool, and may move on to other fabrics and materials as well: Cotton, nylon and other synthetics, wood, plastic, rubber, almost anything. I’ve had reports of cats chewing on the sofa. Most of the time, the material will go through the cat without too many problems, but occasionally cats require surgery to remove these foreign materials.”
”There have been a lot of different hypotheses about fabric-eating,” said Frank. “Some theories say this may be redirected suckling behavior in cats that were weaned too early. Some people believe that fabric-eating could be related to separation anxiety in cats that are very attached to their owners and are distraught when the owners are away. Or perhaps some of these cats need a little more fiber in their diet,” she said.
Cats who don’t grow out of suckling as a kitten may continue it into adulthood. At which point they may not only suck on, but also will chew and may even eat different fabrics. Common fabrics are wool, cotton and other synthetic materials (even plastic garbage bags). This behavior seems to be common to Siamese and Burmese cats and cats who are weaned very early (before 4 weeks of age). Some cats who do exhibit this behavior may swallow fabric and this can cause a host of digestive problems in the cat.
Things Miko chews and/or eats:
Blankets and fabric
Plastic bags
Wallpaper
Paper and books
i’z hiding
May 18, 2005 l 3 Comments
One of the best animal photographers I have ever seen: Rachael Hale
Could someone please explain to me why all of the cats felt like they needed to throw up breakfast this morning? Oh, wait! I know why…
because they decided to race around the house like cheetahs right after eating a meal.
*mumble*mumble* cats….
I love my mornings at home…
May 5, 2005 l Comments Off
Nice long walk and deep discussion about life with mom.
Snuggling with my kitties in the sun.
Having the bunnies underfoot as I get ready for school (and taking a lot longer than normal because I’m reaching down to give noserubs)
It’s a pretty good way to start the day.
