According to veterinarians, a cat starts eating paper if it lacks attention, is under constant stress, or has dental problems. Sometimes disorders are caused by an incorrectly selected diet, which contains a lot of protein foods but no carbohydrates. The cat needs to be weaned off the habit, since swallowing a large lump can lead to obstruction, which will require surgery to relieve. It is especially dangerous if your pet eats newspapers or book pages because printing ink is very toxic to animals.
Relevance
We cannot explain every special behavior of cats. But this is not necessary: it is part of their charm, and observing their behavior in such situations brings us great pleasure. We humans are never sure if our cats really love us or just want free food and shelter.
So why do our four-legged friends, when they see some objects, completely forget about everything else? Whether it's a regular bag from the grocery store or a cardboard box from your friendly mailman, cats are quick to pounce on these things, making them their new toy, home, or even snack. What is the explanation for this habit? Let's find out.
Opportunity to have fun
The box can be a source of fun games. You can jump into it with acceleration and jump out just as unexpectedly when someone passes by. You can enthusiastically gnaw on its edges or scratch the walls of the box with your claws, listening to their rustling.
You can come up with a bunch of arguments in favor of attachment to boxes, which pets are so partial to. It's a pity that cats can't talk and can't tell the true reason for their love for cardboard containers. Its owners can only speculate and watch their pets with rapture.
The smell of food
First of all, we want to assure you: when faced with incomprehensible behavior of a pet, you should not assume that he has rabies. In this state, the cat will rush at the person, and not at the box or plastic bag.
Scientists and pet lovers alike have several theories as to why kittens go crazy over these items. One of the most obvious explanations is that these bags or boxes previously contained food. Cats have a keen sense of smell (much stronger than that of any human), so it is not surprising that they can sniff the entire package that, for example, previously contained a frozen salmon fillet. Additionally, many of these bags are coated with natural material (such as cornstarch) and some are even made from animal by-products (gelatin). All this makes such items especially attractive and tasty.
Indifference to packages
Cats are smart, they gradually understand that if the owner came home with a bag, then it might contain food - that's why cats love bags. They hope there is something tasty in them.
Note! When in contact with an animal's fur, a plastic bag creates a special effect that is pleasant to the pet.
Feeling like a hunter
This is another reason why cats love bags. They return to their natural state of predators, because a rustling bag can be caught like a mouse and played with for a while. Fun is the main reason for the amazing love for all kinds of bags.
Finally, the craving for packages is often due to a more transparent reason - previously it contained meat or fish, the smell attractive to the animal was preserved. That is why the cat strives to get and lick the bag.
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Other sensations
It is also noted that the sound from the bag may remind pets of the noise emanating from rodents when they run through fields or other objects. They understand this: rustling means prey. They can be attracted by various acoustic signals. So don’t be surprised by this behavior of your pet.
Moreover, according to scientific point of view, your pet is a mammal of the cat family of carnivores. So what you are observing is their natural behavior. Cats are small predators, and you shouldn't teach them something like that.
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Another interesting detail is that if you take a closer look at the texture of the bag, you can see that they might like its cool, smooth surface. All this attracts these creatures, regardless of whether they lick the object or simply play with it.
How to tell if a cat likes a box
Having decided to please his pet, the owner can put a cardboard box for him. It is quite simple to understand that she liked it - the cat will strive to be inside as often as possible.
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Having brought the container home, you should show it to your pet; after a while you will notice a keen interest.
Important! If the cat does not pay attention to the new product or sat in it for several minutes and never returned, then it can be safely disposed of, since for some reason known only to the cat, the pet refused the gift.
Interesting research
Scientists from a university in Utrecht (Netherlands) studied the benefits of such boxes for two groups of newly arrived cats. What was the essence of the study? One group of animals had the opportunity to hide in their own boxes, while the other did not. What was the outcome? Not surprisingly, those pets who were able to hide in boxes experienced significantly less stress (after all, they were able to relax better), felt more comfortable in their surroundings and were more interested in interacting with people than cats who did not have boxes.
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Pets often look for a secluded place: in their understanding, a box is exactly the object in which they can retire. It is noteworthy: the tighter the box, the more desirable it becomes for cats.
Warm
The boxes also attract four-legged creatures by providing warmth when it gets too cold outside. Cats can't just put on a sweater when the temperature drops, so don't be surprised if they seek warmth in unusual places. Cardboard is an excellent insulator. Whether your cat is stressed, mildly ill, or just looking for a comfortable place to feel safe from predators (perhaps your neighbor's dog), a box is a very suitable item.
Place to sleep
Everyone knows that domestic cats can sleep up to 20 hours a day. During sleep, they are more vulnerable to the enemy, so in the wild they look for a safe shelter to sleep, where they cannot be taken by surprise and harmed. A protected place gives them a chance to live.
At home, such a place is cardboard boxes, as well as plastic bags, shopping bags and even glass jars and even teapots.
Paper
Crumpled paper, often used as packaging material, can also be a cat's best friend. Don't be upset if you spent a decent amount of rubles on a beautiful cat house, but your pet prefers your newspaper or wrapping paper to it. This doesn’t happen often: apparently, they simply enjoy the process itself.
Maybe they are trying to get your attention with this behavior, or perhaps they want to mark their territory. Or is it a new item in the house that needs to be explored in more detail. Dangling objects seem to remind cats of hunting. In fact, there is no end to the speculation as to why your cat chose paper.
The veterinarian explained why cats eat bags and which breed is the smartest
It is necessary to maintain a balance in the diet of cats, alternating between dry and wet food.
Svetlana Molodtsova and Alexander Alekhine, on the air of Radio Komsomolskaya Pravda, discuss with veterinarian Olga Liyasova the intricacies of life with a cat.
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According to the veterinarian, the smartest cats are outbred or, rather, mestizos. Indeed, thanks to natural selection, when the strongest, smartest, most agile and fastest survive, it is mestizos who have become unique - they do not need a social factor for hunting, they do not need a company or a pack.
“It is almost impossible to catch a cold in a cat, unless the immune system is initially weakened, because nature took care of it and gave it a fur coat; we are not talking about breeds such as sphinxes or shorthairs, which require delicate care,” notes Olga Liyasova.
The cat will tell its owner itself that the cat is sick - the pet will be less active, try to hide and sleep a lot.
But treating an animal in a timely manner is not the whole point. To keep your cat safe, you need to hide the wires and close the windows so that the pet does not jump out or get stuck.
Owners often notice that cats eat bags. And this, as the expert notes, is understandable - they just like the smell of plastic. But, of course, it is impossible to allow food to be fed with plastic.
The doctor explains another feature of the four-legged animals - hissing at guests - by simple protection of their territory. She considers the space hers, and the owners, like everyone else, are her guests.
Animal nutrition is also a science. Olga Liyasova notes that it is very difficult for a cat living in an apartment to maintain balance, because she often eats from the owners’ table. Ideally, you need a combination of dry and wet food.
“We recommend feeding wet food morning and evening in measured doses. At the same time, you shouldn’t apply too much, it will weather out. And leave dry food for the day. The cat has a small stomach, and it does not stretch well. So she can go to the bowl up to 20 times a day and eat a little - this is normal,” the expert explains.
“The most important recommendation is not to mix natural food and industrial food - this is the worst option,” the doctor shared.
In addition, the specialist advises to arrange a medical examination for your pets. The first is at two months, when the first vaccination takes place. The next examination is in three weeks or a month, plus revaccination.
“In the future, we meet once a year for subsequent vaccinations. Further, from three to four years of age, we recommend, despite routine vaccination, to examine the animal once a year and undergo a minimum set of examinations: a blood test, an ultrasound of the abdominal cavity, a urine test - all this will allow, especially in purebred animals, to identify any diseases in the early stages,” says the veterinarian.
Most diseases develop asymptomatically. And when clinical symptoms appear, this is already the tip of the iceberg and treating such diseases is much more difficult.
It’s even worse if they become chronic, in which case the diseases are not curable. So medical examination is much more profitable from an economic point of view.
Let us recall that earlier the website of Radio Komsomolskaya Pravda wrote that sociologists have found out which animals Russians own most often.
Conclusion
Cats' actions may always remain a mystery to us, but this is part of their charm. Of course, if any of the above actions seem repetitive or out of control, you may want to contact your veterinarian.
Remember: eating non-food products (bags or other garbage) can lead to intestinal blockage, and therefore you should not neglect this phenomenon. But often the explanations for the behavior of four-legged creatures are quite simple: the box and package can attract smells, acoustic signals or the heat emanating from them.
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