My male cat keeps eating ribbon*more info inside*how do I make him stop?

Question

Everytime my family and I see our male cat(Sherbert) eating some time of ribbon. I heard we're not suppose to let cats eat ribbon. So we put them up on the top shelf of our closet. Now everyday, he tries to get up to the top shelf to try and eat more ribbon. How do I make him stop?
It use to be he'll just play with them. Like at christmas time, he'll play with the ribbon wrapped around the present. But now, it's eating it. Should I maybe contact my vet?

Answer 1

The only way to stop him from eating it is to keep it out of his reach. Put it in a drawer that he can't open as cats can climb shelves. If you do see that he's got some, spray him with some water. No need to call your vet unless he swallows it - string, elastic bands and ribbon can all get wrapped around cats' intestines and kill them.

Best idea is just to keep it out of his reach.

Answer 2

Take the Ribbon and close it into a sturdy rubber maid box, and close the closet door. Unless your cat is a master at opening closet doors as well as boxes, this should be enough precaution. If this doesn't work, move the ribbon. How can he eat it if he cant' find it? As a good pet owner, it is your responsibility to keep this stuff away from his reach. Now that you know he has an issue, make extra sure you keep any ribbon or things like ribbon where he cannot reach or even see it. This way, he will stay safe and healthy.

There is no need to contact a vet for his love of eating ribbon, though you should contact the vet if he HAS eaten ribbon as it can very much disturb his digestive tract, and maybe get stuck somewhere and cause a blockage.

Answer 3

Simple- put all the ribbon in an area that is non-accessible to the cat. Close the closet door, put the ribbon in a desk, put it in a cabinet, put it in a high place that the cat cannot reach or use other object to reach it. If that and other things still fail, which I doubt if you can keep it out of his reach well, then turn to spraying lemon juice or other animal repellents. Many pet stores sell them.
If the cat has swallowed the ribbon then take it to the vet. Unless you are unsure of this, then there is no reason to contact a vet. Just keep the ribbon out of reach!

Answer 4

Pica is the name given to the craving to eat bizarre items and is most commonly experienced by pregnant women. However some cats develop this strange behaviour too. Usually it's fabric that they like to chew and eat, but there are those who prefer to chew string or electric cables. Studies show that it's more commonly seen in Oriental breeds (particularly Burmese and Siamese) and is possibly an inherited disposition. The most likely explanation for these strange cravings probably lies in a malfunction between the brain and neural control of the digestive system.

One theory for the origin of this habit, is that like wool sucking, the behaviour is linked to a continued infantile disposition in the cat. This type of behaviour can be a result of a kitten being taken away from it's mother before it was emotionally ready.

There is also the possibility that an early interest in playing with ribbon has developed into predatory handling, the end sequence of which is to consume the prey. It's possible that your cat has gone straight from stalking to consumption.

Of the cats surveyed, 78% of them started the habit between the ages of 4-12 months and the other 22% began in response to some form of stress or trauma, such as medical illness, moving home or the acquisition of another pet. Many grow out of this habit by the age of two, perhaps because they have learnt to cope with the daily challenges in life.

Dependent upon what you believe may be the initial cause of her beginning this habit, there are a few things that you can try to break the habit;

1) I know this won't be easy, but access to ribbon must be made impossible. Sometimes denial for a couple of weeks causes the behaviour to stop. Or leave "bait" pieces of ribon on which a few drops of menthol or oil of eucalyptus have been added, this deterrent will often reform the most ardent fabric, cable and string eaters.

2) Shouting at the cat or squirting water at them when you catch them in the act, isn't advised as you may just find the cat resorts to ribbon eating in secret.

3) If it's the chewing sensation that your cat enjoys, then try providing him with tough chunks of meat to eat which means he will have to spend more time focused on eating his dinner.

4) if your vet says it's okay, adding a tiny amount of bran or fibre to your cat's food will give him that "full belly" feeling that he might be seeking when he tries to eat ribbons.

5) If he's a clingy cat, try boosting his confidence. If he's allowed outside this will further his level of stimulation and will reduce the importance of home for activity. If he's an indoor only cat, would you consider allowing him outside for brief periods under supervision or on a harness? Alternatively, make sure you set aside time each day strictly for playing games with him so as to focus his attention on things other than ribbon. Try interactive toys as they will stimulate him mentally too.

Hope some of these suggestions help. For further advice on Pica can I suggest you purchase a copy of "Do Cats Need Shrinks" by animal behaviourist Dr. Peter Neville. I've posted a link to the topics this book covers (see chapter 11) and where it can be purchased.

http://www.pets.f9.co.uk/shop/media/dcns.html
http://www.pets.f9.co.uk/shop/

Answer 5

It's a behavioral problem, and cats are near impossible to train. My cat tries to eat plastic. It's so frustrating. He chews on the trash bags in the can, like the little piece of bag that's over the edge and everything. I just give him a stern "NO!" and he listens, but he's more obedient than most cats. But no, you shouldn't let cats eat ribbon it could cause major stomach and intestinal damage.

Answer 6

You're doing the right thing by keeping it out of reach. But there's nothing much you can do to stop him from wanting it. Just ignore him and make sure he can't get at it, and won't hurt himself trying.

I too have a string eater. I've been lucky so far, but I'm very careful to keep any type of string hidden from her.

Answer 7

Get him his own toys to play with! Maybe get one of those things with the stick and the sparkly ribbons hanging down and you can tease him with it. Just put it away when you'e done so he can't try to eat it again. You don't want to have to pull the ribbons out of his butt when he passes them! It happens. And it's gross.

Answer 8

Well you should contact your vet to see if he still has any in him but just get something that keeps him away from it like Stay Off training aid by Hartz maybe by doing that you can keep him away

Answer 9

Put is somewhere that he can't get to it.

Answer 10

He sounds gay AF