My cat has started a bad habit of tearing paper up with her mouth and spitting it out.?

Question

My magazine rack is constantly invaded by her feline presence! No paper on my desk is safe. I have tried to hide papers, but when I am trying to work at my desk, it's impossible to hide everything. She's close to 2-years-old, and was fixed last year. She's healthy, lovable, friendly, and isn't declawed. This paper-chewing habit started a few weeks ago, and I am wondering if it's something I should be concerned with. She gets plenty of love and attention, as my husband and I treat her like our baby. She was a stray who "found" us. We have cared for her over a year. She's a sweet, lovely kitty, and I want to make sure that I am doing all that I can to give her a great life. Suggestions?

Answer 1

Cats love to tear paper and boxes and cardboard... best thing to do is get a big card board box cut off top and decorat with wraping paper inside and out no tape though... that will give you cat something to tear that you wont miss.

Answer 2

My cats did it to for a while. I guess they like the sound of the paper ripping. I would keep magazines in a different place. Get it some more toys to play with. And the first answer was good too, another focus point for the cat. Get a little box and put some toys in it and maybe attach some ribbons too. They like that.

Mine like to come by the desk when I'm at it too. I have a bottle of treats in my drawer and when they come, I toss the treats and they go after it. Helps. Give it a try.

Also if there is some stress/tension in your home, she may be sensing that as well, and diversion is needed.

Answer 3

My British shorthair cat used to do that with toilet paper and computer paper. He constantly was unrolling entire toilet paper rolls! He would usually vomit up the paper or I would find it all over his litter box, so it was a problem I needed to contend with. I bought him some new toys, and set up several booby-traps around the house for him. Hide the paper as much as you can, for the areas that she can get to, buy some double-sided sticky tape and set it down around the paper. Cats don't like the feeling on their feet. You can also fill some aluminum cans with pennies and set it up on your magazine racks (and other areas). When she moves in to chew on the paper, the can will fall and make some loud noises which will safely deter the cat. If that doesn't work, you can try diluted vinegar water in a squirt bottle, you will have to catch her in the act, hide around a corner and quickly squirt with it and say a firm "No." I had to use the vinegar occassionaly, it doesn't hurt them and they hate the smell. Incidentally, this was how Bubba learned "no." Bubba has since kicked the paper habit. Good luck with your kitty!

Answer 4

Honestly, I can think of a few kitty habits that are much more alarming.

We trained our cat not to wake us up at dawn for potty trips by making a meow before 6am an automatic trip to the laundry room (there's litter there, but her highness prefers to crap outside). She doesn't like the laundry room or the isolation.

Another way to train a cat is to carry around a water sprayer. Every time she exhibits the behavior you want to stop, you spray her and say no.

Our cat doesn't jump on every piece of paper, but she does occasionally enjoy ripping up a newspaper. So we grab the newspaper and play with her. It's fun! I suspect your cat thinks it's fun, too. Maybe providing her with alternative activities?

Old Cat Lady--do you provide your cat with sweet grass? Maybe it's roughage she's after.

Answer 5

I rescued a 17 year old cat last fall who chews paper! I have never had a cat do this before. I have to put all my papers in folders from the drug store as I never know what he will chew on next! He doesn't seem to go after the magazines and I only leave one piece of paper in my printer for him to chew on - he seems to want to do this in the morning after he eats breakfast.

He has been on a quality diet of home-prepared raw meat and quality canned food for the seven months I have had him. I don't think it is a dietary deficiency as none of my other cats do it.

Answer 6

My Burmese cats do that. It is a stress release action and common with the breed.
Having said that, the male sleeps with me gets lots of cuddles and rubs (He loves strong strokes from head to tail)
I will see if he stops after all the foster kittens have gone home.
The female came to me a few months ago (she is 7 years old and an unclaimed stray) and spends her days on a chair under a table. The box is there in front of her and so she finds it easy to shred. Hopefully she will settle and stop the shredding, or it lessen a bit.

But agree with giving him her a box of her own to shred. It makes lots of mess, but they love it.

Answer 7

I had a calico who did the same thing- considered myself lucky I had a paper shredder 24/7. You should see the spines of all my record albums! When I tried to pay bills she'd be up there and my other cat would chew all my pens. Only solution was to put them in another room and close the door.

Answer 8

yeah! I have some cats that would do that but it is a vitamin deficiency ..they needed some iron/and vit b /also see call your Vet too!

Its like have you ever heard pregnant women say that they feel like chewing on gravels or ice while they were expecting?
Well usually they are in need of some Iron or other vitamins!

God bless

Answer 9

My cat-daughter does this too - I think it's like a hobby to them. She loves tearing up paper. It's just playfulness.

Answer 10

she is sexually frustrated. buy a male cat ASAP