My cat shreds paper?

Question

How do I get her to stop? It drives me nuts. She shreds posters on the walls, book jackets, and once she even shredded a term paper.

She is definitely not stressed. I don't think she knows the meaning of the word "stressed" because she is unrelentlessly happy. :)

Answer 1

So does mine.

She's obsessed with my fax machine. It magically spits out paper she then attacks and "kills". I have to be sure she's locked up if I'm expecting a fax or she will actually fight me for the pages.

You could try a squirt bottle, but I think this is a personality thing. They're just obsessed with paper.

Answer 2

Ha ha ha ha... naughty kitty! The reason why your cat shreds paper is: 1. He discovered that he can do so 2. He discovered that it is FUN to do so 3. Its the thing he does when he is bored (bored cats become destructive cats) Here's what cat behavioralists recommend about toilet-paper shredding: Five ways to prevent cats from playing with toilet paper: 1. Hang the roll so that the paper hangs down between the roll and the wall rather than over the top of the roll. If the cat knows how to roll it either way, then you can get a cover that rests on top of the toilet paper and this will work. 2. You can make your own by taking the cardboard core from an empty roll and slitting it lengthwise and fitting it over the roll. 3. You can balance a small paper cup full of water on top of the roll. 4. Instead of a cup of water, try an aluminum can with pennies. 5. If you are unwilling or unable to use the cover, then close the door to the bathroom. As to shredding importnat documanet, I strongly recommend that you keep such papers safe in a drawer or a box where the cat cannot get to them. Seriously... even if your cat has been "weaned" from his pepr-shredding "thing" there is no telling when he might want to shred paper agains "just for the heck of it." One last note: give your cat plenty of toys to play with and regular times of play with you so he does not get bored. There are many things you can do and provide to enrich his life indoors so he does not become bored and destructive.

Answer 3

About the only thing you can do is remove all opportunities for her to shred paper.

Or, you can do as we did. Spread a bunch of newspapers on the floor and let her have a go at them. Give her all the time she needs until you feel she might have gotten it out of her system. Then gather up all the shredded paper and toss it away.

I doubt if this will work at all because it didn't work for our cat who I believe may be crazy but the cat has one hellava good time and is pretty fun to watch as she comes tearing through the house and jumps into the middle of all those papers making the confetti fly.

Answer 4

I have a cat who does the same thing. It's a sign that she's restless and bored. She stopped doing that so much when I 1.) let her go outside. (I let her out on my apt. balcony that has mesh against the iron railing so she won't jump off). 2) Since I noticed that she liked to "nest" on paper shopping bags, I would leave a bag or two out for her to sit on (and also chew on if she wanted to)--and I overlooked the shards of paper she left around. This stopped her from chewing on my bills and manuscripts, the rug, etc. Eventually, her paper chewing habit subsided considerably.

Hope this helps.

Answer 5

Cats like to attack toilet paper on the roll and spread it all around the house. Has she figured out that one yet?

You can get one of those cardboard scratching pads, some interactive toys, a scratching post with an appealing scratching surface and wean her away from the things you like to keep in one piece.

In the meantime, I would put other paper-related items out of her reach. Is she young and in need of amusement? Is she having fun or is she stressed and taking it out on anything close by?

If she's just amusing herself, there's no need to squirt her with water and if she's stressed doing that can make things worse.

Answer 6

I have one of them!! He loves to shred paper, eat it, play with it... I have a round thing I got at Walmart with a ball that goes around the outside and a replaceable cardboard thing in the middle.. as long as I have a fresh one in there he likes to scratch on it and leaves my other stuff alone.... most of the time.

Answer 7

Give her something else to shred. She's probably just bored... maybe a ball to bat around or something.

If she's shredding with her claws instead of her teeth, see about getting her declawed, or if you're opposed to the practice, getting nail covers. There are little polyurethane sheaths that you can affix to her nails that will keep her from shredding things.

Answer 8

Thats a new one, my cat ate my homework?!?!
You can get nail caps at any grooming salon. Won't cause her any discomfort, but she won't be able to shred anything.

Answer 9

I always thought it had something to do with nesting