You have a cat, and so you know how the amazing companionship they bring. You also know some of the pains that accompany them at times. One of those pains is sometimes the propensity to chew on electrical cords.

This is more than just an annoying habit, but poses a real threat to both your fur baby as well as your home in Florida. The motivation behind why a cat will chew on your chords is not fully understood, but there are some common elements that may lead to the behavior. It is important to understand why they have this behavior so you can address it appropriately.

Stress or Anxiety Leads to Chewing Electrical Cords

Animals experience stress like any other animal, it is a natural response built into all animals to help them escape danger. For domesticated cats, a number of things can elicit the stress response, including changes in the home, new animals, new children, a move, and more. Depending on the cat, this may cause not only stress but anxiety.

What we see with cats is that this comes out in behaviors like peeing, scratching things up, or chewing on things. Unfortunately, electrical cords are an easy target being they are often within reach.

What To Do: The rubbering feeling soothes the stress, so look for a rubbery toy they can chew instead of the cords.

Boredom

Cats need stimulation, and you have experienced that if you have ever raised a kitten. During the stage where they are most active, they will find anything they can to play with. Cords are like a large string and are hanging, so are the perfect toy in their eyes.

What To Do: Try hanging a string with a ball off the end of them to play with when you are not home or they are bored. There are also a variety of toys available for self-amusement, test until you find one your cat enjoys.

Obsessive Compulsive Issues

Yes, even cats are affected by things like obsessive compulsive disorder. Breeds like Siamese, Burmese, and Oriental Short Hair are especially prone to these behaviors and manifest in many obsessive behaviors.

What To Do: If you suspect your cat suffers from an obsessive compulsive issue, seek the advice of your veterinarian. In mild cases, you may be able to help reduce this behavior by adhering to a regular schedule to reduce stress. However, in moderate and severe cases medication may be required.

Dental & Medical Problems

Your fur baby cannot simply tell you when something hurts. Rather, you have to look for behaviors communicating these things. If your cat suddenly starts chewing on things they do not normally, this is an indication they may have a dental problem or some other medical problem.

What To Do: If you suspect a dental or other medical problem with your cat, schedule a consultation with your veterinarian in Florida. Assuming the behavior is simply a new habit may let a condition worsen and can become very serious. Your veterinarian will be able to help you understand new behaviors and if they are of concern.

What Else You Can Do

It is important to get to the underlying reason why your cat is chewing on your electrical cords. However, once the habit has formed you may need to have encouragement to break that habit as you are dealing with the underlying cause.

Try covering the cords with a protective covering. Some people find the following effective:

• Velcro material
• Thick rubber tubbing
• Conduit, like PVC piping

You can also try coating the cables in a menthol substance like Vicks vapor rub. Cats do not like this smell and discourages them from getting near the cords.

Your Next Move

You should always contact a licensed electrician whenever you consider upgrading or repairing anything electrical. Electricity is nothing to play with, and attempting to fix a problem on your own could worsen your issue or create a bigger problem than you know how to fix. When it comes to installing dedicated circuits, you want to make sure the process goes smoothly and causes no issues.

At D.O.C. Electric Inc., we have the know-how to assist you. We’ll send out a professional electrician to help you figure out which appliances deserve dedicated circuits so that you can configure the electricity of your home more efficiently and logically. To get in contact with an electrician today, contact us, and we’ll help you get your circuits sorted out.