Mary Allen
From time to time, cats develop strange cravings for foods or objects that they don’t normally eat. This is often caused by deficiency symptoms. Read here which cravings indicate which deficiencies.
Cats know exactly what they need to stay healthy and fit. When they develop strange cravings and suddenly become interested in foods they don’t actually eat, there’s usually a reason. Sometimes it is due to a malfunction in the feed warning system, i. H. that all corresponding instincts are weakened. In most cases, however, the cat indicates a deficiency symptom due to insufficient nutrition. Since these can certainly be signs of an illness, you should try to find out the reason.
Cravings In Cats And Their Causes
Cats can develop very different cravings:
- If the cat is suddenly interested in popcorn, chips, and the like, this can be an indication of a lack of salt. This is relatively common in cats that have been fed exclusively or predominantly on canned food for a long time. But this can also happen with pure raw feeding because the mineral mixtures to be added do not always contain enough salt.
- With chocolate, cream cake, and the like, the cat is not interested in the sweetness, but in the fat.
- Licking off dirt (natural stone floors) or walls can indicate a lack of lime (rather rare), anemia, or a sore throat.
- If it is a freshly whitewashed/wallpapered wall, it may be due to the stimulating scents. Paint and wallpaper paste can get you really high.
When Cats Gnaw On Furniture
Some cats gnaw on furniture, such as a chair leg or the door frame. This can be caused by a dental problem. If the teeth are found to be okay by the vet, “chewing bones” can sometimes help larger and hard treats (dry food is usually too small) as well as thumb-sized chunks of raw or dried beef, such as that used in beef jerky. B. is offered for smaller dogs.
A cat will not accept a “real” dog bone, nor will tubular bones. In general, bones are absolutely taboo for cats because they splinter and parts can get stuck in the mouth or throat or perforate the intestines. Whether or not there is a “substitute” for the table leg you are gnawing on, you should definitely prevent the cat from chewing on wood, because splinters of wood are no less dangerous than splinters of bone.