Cloth-chewing cat needs to quit cold turkey

Q : My cat is 17 months old. He is a neutered male named Woody. He is a very nice kitty but not a cuddler. He is obsessed with chewing fabric, especially cotton fabric. We have tried to keep cloth away from him. Our veterinarian has started a fluoxetine trial. What will be the endpoint? Do we try to reintroduce a piece of fabric and see what he does? We already have holes in our clothes.

Dr Nichol: You are being socially responsible in getting Woody’s problem under control. Trying to explain to an arresting officer that your cat ate your clothes just won’t fly; they’ve seen and heard it all.

Often called wool sucking, chewing any fabric is a true compulsive disorder in cats. It’s hereditary in “oriental” breeds like Siamese, Himalayans and Burmese, but not all of them do it. Others, including mixed-breed kitties like yours, can be afflicted.

Besides decimating your wardrobe, blankets, curtains and rugs, Woody can swallow bits of fabric, leading to an intestinal blockage. A sudden onset of vomiting, loss of appetite and lethargy would be a blaring alarm that your boy needs emergency treatment.

Compulsive behaviors are feedback loop disorders of the brain’s circuitry. Stressors like multiple cats or being a solitary pet, inadequate feline-specific activities (climbing, perching, hiding, scratching, hunting) and separation anxiety can advance this vicious cycle in a cat like Woody.

You have done the right thing by removing fabric from this kitty’s life. Playing with him using stalk, hunt-and-pounce toys and providing all of his nutrition from challenging food-dispensing toys and puzzles (lose his food bowl) can make a difference. Chew toys, including rawhides and cat grass, and increasing dietary fiber help some cats. Fluoxetine (the Reconcile brand is best) has reduced this problem in many cases.

I wish there were a cure, but Woody’s compulsive cloth chewing will be a lifelong challenge. Reintroducing fabric later would very likely trigger a relapse. Forget punishment and reprimands; they won’t rewire the kid’s brain. He needs to quit cloth cold turkey.

For help with behavior problems, you can sign up for a Zoom group conference on my website, drjeffnichol.com.

Dr. Jeff Nichol is a residency trained veterinary behaviorist. He provides consultations in person and in groups by Zoom (drjeffnichol.com). Each week he shares a blog and a video to help bring out the best in pets and their people. Sign up at no charge at drjeffnichol.com. Send pet questions to drjeffnichol@drjeffnichol.com or to 4000 Montgomery NE, Albuquerque, NM, 87109.