# Kitten Eating Cardboard?



## NamelessAria (Jul 12, 2013)

So Dexter, my kitten, is around 4 or 5 months old and he has started eating anything and everything he can find around the house that is made of cardboard. I thought he was just chewing the boxes and spitting the stuff out but now I think he is actually eating some of it. 

Any idea what is causing this behavior? The only thing I can think of is that maybe he is teething? The vet suggested I put him on a diet and limit him to 1 5oz can divided into 2 meals a day. I thought kittens were supposed to eat more than that but I guess he is getting older and moving to more of an adult diet. Is it possible that he is hungry and that is why he has suddenly started trying to eat all my boxes?

I'm a little worried he is going to make himself sick but surely he wouldn't actually eat that much cardboard, right?


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## pkbshrew (Feb 13, 2013)

A kitten of 4-5 months should NOT be on a diet!!! Why on earth did the vet suggest this? Do you know? He's still growing HEAPS and should be having a good 3-4 meals a day. When mine were that age they had unrestricted access to food .....
Re chewing stuff = Teething! Yup, today it will be cardboard, tomorrow it may be wires or something else. At this age they chew EVERYTHING with a vengeance so make sure you kitten proof as much as possible. Chewing up/ingesting a bit of cardboard shouldn't do him any harm.


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## gizmothecat (Jun 26, 2013)

When I moved had lots of boxes, even stuff delivered in boxes gizmo would shred and chew even marshall likes it and they are about a year. After a bit of no and givin them a toy instead the learned its not what mommy approves of. Try and move it to an area he can't get too. I agree kittens should not be on a diet. Don't know why your vet suggested that? Growing bodies need more food


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## Mitts & Tess (Sep 4, 2004)

Some cats are chewers. Even into adulthood. At times stress causes it. but in a kitten I would think its teething. Ive had foster cats chew my glasses, paper back books, boxes etc. I dont know what life is like not finding teeth marks on my things! Esp when I have foster kittens.

Bad advice from the vet. Maybe you should look for a new vet. could be hes more of a dog vet and not really savvy to cats. Free feed this baby till he is almost a year. Moto: What baby wants baby gets. Keep rifling that food to him. Esp soft food.


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## Aerona (Aug 9, 2013)

Isa is chewing on cardboard all the time too and she is about that same age. I don't have any advice specifically to it but my vet said cardboard is better for her than electrical wires.  I gave her a used paper towel roll to play with/chew on and it is her new favorite toy. Also a large drinking straw tied in a knot (I watch her with this just in case, but she seems to like the feelng of it on her teeth).

Agree with the vets feeding advice being a little fishy. Unless there is something unique about your kitten that we don't know about. Isa gets a third of a can in the morning around 7 plus 1/3 cup dry for the day. She is a grazer and that lasts her until 9:30 pm (there is usually a tablespoon or so dry left at 9:30) when I give her another 1/3 can wet plus 1/3 cup dry kitten food. That batch is probably half eaten (all wet gone and some of the dry) in the morning and I just add to it for the day. I started out trying to get her meals more frequently, but like I said, she is a definite grazer...she will eat a few bites, run off and play, go back and eat a few bites, etc. so this way really works better for both of us.


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## NamelessAria (Jul 12, 2013)

Thanks everyone for the responses.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who didn't feel too great about the vet's diet idea. I'm not sure what her rationale is. I had to go out of town for a couple of days so my fiance took Dexter to the vet for me to get his rabies shot and such since I'd already made the appointment. My fiance presented it to me as if the vet was saying that Dexter is getting fat but he doesn't seem to have really put on any fat. He has gotten bigger but that is more in general, longer and all.


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