# Does anyone know the psychological reasons why cats chew on wires?



## coonconnoisseur (Sep 16, 2010)

Does anyone know the psychological reasons why cats chew on wires?


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

Because they're there. 

Maybe they look like mouse tails?


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## April0684 (Sep 5, 2010)

I would love to know what they are thinking about too! Salem has given my cell phone charger a few good kitty teeth holes lol!


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## Sinatra-Butters (Aug 9, 2010)

They don't believe in technology.


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## Kobster (Feb 1, 2007)

^^Quaker kitties!!!


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## CatnipCats (Feb 15, 2010)

Good question! I wondered about this for years, too. Then it dawned on me earlier this year, when I first saw a cat give birth and chew the umbilical cord. I think they're instinctively trying to cut the cord. 

Timely question for me, too. A cat chomped my mouse cord in two yesterday morning, so I bought a new wireless mouse (which goes in a drawer when I'm not using it, so it doesn't become a hockey puck).


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## catloverami (Jul 5, 2010)

Because they can? I've had a number of "wire chewers" over the years. I think it starts out when they're teething as kittens. They find it feels good and then they just keep doing it, and it becomes an obsession. You can buy "wire covers" to protect them, or spray them with vinegar or "Bitter Apple" (available at pet stores). The danger is having them chew off pieces and then swallow them, which may perforate their intestines. My girl doesn't chew wires but her obsession is shoe laces! I had to buy sneakers with velcro tabs or elastic. She's never outgrown her obsession and got locked in hubby's closet by accident the other day, and yep chewed his shoelaces. Now I have to watch for signs of a blockage! (groan!)


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## Alpaca (Dec 21, 2009)

Wires. Yes, Miu prefers the thin type of wires and has chewed up a number of them that were attached to various electronic devices that have been rendered useless. Oh well. We love her anyways.


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## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

Mow's obsessed with the laptop cord. He's always grabbing at it and biting it. I worry about him electricuting himself though and shoo him away all the time.

I keep picturing the scene from the Chevy Chase movie "Christmas Vacation" where the cat fries itself on the christmas lights cord.


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## Fran (Jan 9, 2008)

I think they probably start chewing out of curiosity or boredom, and continue because they like the sensation of puncturing the outer part of the wire with their teeth. Think about it, most kitties eat soft food or kibble which gets swallowed without much chewing. They probably enjoy chewing on something with more resistance. 

We give Gracie drinking straws to munch on (I checked, they are not made of that nasty plastic with BPA in it), and she will methodically chomp on a straw from one end to the other, making tons of punctures...She seems to get the same pleasure chewing straws as she does chewing on the little bones in the raw quails we give her. 

Fran


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

My girls LOVE straws!!


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## Time Bandit (Aug 17, 2010)

Alice loves straws too! If I accidentally leave an empty glass on the short living room table overnight, and there's a straw in it, I can be sure to find it on the floor the next morning, a little mangled mess, haha. She also loves my hair bands and rubber bands. Wires and anything thin and dangly are there to be swatted at. The good thing is, she only chews on straws...at least that I've found...:?


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## Kobster (Feb 1, 2007)

Ninja also loves straws, or any type of soft plastic he can chew on. Thankfully, my wire chewers always grew out of it. But not before causing hundreds of $ in damages. Cats! Who'd have em!


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## Susan (Mar 29, 2010)

I think kittens chew on cords and the like because, like babies and toddlers, they tend to explore with their mouths. Further, I agree with Fran...they do so because they're either curious or bored.


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## Kobster (Feb 1, 2007)

My mother always accused my cats of being orally fixated.


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## jbx74205 (Jul 21, 2010)

My boys love headphone cords. I've lost 2 pairs to their jaws so far and nearly a 3rd, but I stopped them in time. =)


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## Jess041 (Jul 6, 2009)

MowMow said:


> I keep picturing the scene from the Chevy Chase movie "Christmas Vacation" where the cat fries itself on the christmas lights cord.


YES! I was watching that over Christmas break, when it got to that part, I told Lexi she better pay close attention because that's happen when you chew on Christmas lights!

Luckily, Lexi hasn't been much of a cord chewer.. the ONLY thing she chews is my headphones! I can't even count the number of headphones she's destroyed!


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## Miso (Dec 5, 2009)

I wish I knew. My girl loves to chew my headphone and laptop cords. Now I unplug and put everything away when I'm not home. I bought some bitter yuck stuff but haven't tried it yet. Silly kitties!


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## Carmel (Nov 23, 2010)

I think Fran nailed the reason, they like the sensation. 

It's pretty dangerous though, long before I was born my family had a cat that electrocuted herself...


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