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Stress has been identified as a possible risk factor, and for a cat, stress can mean anything from changes in the household to boredom. Genetics and temperament may also play a role. The disorder seems to be more prevalent in oriental breeds. It has been associated with a number of medical conditions, ranging from nutritional deficiencies to endocrine disorders to brain tumors. Most cats outgrow this behavior as they age, but in some, it becomes a lifelong habit. Wool sucking is believed to be displaced nursing behavior and is sometimes observed in cats who were weaned too suddenly or too young when they were kittens. However, when cats actually ingest the things they suck or chew on, it can lead to life-threatening intestinal obstructions that may require emergency surgery.
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As humans who are plagued with OCD can attest, nobody chooses to indulge in that type of behavior. Why pica can be dangerousĪs long as a cat only sucks or chews on the offending substrate, pica in itself is not a threat to your cat’s health, but even as simply an obsessive compulsive disorder, it affects the quality of life of your cat. Most commonly associated with “wool-sucking,” a behavior where cats suck or chew on woolen, cotton or synthetic material, this compulsive disorder can progress to true pica where cats chew on and sometimes ingest anything from wood to litter to plastic grocery bags. Pica is the term used when cats eat non-food items.