Cat are known for being curious – and sometimes that curiosity gets them into trouble. If your cat has a habit of chewing cords, you already know this.
Chewing electrical cords first poses the most serious risk to your cat’s life. The wrong chomp and your cat can receive a life threatening shock or be severely burned. Not to mention the risk of strangulation should the chew session find a dangerous tangle.
Secondary, it’s dangerous and expensive for us humans to have exposed wires or damaged electronics. So how can we stop a cat from chewing on cords?
First, it’s helpful to try understanding why a cat chooses to chew on cords. Is your cat bored? Are they stress chewing? Is your cat possibly teething? Do they have a more serious condition called pica – which causes them to chew and eat lots of inedible objects?
Tips to help stop your cat from chewing cords
- Cord Management. Conceal cords behind furniture or use cord protectors to cover exposed cords when possible. Use wraps or cord shorteners to bundle excess cord length. This is especially helpful to avoid your cat getting dangerously tangled in cords.
- Safe Deterrents. Use double-sided tape, tin foil, or a pure citrus extract spray to make cords unattractive to your kitty.
- Training. Use counter-conditioning and positive reinforcement to teach your cat there are better things to do than chew on life-threatening cords.
- Appropriate Chewing Options. Chewing is a natural and healthy activity for cats, so we don’t want to stop it altogether. Provide enjoyable options – like silvervine sticks or raw, meaty bones to satiate your cat’s natural need to chew.
It’s important to remember that supervision and consistency are key to helping stop this dangerous habit. And it’s worth the extra time an effort. You will avoid the long-term frustration of damaged cords, and more importantly, you could save your cat’s life.
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