How to Stop a Cat From Biting Cords

There is no foolproof way to train your cat to not bite and chew on cords. No matter how many times you discourage your cat, if there is a cord within its reach, your pet may start to nibble. The only solution is to make it impossible for your cat to bite cords as much as you can, and unpleasant to bite on them the rest of the time. Once your cat learns to associate nibbling on your power cables with unpleasant sensations, the behavior will taper off and perhaps disappear altogether.

Things You'll Need

  • Tape
  • Mailing tubes
  • Cable bundler
  • Double-sided tape
  • Aluminum foil
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Instructions

    • 1

      Get as many of your cords out of the way as possible. Tape them to the floors and walls where your cat will not be able to easily access them. You may also be able to mitigate cord biting by hiding the power cords under furniture.

    • 2

      Wrap your cords together. Use tape, mailing tubes, or a cable bundler to combine multiple cords into a single one. Cats prefer thin cords, so if you wrap them together, it will discourage cord biting. The wrap will also protect the cord somewhat.

    • 3

      Put double-sided tape on your cords. Cats hate the feeling of the tape sticking to their whiskers, so they will avoid biting cords with tape on it. Unfortunately, double-sided tape has a tendency to pick up dirt and will periodically need to be replaced.

    • 4

      Wrap your cords in aluminum foil. Cats can not stand the feeling of aluminum foil between their teeth, and will quickly cease biting cords once they get a taste of the foil.

    • 5

      Coat the cords with something cats don't like to smell or taste. Bitter apple sprays sold in pet shops, lemon juice, soapy water and hot pepper sauce are all quite unpleasant to cats. Depending on the cat, you may be able to cure the behavior with one coat or you may have to periodically reapply the treatment to prevent future cord biting.