What to Do to Keep My Cats From Licking Fabric?

Your cat may compulsively lick fabric because of a variety of emotional, behavioral or medical conditions. While fabric licking is usually not dangerous, if the cat accidentally ingests a fabric item, it can cause an intestinal blockage. Stop your cat from licking, biting, chewing or sucking on fabric items in your home to prevent damage to these items or accidental ingestion by the cat.

  1. Causes

    • A move to a new home, the introduction of a new pet or the presence of outdoor cats can all cause your cat stress, causing it to lick fabric. Oriental breeds such as the Siamese or Burmese are more prone to fabric licking and wool sucking than other types of cats, according to PetEducation.com. If you wean a kitten too early from its mother, prior to 6 weeks of age, it can also lead to this behavior. Certain medical conditions, including diabetes and anemia can lead to fabric licking or sucking. Take your cat to a veterinarian to rule out a medical cause for its fabric licking.

    Dietary Changes

    • Switching a cat onto a dry food diet rich in fiber and low in fat can help to stop fabric licking behavior. The fiber helps the cat feel full longer, deterring the licking behavior caused by hunger. Add 1 tsp. of canned pumpkin to your cat's canned food or mix it with the dry food to increase the cat's fiber intake and stop its fabric licking, recommends Dr. Debbie Horwitz of the Purina Cat Chow website. You can also feed your cat green beans, cabbage, lettuce or barley grass to give your cat the fiber it requires in its diet and discourage fabric licking.

    Environmental Enrichment

    • Fabric licking usually affects indoor cats whose environment does not properly stimulate them. Play with your cat using interactive toys for 10 to 15 minutes each day to keep it active. Provide your cat with plastic toys to chew on, DVDs designed to engage cats, a covered fish tank or place a bird feeder outside of its favorite window, recommends the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Give your cat its food in a treat ball so that it needs to work for its food and take your cat out for walks in your yard on a leash.

    Deterrents

    • If possible, place fabric items away in drawers to keep your cat from getting to them. For items you cannot put away, such as furniture upholstery or draperies, spray them with a bitter-tasting deterrent for pets, found in pet supply stores. Ask your veterinarian about putting your cat on prescription anti-anxiety medication, such as clomiprimine, fluoxetine and amitriptyline to curb its fabric licking behavior, recommends PetEducation.com. Treat your cat when it plays with toys instead of licking fabric and if you catch the cat in the act of licking, give it a quick squirt with a spray water bottle to discourage its behavior.