Why Does The Cat Bite His Owner’s Clothes?

If you have a small domestic cat in your home, you may have noticed that it sometimes loves to nibble and bite your personal items. Beyond simple destructive behavior, there are other reasons why cats bite their owner’s clothes. Read this article to understand the reasons for this particular attitude.

The cat bites the owner’s clothes: why?

Felines are somewhat difficult beings to understand – unlike their dog cousins ​​- and many times it’s not clear why they act one way or another. If you have noticed your cat biting on clothes, a blanket or the mattress, this could be due to a manifestation of his personality.

Animals love their “personal” items and some are reluctant to share them with others, be they people or animals. Because of this, they become possessive to the point of biting and licking them.

It does not matter what material the objects in question are made of. Your kitty can chew on anything : cardboard, leather, wood, rubber, plastic, or whatever else it has on its paw. The problem starts when his whole life revolves around this same behavior.

Some cats turn a habit such as biting a blanket into an obsession, and this can be dangerous to their health. Furthermore, there is an even more concrete problem. If your kitten chews and swallows certain materials, it can choke, have digestive problems and even become intoxicated.

In short, it is not a serious problem if the cat chews your things, it matters more how much and how it does it. If you notice that he is more grumpy, meows, he curls more than usual and that for nothing in the world he gives up his “treasure”, there could be a fundamental problem that must be analyzed.

The reasons why a cat bites clothes

There is no single reason why your four-legged friend behaves this way. Hence, it is essential to pay attention to its habits and discard the reasons why it bites different materials:

1. Genetics

Some cat breeds, including Burmese and Siamese, are more likely to chew wool than others. Genes have a lot to do with this – there’s not a lot to do about it! However, we advise you to avoid that their behavior is excessive and therefore harmful to health.

2. Early weaning

Those kittens who, for different reasons, were separated from their mother too early, tend to suck or lick fabrics and blankets. The object that your cat chooses to bite is a kind of substitute for the “pacifier”, a consequence of the period in which it has not been breastfed. Maybe just as time goes on, it will stop doing that. But that’s not something to worry about.

3. Stress

Before a major change in the house – the arrival of a child or another animal, the death of the owner, a move, a trip, etc. – cats can suffer from stress and manifest it in different ways. Some can get aggressive, others don’t eat for days, and there are those who bite their clothes to release built-up tensions.

4. Boredom

If your pet stays alone at home for long hours and has no toys or else to entertain, you can begin to lick or chew your belongings. This can also happen if you don’t play enough together and don’t give them enough time. They are animals that constantly need stimuli, both physical and mental.

This is more common in cats living in apartments with no access to the outside. The behavior can be reversed by offering the animal a series of recreational activities to do together. Do not hesitate to buy a scratching post, puppets and balls with which you can let off steam.

5. Illness

Although not very common, felines with leukemia or other serious diseases, such as brain tumors, sometimes show some changes in their behavior. If your cat compulsively bites clothes, you should take him to the vet for a visit.

6. Poor nutrition

In this case, you need to point your finger on the type of food you are offering your little friend. We are not talking about quantities, but about the quality of some foods. Keep in mind that a cat needs specific nutrients and vitamins. The fact that the cat decides to bite on clothes, plants, furniture and more is to be found in its need to add ‘something’ that is missing to its diet.

7. Territoriality

Finally, don’t forget that cats are very territorial beings. If a cat bites its owners’ clothes, perhaps it is a way to make it clear that it “owns” them, that they are his. The same happens when he scratches a sofa or does his business in certain areas of the house.