Okay, so, you won’t believe what my cat Mittens has been up to lately. She’s developed this weird habit of chewing on blankets. Yeah, you heard that right, blankets! At first, I just thought, “Oh, that’s a bit odd,” and didn’t pay it much mind. But then, it kept happening, and it got me thinking, “Why is she doing this?”
I started watching her more closely. It wasn’t just any blanket; she was particularly fond of this fuzzy one I like to use when I’m curled up on the sofa. She’d knead it with her paws, purr like a motor, and then start chewing and sucking on the edges. Sometimes she’d do it when I was using the blanket, other times she’d just find it lying around and go to town.
My first thought was, “Maybe she’s hungry?” So, I made sure she had plenty of food and water, but the blanket chewing continued. Then I wondered if she was bored. I mean, cats can be pretty mysterious creatures. I bought her some new toys, a fancy scratching post, and even one of those laser pointers that she usually goes crazy for. She played with them, sure, but she still went back to her blanket obsession.
So, I did what any normal person would do: I started Googling. I typed in things like “cat chewing blanket” and “why do cats suck on fabric?” Turns out, it’s not that uncommon. I read a bunch of articles and forum posts about it, and there were a few possible explanations.
- Stress or Comfort: Some folks online said it could be a way for cats to self-soothe, kind of like how a baby sucks its thumb. They mentioned it might be similar to how kittens knead and suckle when they’re nursing. Mittens did seem pretty relaxed when she was doing it, so this made sense.
- Teething: Then I saw it could be a teething issue. She is a few years old now, and I thought that she might have some teeth issues.
- Just Plain Weird: Of course, there’s always the possibility that she’s just a weirdo. Cats are known for their quirks, after all.
After considering what I had read, I decided to try a few things. I found this spray at the pet store that’s supposed to deter cats from chewing on stuff. I spritzed it lightly on the blanket, and guess what? It actually worked! Mittens took one sniff and walked away. Success!
I also made a point of giving her extra attention and playtime, just in case it was a stress thing. I figured a little extra love couldn’t hurt. And you know what? She hasn’t chewed on the blanket since. She still kneads it occasionally, but the chewing has stopped completely.
So, there you have it. The mystery of the blanket-chewing cat, solved! At least in my case. It just goes to show that sometimes, our furry friends do strange things, and it takes a little detective work to figure them out.