by Dawn R. Cole

Created on: December 21, 2009   Last Updated: December 22, 2009

Wool Sucking Causes and Prevention

Wool sucking is relatively common among cats and usually appears during an adult's mid-life years.  The behavior can range from mild (licking and sucking) to severe (chewing and eating).  If wool is not readily available, any fuzzy fabric seems to satisfy their odd compulsion. 

Pet parents often find the behavior annoying but, more importantly, wool sucking can be an early sign of a physical or emotional problem and if the sucking advances to chewing, the cat will ingest pieces of the wool, which can lead to serious medical issues within the digestive tract.

What Causes Wool Sucking Behaviors?

No one really knows the exact cause, but there are several prominent theories:

A. Weaned Too Early = Kittens have a strong instinct to suckle until the mother cat decides it's time to wean them (around 7 weeks).  If the kittens are weaned too soon they will often search out something warm, soft and fuzzy to replace their mother.  Blankets, sweaters, and fleece garments, though not offering any nutritive value, fill the void quite nicely. 

B. Genetics = Wool sucking is noticeably more prevalent in Oriental breeds than in European or North American breeds.  Siamese, Burmese, Balinese, Tonkinese, or their crosses, have a longer weaning period than other breeds and Siamese cats account for roughly 50% of reported veterinary cases of wool sucking issues.
 
C. Diet = the lack of adequate fiber in the cat's diet may be causing it to turn to a non-food item.  Cats are not able to distinguish non-nutritional fiber sources from digestible fiber, so it is possible they opt for whatever is available in their search for roughage. 

D. Stress or Anxiety = Relocating to a new house or apartment, a dramatic change in their normal routines, or the introduction of new humans or animals into the household, are very stressful times for a cat.  Wool sucking, along with other obsessive-compulsive behaviors, can suddenly appear whenever a cat becomes overly stressed or anxious. 

E. Boredom = Indoor cats are more prone to compulsive behaviors than outdoor cats because they lack a source of mental and physical stimulation.  Indoor cats often develop inappropriate behaviors, like wool sucking or pica, for entertainment.  This theory is not suggesting that you toss your cat outdoors if it starts sucking wool!  It is merely pointing out the fact your cat may have developed a wool sucking behavior

• 1
• 2
• 3
• Next Page >>