Maybe you've ever seen your cat eat the litter in his box and you don't understand this behavior. This is due to a disorder called pica, which consists of eating non-nutritional objects, since, in addition to sand, they can eat anything else such as plastics, fabrics, etc.
This disorder can be due to many things, from a poor diet to stress problems and even a more serious illness. It's best to take your cat to the vet so that he can do the necessary examinations and help you discover what is causing this behavior, but in this article of our site we want to give you some answers to the question of Why does my cat eat the sand?
Pica Disorder
If we see that our cat has a tendency to chew and eat all kinds of objects, whether it is food or not, such as sand from the sandbox, for example, we can begin to suspect that he has pica. This disorder, also called malacia, can cause serious he alth problems in the animal, since the ingestion of objects can lead to all kinds of he alth problems.
Generally, this behavior indicates that the cat suffers from a lack of nutrients and minerals in its diet and therefore begins to eat other things. Environmental factors, such as boredom or stress, can also lead our cat to suffer from this problem and may even have a more serious disease that only the veterinarian can diagnose.
Feeding Problems
If you are not feeding your cat well, he may have a lack of nutrients and minerals that he will try to supply by eating other things, although not be food. In this case, you should study his diet, what type of food you are giving him, if it is of good quality and covers all his nutritional needs; how many times a day you feed him and if he needs any supplements.
If you wonder why your cat eats the litter and you think it may be a feeding problem, it is advisable to take it to the vet, since with an analysiswill be able to know what your furry is missing and will be able to recommend a more adequate diet to improve its he alth and put an end to this behaviour.
Stress, anxiety, or depression
If you have ever wondered why my cat eats the litter? And you know perfectly well that it ingests the necessary nutrients in its diet, the answer may be stress. Anxiety, stress, and depression cause many behavior problems and can lead to your cat eating litter, among other things.
Ask yourself what might cause your cat stress,if you've recently moved, if he's spending too much time alone, or if a loved one has died loved him recently, for example, and try to cheer him up by spending more time with him and giving him games and cuddles.
Boredom
If you observe the symptoms of a bored cat and see that he can't find any way to pass the time, he will look for " alternative activities". These animals are very curious and love to play, they scratch, climb, chase things, hunt, bite, but if your feline friend doesn't have these entertainments he can start eat the sand in the sandbox, simply out of boredom.
If he spends many hours alone at home, make sure you leave him toys and objects to entertain himself with, you can even find him a new partner to play with.
Curiosity
Cats are very curious animals, especially when they are small, and they want to know everything around them. One way to do this is through experimentation, so they may lick or eat some grains from their litter box.
If the cause is curiosity, you will see that, even if he swallows a few grains, he will spit out the vast majority and this behaviorwill not repeat many more times. Don't worry, he'll learn it's not food and won't try anymore.
Other diseases
Sometimes the reason is none of the above, but then why does your cat eat the litter? There are some diseases that can cause your cat to eat stones and sand, as well as other objects, and that should be diagnosed by a veterinarian. These diseases can cause a lack of nutrients, minerals or vitamins and cause a ravenous appetite, such as diabetes, leukemia or peritonitis.
How to avoid this behavior
While the ingestion of sand persists, the most important thing is remove the stones from your sandbox and put newspaper or kitchen paper in their place. Then you will have to investigate what is the problem that your cat may be suffering from.
If you think the problem may be stress, boredom or depression, you should try to spend more time with him, create a calm environment at home and provide him with games and entertainment.
In the event of a feeding problem, you will have to buy good quality feed and food that covers all the nutritional needs of the kitten. In addition to taking him to the vet for tests and an examination, in case he had another disease. An expert is the one who can best help you with this type of problem.
