# Our Kitten has developed a taste for sealant



## Mattshawman (Jul 20, 2015)

Firstly that should be sealant in the title, not "seale to" (stupid autocorrect!)

So our 8 month old kitten, Charlotte, has developed an usual taste for sealant (the plastic rubber stuff sealing the windows and between doors and walls). This has started recently over the last week or so and she seems crazy for the stuff and is ripping it up left right and centre. I can take damage to furniture, but we are in a rented house so naturally damage to the house itself concerns me. Also I'm pretty sure she hasn't, but I don't want her ingesting any of that stuff!

Any help with this and why she may have started to do this and what we can do would be greatly appreciated! We also have her sister as a cat, also 8 months and she is no problem

Matt


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## moggie14 (Sep 11, 2013)

Hi Matt 
It could be boredom - do your kittens have lots of toys, scratching posts and a cat tree or two to climb and scratch? I know my two boys become destructive if they don't have enough to do. Also keeping their claws clipped (just taking off the point) will help.
Would love to see your duo!


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## lymorelynn (Oct 4, 2008)

You could try painting over the sealant with bitter apple http://www.vetuk.co.uk/dog-training...c-198_597/grannicks-bitter-apple-spray-p-1131
Oh welcome to PF and I have changed the title for you


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## Mattshawman (Jul 20, 2015)

Hi Both, 

Thanks for the replies (and the amendment to the title). We thought it may be borden, but they both have plenty of toys and scratching posts. I did a quick google and a few people have mentioned that their cats have acquired a taste for the stuff!! So far though they have both been indoor cats and we are wondering if this is a symptom of her wanting to get out. Especially as the area she chews tends to be around the back door. They have both been spayed , but I suppose this is something we will need to consider.

I think the bitter apple will be our next step to see though. A friend told me to get a bottle of water with a spray and to spray her when she does it. Don't know how effective that will be. Any thoughts?


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## carly87 (Feb 11, 2011)

I wouldn't spray with water. There are more effective ways of discouraging behaviours.

I doubt she's chewing there because she wants to get out. Id' say it's more because she likes the stuff or because she's bored.


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

I am not a fan of spraying cats with water as a training tool, because there is a risk of making them fearful of you all the time.

But anyway the only way that spraying her with water would have any chance of success would be if she doesn't see you doing it. In other words she'd need to believe _the sealant itself was responsible _for her being sprayed. This is hard to achieve because cats are excellent at judging direction of sound, and a water pistol makes an audible hissing noise when used.

As the cat is likely to realise it is you doing the spraying then all that will happen is she will just chew the sealant when you're not there to stop her.

Unfortunately some plastic/chemical compounds are attractive to cats, and I think the best thing is to put something on it (such as bitter apple) to make it unattractive to yours.


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## ALR (Apr 16, 2014)

chillminx said:


> But anyway the only way that spraying her with water would have any chance of success would be if she doesn't see you doing it. In other words she'd need to believe _the sealant itself was responsible _for her being sprayed. This is hard to achieve because cats are excellent at judging direction of sound, and a water pistol makes an audible hissing noise when used.


I was thinking whether an air blaster would give the cat an impression that the window is doing the disciplining. But I realise they are very expensive and I don't completely get why they need to be refilled: http://www.amazon.co.uk/PetSafe-PDT...id=1437496768&sr=8-1&keywords=cat+air+blaster


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

ALR said:


> I was thinking whether an air blaster would give the cat an impression that the window is doing the disciplining. But I realise they are very expensive and I don't completely get why they need to be refilled: http://www.amazon.co.uk/PetSafe-PDT...id=1437496768&sr=8-1&keywords=cat+air+blaster


They contain compressed air, which is put in the cannister under pressure, so need refilling when used up. I think something like this might work, as it operates independently. But one would need to place a cannister everywhere around the house where there is any sealant, and it could work out quite expensive.


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## ZoeM (Jul 16, 2015)

I suspect your cat has what one of mine has, pica.

Definitely try to discourage eating the sealant with something nasty tasting or - could you cover the sealant up with tape? Then at least she will pull the tape up, and maybe get distracted with playing with that?

I realised my cat had pica when I had to take him to the vets aged 9 months, after he'd started vomiting a lot and not eating. Snafu had eaten a 5 pence piece, which I still have to this day (16 years later). He also eats plastic bags if not hidden away, and infact anything in a plastic covering. I can't put christmas decorations up as he eats the tinsel and gets sparkly 'christmas poos'.

PS: Just found a good webpage though it's for electricity cables - it mentions double sided tape, and tin foil! http://www.wikihow.com/Keep-Cats-from-Chewing-on-Electric-Cords-and-Chargers


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## Nico0laGouldsmith (Apr 23, 2011)

My adult male bengal cat does this. Runs off with massive long lengths of it that he's pulled from the entire window! He does it around the sink and bath too. I limit his access to the bathroom and other rooms where he doesn't need to go and where the sealant is still intact. To be honest though I have left the rooms where he has done it and when we move out of this place I will reapply the sealant. 
I spoke to my dad about it and he said that some sealants have a fishy smell when you apply them so that could attract them but my boy definitely loves anything squidgy or wriggly. His favourite things to run off with include sealant, the bag of bread (which he then rips open in the hallway and tries to eat it) and he likes to play with any dangly wires.


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## Mattshawman (Jul 20, 2015)

Thanks for everyones replies! Good to hear it happens to others too though haha. I have purchased some Bitter Apple and it looks like it has done the trick for the time being. Although it has almost got to a point that there is no sealant left to chew!!


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