# Devon Rex pinching food (and everything else!)



## LucyB (Jun 24, 2017)

Our Devon Rex kitten is now 16 weeks and has settled in brilliantly - he's such a lot of fun and very affectionate! 

There's just one thing that worries us - he constantly tries to steal our food, plus other things that may not be good for him. We've tried being perseverant, constantly lifting him off the table, saying 'no' in a suitably stern voice etc. and have now resorted to putting him out of the room while we eat (which we don't like doing as he cries outside the door!). Worse is the stealing items if we put them down - e.g. I was untying a freezer bag and placed the metal tie on the kitchen unit - in a flash he'd got it and pegged off down the hallway! My main concern there is his health - that sort of thing would play havoc on his insides, if not choke him.

I wondered if it was a teething thing (wanting to chew on things) or just a cheeky trait? He definitely gets fed enough, plus has lots of toys to chew on, and we play with him lots. Any ideas appreciated!


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

Hi @LucyB, wanting to chew things is a sign of teething, so hopefully it is that. If so, it will just be a fairly short time you'll need to be hawk-eyed and obsessive about keeping every risky item out of his reach.

However there is a condition called Pica where cats have a compulsion to eat inedible objects. Some breeds such as Siamese, Tonkinese and Burmese are more prone to have this habit, which continues into adulthood and all through their life. I don't think Devon Rex tend to have Pica though.

Here is an article from Icat Care about Pica in cats:

https://icatcare.org/advice/problem-behaviour/pica-cats


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## LucyB (Jun 24, 2017)

chillminx said:


> Hi @LucyB, wanting to chew things is a sign of teething, so hopefully it is that. If so, it will just be a fairly short time you'll need to be hawk-eyed and obsessive about keeping every risky item out of his reach.
> 
> However there is a condition called Pica where cats have a compulsion to eat inedible objects. Some breeds such as Siamese, Tonkinese and Burmese are more prone to have this habit, which continues into adulthood and all through their life. I don't think Devon Rex tend to have Pica though.
> 
> ...


Thank you, I'll have a read through that now!


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## carly87 (Feb 11, 2011)

Are you free feeding him? Being a high energy live wire, he's going to eat his own body weight in food every day, then scream for more! He needs to be on a high quality food as well, not just supermarket pouches.


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## LucyB (Jun 24, 2017)

He's on natures menu pouches, so fairly good quality, plus I'd say he's eating a lot - probably more than the natures menu site recommends, as he does always seem hungry!


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## carly87 (Feb 11, 2011)

Quantify a lot?


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## LucyB (Jun 24, 2017)

carly87 said:


> Quantify a lot?


Thanks for replying - he's actually been far better recently...we wondered if he was having a mad growth spurt / teething or something (he certainly suddenly seems much bigger! ) Do cats have growth spurts?!


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

Yes, cats most definitely have growth spurts right up until they are fully grown around the age of 2 or 3 (or later in the case of some larger pedigree breeds).


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