Why a cat eats soil in the vegetable garden

Prolonged stress contributes to the development of compulsive states, when the pet not only eats the ground. Signs of neurosis appear:

Why does a cat eat soil?

Why a cat eats the ground, worries the owner, if he suddenly sees such strange behavior of his pet. Many people are often very frightened, thinking that such a phenomenon may indicate that the cat is dying and will soon be separated from the pet. In reality, this is not the case, and eating earth does not indicate that the cat is approaching death. A cat can eat soil either in the garden while walking or by getting it from a flower pot. The latter is quite dangerous, since there is usually a lot of fertilizer in the soil for houseplants, which can cause poisoning of the animal.

Kittens are more likely to be poisoned by fertilizer. Adult cats, on the other hand, suffer mild poisoning unnoticed for a long time, which manifests itself at the moment when the internal organs begin to give serious failures. A veterinarian is not always able to help in this situation. The first thing that causes eating store-bought earth is gastritis.

Causes of Earth Eating

Appearance of a craving for earth in cats can cause the following 4 main reasons:

1. Psychological disturbances (not to be confused with mental health, although the psyche in cats also sometimes suffers);
2. Infestation by certain parasites;
3. lack of minerals and vitamins in the body;
4. The need to remove accumulations of hair from the stomach.

Depending on what caused the special behavior, the way to eliminate it is also determined. Usually it is not difficult to restore the normal state of the cat and stop the eating of the ground. If, despite all efforts, it is not possible to restore the cat's normal eating behavior, then the help of a veterinarian will be required.

Psychological problems in which the cat eats soil

A number of animals in a moment of depression or stress exhibit strange eating behavior. The cat often eats soil from the flowerpot or chews on it during walks. Many factors influence the development of stress and depression, including the breed of the cat. If a cat is very emotional, any sudden changes can cause the cat to become disturbed. Pets eat ground up because of stress very often. Stress in cats occurs mostly for the following reasons:

• moving house;
• a new owner;
• Prolonged periods of loneliness, if the cat was constantly surrounded by attention;
• A new pet in the family (especially if it is an adult and fairly aggressive dog);
• the arrival of a new family member (e.g., a visit from guests for an extended period of time);
• A drastic change in living conditions;
• A sudden change of diet.

When a cat is stressed, there is not only an emotional change in behavior, but also a taste change. When this disorder occurs, the animal begins to eat inappropriate objects or soil in order to calm itself down, not because it is hungry, or the cat is attracted by the taste. Also with such unusual behavior, some pets try to attract the attention of the owner, if it was the lack of communication with him that caused the depression.

Causes: why does the cat chew on the ground?

Diseases

• Brain tumor. Compression of the CNS departments contributes to the impairment of the animal's understanding of what it consumes. In addition to soil, the pet may eat polyethylene, foam plastic, fabrics. Not only taste preferences change, but also behavior in general.
• Anemia. An unbalanced or monotonous diet leads to a lack of iron and a decrease in hemoglobin, which affects the appetite disorder.
• Leukemia. The disease is provoked by an oncovirus and is characterized by abnormal growth of hematopoietic tissue. All organs and systems are affected, which affects the change in taste.
• Diabetes mellitus. A metabolic disorder prevents the absorption of nutrients. Because of this, the cat eats soil from the flower pot.
• Worm infestation. Parasites feed on the useful substances coming into the body with food, due to which the animal experiences a lack of micronutrients. This disrupts the functioning of the organs, which becomes the cause of eating the ground.

Lack of vitamins

Most often, perverted appetite occurs if the cat lacks B and D vitamins, as well as iron and calcium. The animal not only chews the ground, but also licks plaster, metal objects, and eats toilet litter. Kittens are particularly affected by avitaminosis, because their digestive system is very delicate and inedible things can severely harm the baby. Lack of vitamins and micronutrients slows growth, contributes to physical and mental retardation, brittle bones, hair loss, vision problems.

Psychological disorders

If the cat eats soil from the pot, it may indicate a lack of attention from the owner. Prolonged absence of the owner at work, ignoring pet petting, refusal to play with him leads to the fact that the cat tries to stand out with inadequate behavior. The animal seeks entertainment if it is bored, no toys.

A factor in mental distress is regular stress. Noisy parties at the owner's house, strangers, relocation, change of environment, scandals in the family, the appearance of a new baby – any changes in the usual routine of life make the cat very nervous. In a stressful situation there is a hormonal imbalance, which contributes to the appearance of a perverse taste.

What are the dangers of ground eating?

Veterinarians warn that if a cat eats sand outside, it provokes such complications:

• Bacterial contamination. The soil contains many pathogens that are deadly to cats. These include salmonella, panleukopenia virus, herpesvirus, and fungi – microsporum, trichophyton. Particularly ill kitten, the ailment can end lethally.
• Swallowing debris. There may be small particles of glass, wire, metal objects in the ground. If swallowed, foreign bodies enter the food tract, provoking internal bleeding, internal organ dysfunction and can cause death of the animal.
• Poisoning by pesticides. A variety of fertilizers, poison for rodents and insects, and pesticides enter the soil. Getting into the cat's gastrointestinal tract, toxins affect the brain, liver, kidneys, which is fatal.

Mental disorders

Pikacism is a disease similar in severity to anorexia and bulimia. It is expressed in the desire to eat inedible objects. It appears as a result of mental disorder, nervous shock and can lead to death.

Studies by scientists on animal behavior have found that pets are just as susceptible to depression as humans are to fear. Picacism in science is divided into two types:

Cats are susceptible to both forms of the disease. In order to determine why a cat eats the ground from a psychological point of view, it is necessary to analyze all the facts of the pet's life.

The problem may have originated in childhood, especially for animals picked up at an early age from the street. Starvation leads to death in 3-4 days. Even if the kitten is rescued during this period and given the care it needs, the effects of trauma can take several years to manifest themselves. The animal will suffer from gluttony more often throughout its life, and this often leads to the second type of eating disorder – coprophagia.

It is more difficult for a domestic cat that finds itself on the street and has to go without food, because of circumstances, to go hungry. Once the pet finds a hiding place, it hides and its fear overrides its need to eat. The pet is restrained by fear and prevents it from moving. If the owners manage to locate the animal and rescue it, the recent experiences still haunt the shaken one for a long time. Here's another psychological reason why a cat eats soil from room pots.

Stomach cleansing

Representatives of the feline family are characteristic of cleansing the intestines and stomach of parasites and accumulated hair. In the wild, animals use sand as a sorbent. It irritates the mucosa and leads to vomiting along with clots of hair, and also destroys parasites in the large intestine. Therefore, the explanation for why a cat eats soil may lie in the natural process of cleansing the body.

Earth or sand may be present in the feces, and the animal will eat earth with greed in such a problem. A lab test will help determine the presence of the worm. In this way you can confirm the relationship between eating soil and the presence of parasites.

At the same time, preventive measures do not provide a 100% guarantee of protection against worms and pests, because their range of action is limited.

Health consequences

If your cat is constantly eating soil, it can lead to various health problems, as the soil can contain various harmful substances and microorganisms that can be dangerous for the animal. Here are some of the possible consequences of constantly eating soil for the cat:

• Nutritional deficiencies: if a cat eats earth instead of its regular food, it may not get enough of the nutrients it needs to stay healthy.
• Constipation and digestive problems: cats who eat earth may experience digestive problems such as constipation because the earth does not contain enough fiber.
• Parasites: The earth may contain parasites such as worms and flatworms, which can infect the cat and cause various health problems.
• Hazardous substances: earth may contain harmful chemicals such as heavy metals or pesticides which may cause poisoning of the cat.
• Dental problems: cats who eat soil all the time can damage their teeth, as some types of soil can be hard or contain sharp stones.

What to do about it?

If you notice that your cat is eating soil, you should see a veterinarian to diagnose and treat possible health problems with your pet. If you're sure your cat is healthy and just has a bad habit of eating soil, there are a few methods you can try:

• Distraction: try distracting your cat by offering him a toy or treat when he starts eating soil.
• Avoiding accessibility: do not allow your cat to go outside where he may have access to the ground he eats.
• Providing the right diet: make sure that your cat gets enough nutrients from his regular food. If in doubt, you can discuss the right diet for your cat with your veterinarian.
• Use pain medication: If your cat has dental or oral problems you can use pain medication or consult your vet for treatment of any conditions.
• Try a change of location: if your cat has a favorite spot where he eats the ground, try changing his feeding location or his residence to reduce the availability of the ground.

Regardless of which method you choose, remember to be patient and consistent. Getting rid of the habit may take time, but with the right approach and treatment of the cause of the behavior, you should have success in weaning your cat from eating earth.

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Causes of this behavior

The etiology of this condition is not fully understood, but it is safe to say that by eating soil, cats do not intend to misbehave or upset their owners, so there is no need to punish them for this.

Analyzing the health of pets with this harmful habit, experienced veterinarians have come to the conclusion that, in most cases, picacism in cats is evidence of medical abnormalities. These may include:

Psychological disorders.

If a cat is eating the ground, it may be an indication that it is stressed or depressed. Any stressful situations can cause behavioral changes. Cats react to stress in different ways. Breed and character traits are of great importance. If an animal has never suffered from a lack of attention and affection, always received a good diet, it will better cope with the negative consequences of unpleasant situations. The same cannot be said about those animals whose fate was not so fortunate.

This type of pickiness can develop in a cat that has experienced intense feelings of hunger under extreme conditions (for example, if as a kitten it almost starved to death after being lost on the street).

Stress and depression in cats can also be triggered by the following situations:

• moving to a new apartment, change of owner;
• sitting alone for a long time;
• the arrival of new people in the house or competition with another cat;
• uncomfortable living conditions;
• unmet need to communicate with the owner;
• insufficient attention to her.

Such situations can lead to neurotic disorders, which, in turn, are sources of eating disorders.

To eliminate behavioral problems, the adverse factors that caused the stress or depression must be eliminated. This can be done by giving the pet increased care and attention, and by eliminating the lack of communication. In severe cases, you will have to give him sedatives and antidepressants prescribed by the veterinarian.

Is it okay to let the cat eat dirt?

Soil eating by a cat is not natural. It can have unpredictable consequences. Outdoor soil is full of chemicals, pathogens, parasite larvae and small pieces of glass. And the earth in flowerpots is too full of minerals.

But if it is still impossible to wean your pet from this habit, it is better to take control of the process. To do this, you need to collect for him in a pot of ecologically clean forest soil, sift it through a coarse sieve for the elimination of foreign elements and put it in a wide bowl with sides.

You should try to find out why your cat wants to eat the earth. To do this, be sure to bring him to the veterinary clinic for an examination. After all, an animal with perverted eating habits may try to eat not only earth, but also objects and substances that are dangerous and even poisonous to him. For a pet's life and health to be safe, this habit should be eliminated if possible. At the very least, harm from it should be tried to be minimized.

Disorder of the psyche

In human psychiatry there is such a concept as Pikacism – the desire to eat inedible things. The pathology refers to an eating disorder on the background of a psychological condition. The condition is considered serious, similar in severity to anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and other eating disorders that can lead to death.

Unfortunately, there is very little research on psychiatry in the veterinary field. Animals can't talk and that's a major difficulty. However, even rudimentary observations have helped establish that pets are prone to depression, phobias and other somatic disorders. Globally, pikacism is divided into a general disorder and coprophagia. In the first case, the animal eats rocks, earth, paper, any waste and inedible materials; in the second, it eats feces. Cats are prone to both forms of picacism.

Even the most experienced veterinarian is unlikely to be able to name the exact causes of the mental disorder. Most often the cause is formed on the background of several factors that have taken place in the animal's life. The owner may have no idea what the ward is going through, which makes diagnosis much more difficult. Based on experience, doctors can only speculate about the cause.

Hunger – When a domestic cat finds itself outside, it hides and the only thing that can drive it out of hiding is the desire to eat. Unfortunately, the psyche of many animals cannot tolerate that much stress and the animal is literally starving, but will not come out of hiding. If the owners discover their missing animal and manage to save it, the consequences are unpredictable.

Before starving to death, the cat's nervous system works at its best. The brain makes the animal move in every way possible, but fear cuts off the action of adrenaline and other hormones. If the cat is rescued, the pre-death memories remain fresh for a very long time, they literally haunt the cat, which leads to psychosomatic disorder.

Parasites

If your cat is eating the ground in large quantities and literally cowering for a treat, remember the last time you did worm prevention. Severe infestation causes feelings of itching, looseness, and bloating. In nature, cats sometimes eat sand to get rid of parasites, in the home, the pet may eat filler from the litter tray or soil from flower pots.

Note! If the cause is parasites, the cat will eat the soil greedily. Vomiting and the presence of soil in the feces may develop.

Recent parasite prophylaxis offers no guarantees. Classic drugs for worms have a certain range of action. If your pet has picked up an "exotic neighbor," the usual drugs will not help. To remove or confirm the diagnosis, a laboratory fecal analysis should be performed, and several times (with intervals of 2-3 days).

Mental disorder

A craving to eat inedible objects, caused by a mental disorder, is called picaresis. This condition can be caused by physical abnormalities, including hereditary, and trauma. Mental disorders are more susceptible to animals that have lived on the streets and experienced hunger, as well as those that have suffered psychological trauma. Stress is often the triggering factor. A deviation can provoke it:

When should a veterinarian be consulted?

Eating soil is not natural for the cat and may be dangerous for its health – it may contain poisonous impurities, parasites, shards of glass, etc. If you notice that a pet licks or eats soil or sand, you need to find out the reason. The desire to eat soil can occur under:

• Worm infestation. The cat eats soil in the hope of getting rid of parasites and relieve the discomfort caused by their life. White flecks in the feces, digestive disorders, deterioration of the coat, weight loss should alert.
• Anemia. With anemia, there is often a perversion of taste – the animal eats or licks plaster, litter box filler and even its own feces. Other symptoms: lethargy, rapid pulse, pale mucous membranes, shortness of breath, decrease in body temperature.
• Intestinal obstruction. It can occur due to swallowing foreign objects (plastic, cellophane bags, small toys, wrappers), tumors, intestinal spigot. The cat refuses to eat, vomits, visits the litter box frequently in an attempt to empty the bowels, but to no avail, the abdomen increases in volume.

• Diabetes. The disease may cause changes in his sense of taste, a strong thirst, visual impairment, sudden weight loss or weight gain.
• Diseases of the stomach, pancreas (pancreatitis, gastritis, ulcer), gallbladder, and biliary tract. Their frequent symptoms are nausea, vomiting, bloating, diarrhea, constipation.
• Abnormalities of the nervous system, traumas of the brain. The urge to eat indigestible things occurs due to a disorder of the taste buds. These conditions are indicated by strange behavior, loss of consciousness, convulsions, shaky gait, paralysis.