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Why does my cat bite my clothes?

If your cat has been chewing on your clothes, this post will show you likely reasons why and what you can do about them.

So, why does my cat bite my clothes? The most likely reasons why your cat bites your clothes are that it likes the feeling on its mouth or that it likes the taste.

There are actually a number of possible reasons why your cat bites your clothes and it might be due to a combination of reasons. However, there are a number of things you can consider to help figure out the main cause and there are some things you can do about it.

Why does my cat bite my clothes?

Below are likely causes and what would make each of them more likely.

Your cat likes the feeling

The reason why your cat chews on clothes could simply be that your cat likes the feeling. This would be more likely if your cat has been chewing other things in a similar way. In this case, it could help to try giving it alternative things to chew or rub its teeth on such as cat dental sticks.

Your cat is marking its scent

Another likely cause is that your cat is actually marking its scent since cats have sweat glands on their chins. This would be more likely if your cat does not actually chew the clothes and it just rubs its mouth and body on the clothes.

Your cat likes the taste

Another possible cause is that your cat simply likes the way your clothes taste. This would be more likely if your cat tends to bite on clothes that are dirty but could still be the case if it does it with clean clothes.

Your cat has a mouth issue

The cause could also be that your cat has a pain in its mouth and it has been chewing the clothes as a way of soothing the pain. This would be more likely if your cat has started doing it suddenly and if it has been showing other signs of having mouth pain such as bleeding.

Pica

The cause might also be that it is trying to eat things that it shouldn’t because it is trying to make up for a nutritional deficiency in its diet. This would be more likely if it started doing it suddenly since a change in its diet and if it has been trying to eat things that it should not be. In this case, it would help to take it for a checkup.

Things to consider

Below are some things to consider to help figure out the main cause.

If your cat has always bitten your clothes

If your cat has not always bitten your clothes, it would help to consider what else happened when your cat first started biting them. If it started doing it suddenly, it could be due to a mouth pain, a change in its diet or that it simply learned that it likes the taste or feeling.

The way your cat bites your clothes

It would also help to consider the way your cat chews on the clothes. For example, if your coat does it when walking past and it rubs on them, it would be more likely that it is just marking its scent onto the clothes. Whereas, if your cat sits there and chews on it for a while, it would be more likely to be due to liking the feeling or mouth pains.

What to do about my cat biting my clothes?

Below are some options you have when dealing with the behavior.

Give it other things to chew

One option would be to give your cat other things to chew on such as catnip, dental sticks and chew toys so that it is less likely to want to chew on clothes.

Ensure it is getting the right diet

If your cat has been doing it since a change in its diet, it would help to ensure that it has been getting the right diet.

Redirect its focus

Another option would be to try to redirect your cat’s focus elsewhere when it seems likely to start trying to chew on clothes.

Get help

If your cat has been trying to eat the clothes, it would also help to get help from a vet. By doing so, you should be able to get expert help tailored towards your specific cat and to rule out medical causes.