Investigate Problem

Why Is My Cat Eating Litter?

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proposes Is your cat a kitten?

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Most common questions used to investigate

Is your cat a kitten?

Did you changed a litter type recently?

Are the cat's gums pale, white, or bluish?

Common conclusions

Kittens may eat litter out of curiosity, so it’s recommended not to use clumping litter until they are older. Ingesting clumping litter may cause an intestinal blockage. Be sure to use a non-toxic litter and monitor use. Remove your kitten from the litter box if you see it's eating the litter—just be sure your kitten has finished its business first.

Adult cats may eat litter if the type of litter has been changed recently, for instance, to wheat- or corn-based litter.

Pale, white or bluish gums indicate anemia. Eating litter could be a sign that your cat is sick, and in particular, anemia is a condition where an affected cat could be exhibiting this sign. Anemia occurs when there is a lack of red blood cells and hemoglobin. Anemia can indicate a deficiency in iron, trace minerals, vitamins, or essential fatty acids. Additionally, this could also be a sign of leukemia (which causes anemia in itself) or kidney disease. Your veterinarian should perform a standard exam, including a complete blood count (CBC) and urinalysis.

Your cat could be eating litter if it's not getting sufficient nutrition from its food. Deficiencies in Vitamin A, Vitamin B1 (Thiamine), L-Carnitine, Magnesium, Pyruvate Kinase, Sodium, and/or Taurine may also trigger litter eating in cats. Clay-based litters contain minerals, which may compensate for the deficiency. Your veterinarian or a veterinary nutritionist can recommend dietary changes or supplements.

References

https://www.thesprucepets.com/cat-eating-litter-4587387
https://www.gallant.com/blog/why-does-my-cat-eat-kitty-litter/

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Author

Sreten null
Hi! I’m Sreten Filipović. I graduated from the Faculty of Agriculture at the University of Belgrade, with a master's degree in Environmental Protection in Agricultural Systems. I’ve worked as a researcher at Finland's Natural Resources Institute (LUKE) on a project aimed at adapting south-western Finland to drought episodes. I founded a consulting agency in the field of environment and agriculture to help farmers who want to implement the principles of sustainability on their farms. I’m also a founding member of the nonprofit organization Ecogenesis from Belgrade whose main goal is non-formal education on the environment and ecology. In my spare time, I like to write blog posts about sustainability, the environment, animal farming, horticulture, and plant protection. I’ve also published several science-fiction short stories. You can find me on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/sreten-filipovi%C4%87-515aa5158/