Cat lovers can attest that their lives would not have been as warm and heartfelt without these animals running around and doing all sorts of stuff around the house.
Unfortunately, every day is not a sunny day because sometimes they exhibit unusual behaviors. For example, you might have noticed that your cat is obsessed with licking the carpet. Though unnatural, you should not panic because there are several reasons why cats lick the carpet.
Common Reasons Why Cats Lick the Carpet
You Might Have Some Food Stains or Smells on Your Carpet
Although most individuals go to great lengths to ensure their carpets are spotless, some spills, stains, and smells are resistant even to tough detergents. Therefore, you should check all the spots where your cat licks to identify odors or stains and do away with them.
Some Cats turn to the Carpet for Grooming
Cats groom occasionally and might look for better solutions if they cannot access some parts of their body. Therefore, your cat might be directing its grooming needs to your carpet. As a result, you should examine your cat when grooming to observe whether it can reach all its body parts, including its middle back and the back of its ears.
Your Cat might be suffering from Pica
Pica is a behavioral condition characterized by the urge to ingest non-food items like plastic, ribbons, paper, and fabrics to soothe dietary needs. However, the condition might also be due to genetics, boredom, nutritional deficiencies, hyperthyroidism, and diabetes. It would help if you looked out for diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, or lethargy to determine whether your cat has Pica.
Your Cat Might be Itching
Feline Pruritus is a term that describes itching skin in cats. The condition is characterized by an unpleasant sensation, resulting in excessive grooming and scratching, which may extend to the carpet. Therefore, you should constantly assess your cat for infections, mites, parasites, and allergies on its skin and fur.
Will this Behavior Harm Your Cats?
Licking the carpet is not dangerous or harmful in isolation. However, issues may arise when you have foreign particles on your carpet. Therefore, the following pointers can inform you whether your cat may experience complications.
First, you should investigate the chemical content in your detergents, cleaning products, and carpet fabrics since some of them have concentrated compounds that might harm your cat or interfere with its immune system.
Moreover, it would help to consider the risk of sharp or foreign objects on your carpet. For example, you might have cleaned your carpet but accidentally dropped marbles, razors, or needles that could injure your cat.
Therefore, if your cat occasionally licks the carpet, it would be wise to clear off everything while searching for an effective solution to deal with the issue.
A small stone or metallic object can put your cat’s life in harm’s way. Therefore, it is best to mitigate crises by ensuring a safe environment, even if your cat is not obsessed with licking the carpet.
How to prevent them from licking the carpet?
It is advisable to always clean your carpet and vacuum it thoroughly whenever you spill some food or drinks to avoid resistant staining because the scents may attract your cat.
However, always ensure that you use animal-friendly detergents that will not poison your cat or interfere with its immune system. On the other hand, a cat experiencing difficulties with grooming can benefit from weight loss solutions and occasional brushing sessions.
Similarly, when a cat cannot reach the hidden parts of its arms, nose, or middle back, you can assist it by shaving its hair for more access.
However, if you suspect that your cat is suffering from Pica or Feline Pruritus, it is advisable to visit a vet for guidance and more information about how you can address the issues. Cats are delicate animals that suffer when sick.
Therefore, it is advisable to seek medical attention to identify the actual causes of disease and proven methods to deal with them effectively. Moreover, you should limit your cat from ingesting non-food items by keeping them far from reach and cleaning up after your activities. Luckily, it is easy to find cat vets online or in your local area to address your cat’s issues and offer practical solutions.
