HELP...I have a cat that I'm positive has Pica.. how is that diagnosed?
HELP...I have a cat that I'm positive has Pica.. how is that diagnosed?
Hi there, this is Dr Linda, a small animal vet.
Pica is simply a term referring to an animal who eats non-food items. Many cats chew apart or spit these items out, but pica refers to when these things are actually swallowed.
If your cat is an adult cat and they do this frequently, we can say they have pica.
Certain breeds are more predisposed e.g. the Siamese. It can actually be genetic.
The key is in determining why this is happening e.g. a behavioural or medical issue.
For some cats, it will be related to stress or anxiety.
However, for many it is caused by a medical problem such as:
So, first step is a complete medical check.
When there are no health issues, the next step would usually be a consult with a feline behaviourist.
