[su_note radius=”4″]From jumping into boxes to hiding under the bed, cats have some odd tendencies when it comes to ordinary household items. While all cats are different, even the tamest house cat has primal instincts, which is the main reason behind why cat’s love to play and hunt, and their obsession, or sometimes aversion, toward plastic bags.[/su_note]
Keep reading to learn why cats love to lay on plastic bags!
In this article we’re going to look at why do cats like to lay on plastic bags
We’ll cover the following topics
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- Why do cats hate the sound of plastic bags
- Why do cats like to sit inside plastic bags
- Why do cats like plastic shopping bags
- Is it bad for cats to lick plastic bags
- Can a cat die from eating plastic bags
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Pretty much all about plastic bags
It’s important as cat parents to understand why cats like plastic bags but most importantly is it dangerous for your furbaby
Sound good?
Let’s get started!
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Why Do Cats Hate the Sound of Plastic Bags?
No matter how domesticated they are, cats are predatory animals by nature.
Their brains are hard-wired to stay on alert for hunting and safety purposes in the wild.
Your cat may hate the sound of plastic bags because it’s a foreign sound, which they render a threat.
It could be that the sound resembles the hiss of another cat or that it’s something they assume they can’t fight off, in which case they run.
This is called “fight or flight” behavior.
To be able to hunt, a cat’s ears are engineers to have extremely sensitive hearing, almost as good as a rabbit.
The sound of a plastic bag being crinkled and crumpled up may hurt a cat’s ears because the sound is too high pitched.
While some cats like the sound, others can find it too much to handle.
Why Do Cats Like to Sit Inside Plastic Bags?
Cats love to cuddle up in tight spots to feel safe and snug.
This is why you often see cats trying to fit into small spaces like boxes or cubbies.
Many animal behaviorists assume this to be a form of anxiety or need for security and goes all the way back to being inside the mother’s womb.
A plastic bag, to your cat, resembles this sort of comfort being enclosed and just the right size for a cat to cuddle up in.
The plastic also creates static cling, which sticks to their fur. This adds to that feeling of security that they are looking for.
Why Do Cats Lick Plastic Shopping Bags?
Many paw-rents also believe that there is something in the makeup of the plastic that is attracting their cats.
But there is nothing in the genetic material of polyethylene that chemists report would attract cats.
Behaviorists suspect that it’s the smell of your groceries instead.
Just like their ears, cats have an impeccable nose that can smell you from a mile away, so there is no doubt that they can smell the groceries that were in your bags.
When you bring home your shopping, the odors from the food are still in the bag, which entices your cat to come take a look, and then a lick.
Shopping bags also collect condensation from the groceries.
When you factor in the odors of the groceries, which the condensation takes on in taste, this presents a seemingly tasty opportunity for your fur-baby.
Is It Bad For Cats To Lick Plastic Bags?
While your cat may think that a plastic bag is fun or even tasty, it’s actually quite dangerous for them to be licking, chewing, or even sitting in a plastic bag.
Plastic bags are flimsy and cling to your cat’s fur.
Should she choose to take a nap, she could potentially suffocate in the tight plastic bag.
When your cat is licking a plastic bag, this becomes dangerous because her rough tongue can tear off small pieces of the flimsy plastic that can either block the windpipe or become trapped or even tangled in the intestinal tract, causing quite painful and fatal issues.
Can A Cat Die From Eating Plastic?
Yes.
While you may have caught your kitty eating something plastic and she has lived to digest and pass it, she can still die if she continues to eat plastic.
As mentioned, bits of plastic could be a choking hazard or cause other internal problems.
Plastic bags are made up of a chemical compound called is called polyethylene, which is made from petroleum byproducts, among other chemicals.
Not only are these chemicals dangerous for your cat, but they are toxic to you and the environment as well.
It’s important to make sure your cat does not have access to plastic bags
It can be dangerous
Let’s look at how you can get your cat to stop licking plastic bags
How Do I Get My Cat To Stop Licking Plastic Bags?
You’ve probably heard the saying “Out of sight, out of mind.”
Cats are curious creatures that love to explore and investigate.
The only way to avoid your cat licking, eating, or sitting in plastic bags, you will have to take them out of your cat’s environment, out of their sight.
Hide your plastic bags somewhere that is totally hidden from your feline friend.
Try storing your plastic shopping bags in the cupboard under your kitchen sink or in a drawer.
This way, they will be safe from your cat and ready for you to reuse.
As soon as you’ve come back from shopping
Store the plastic bags away straight away
Final Words
Cats have some pretty weird quirks including their behavior with plastic bags.
A fun fact for you to know is that this is also quite common in horses.
They either love them or hate them, and some cats really like to play with plastic bags.
Some even like to lick them, but why?
It usually comes down to their predatory and inquisitive nature.
Cats are territorial animals that love to check out everything in their environment.
If your cat doesn’t like the sound of a plastic bag, this means that she deems it as a threat.
However, if your cat likes grocery bags, and you catch her licking or chewing on one, this probably means that she likes the smell or taste of the bag or the condensation inside of it.
As tasty as this could be to your cat, the chemicals inside of the plastic and the other hazards it presents make plastic bags dangerous to have around your cat.
To prevent your cat from chewing and licking plastic bags, simply hide them in a place so your cat can’t find them.
This way, your cat can stay safe, having fun being—well, a cat!
Related article – Why is my cat peeing on plastic bags