Surely on some occasion you have seen how your cat eats the sand from the sandbox. Without a doubt, although sometimes it is something specific, others not and then we must find out the causes to put an end to this problem. When this happens we speak of a disorder called pica.
What is the pica disorder? Well, it is what makes our cat eat the sand but also other objects that are not edible as a general rule. So, if you have detected this problem in him, let's see its causes and what leads him to take that step. Give it a solution!
Why Does My Cat Eat Sand: Feeding Problems
It does not mean that you do not feed your pet or in the necessary amounts, but it can indicate that he is missing some minerals and also nutrients in his diet. Because as we know, we all need a fairly balanced diet to be totally healthy. So, if we see how the cat eats the sand, we must start with this step. Let's think that the problem is in the diet. We will change his food, we will give him a better quality one, we will let him decide how many times to eat a day and it does not hurt to take him to the vet, in case he has some anemia. Since because of this it may be that you have the pica disorder, which we are talking about.
Due to stress or anxiety
It is one of the diseases that swarm in our society. Stress and anxiety are all around us every day of our life. So if it affects people, animals are not left behind either. If your cat eats the sand, it may be because he is also under stress, since they will get stressed much faster than dogs. You will be able to notice it because it has big changes in its behavior. So, he needs you more than ever. You should pay more attention to him, give him more affection and spend time with him as well as preparing new games for him. You will see how soon he will be his usual self again.
For boredom
It is true that cats are quite restless per se. Of course there are certain exceptions but it is in their nature to discover new things and be entertained with them. Therefore, if they have a great boredom, they can also eat the sand. Hence, this is not a problem in itself, but a situation that has an easy solution. You have to think of some 'activities' that entertain him and that he does not have to resort to the sandbox. Your company will be one of those solutions that your pet expects.
Other hidden diseases
It is true that in most cases, when we see that the cat eats sand, it is not something that goes beyond gravity. So we can put an end to it quickly. But if not, if we see that we are not making progress, then it is time to get him to the vet. Since this behavior can also be caused by some disease that the feline has hidden. Occasionally there has been talk of diabetes or leukemia. But we are not going to get to the worst either! It just doesn't hurt to see your vet, before jumping to conclusions.
What to do so that the cat does not eat sand
We have already seen that we have to take a series of steps when this happens. On the one hand, give him more affection and dedicate more time. On the other, change or improve their diet as well as their games and entertainment. But it is also that what we can do is remove all the stones from the sandbox and change them for newspaper or by pieces of kitchen paper. There are also vegetable fibers or corn chips on the market. Since in case you take them, they will not be harmful. If it is something punctual, eating the sand is no more important. Especially in younger cats, since they do it out of curiosity.