Why do cats love bags?
First, it’s worth mentioning right away that playing with packages is not at all a cute and safe action. The risk of strangulation inside the plastic or strangulation with handles is very high. And if the animal chews the package, then there is a danger of choking and suffocating or earning intestinal obstruction.
Secondly, the package is still not a toy. In addition to the obvious dangers, it also carries the threat of infection, like any object from the street for a pet.
Why do cats love bags?
It’s worth remembering that each pet is different, so it’s hard to say what exactly attracts your cat to bags. But the general reasons are known.
Lubricants known as “slip agents” are used in the production of almost all bags and are essential to keep the bags from sticking together. And in the production of “glide agents” stearic acid is used, which is produced from animal fat. Some pets are attracted to the smell of these chemicals, and the bag becomes a toy filled with an “analogue” of catnip.
The biodegradable bags are formulated with corn starch to reduce the use of oil in production, and corn attracts many cats despite being carnivores.
It is elementary to unravel the mystery of love for a bag if you brought meat or fish home in it. It is clear that odors that are not captured by a person literally fall on the pet, causing him to have super-warm feelings for something that smells.
The very texture of the package also delights pets. Any touch causes a sound, and the sound awakens the hunting instincts. Well, then everything is simple: the package must be caught!
If your cat is playing with bags, you may be moved by her antics, but still be careful not to get into trouble. In such a situation, it is impossible to leave the animal unattended – this is fraught with very sad consequences.
But if your cat does not just play with rustling plastic, but chews it or licks it, then this is a reason to contact the veterinarian. For many animals, chewing or licking is a way of relieving stress. Chewing packets may be associated with toothache or oral problems. Also, chewing the packets can indicate digestive problems. For example, hairballs stuck in the stomach interfere with the animal, and in this way it tries to clean it.