Cat Playing With Papers So Crazy And Funny | Funny Cat Vines 2017 | Meo Cover Home

Cats intrigue, delight and puzzle us with sometimes bizarre behaviors, such as their toilet paper attraction. My own Karma-Kat needs an intervention for his T.P. addiction, and he’s not alone. My Facebook friend Grace Simpson’s cat pined for paper money — the cat “would take money and hide it,” she says.

Why do cats shred paper, especially the roll from the bathroom tissue dispenser? Many cats not only claw and shred but also chew up and swallow a variety of paper. At least Karma doesn’t do that.

Are these paper-obsessed felines just trying to create a party atmosphere by making kitty confetti? Is it dangerous for the cat, or just obnoxious to you? Here’s the scoop on why Karma (and perhaps your cat) targets paper, and how I’ve managed the situation — and you can, too.

7 Reasons Cats Target Paper

You may think your cat is crazy for loving paper, but there are actually some pretty good reasons as to why they target the material.

1. Spinning Delight: Cats love movement, and predatory play triggers on the motion of the prey. When the cat paw taps the toilet paper roll, it spins, rewarding the cat with more motion that tempts the claws and teeth to join in the fun.

2. Marking Mayhem: Cats use claws to mark territory, and the tender surface of the toilet paper roll offers a blank surface that’s easy to claw. Shredding marks the paper with a “Kitty Kilroy was here” message that cats want the world to see.

3. Noisy Fun: Depending on the type of paper, it can make exciting crinkly sounds similar to squeaks of mice or prey scurrying through the undergrowth.

4. Feels Good: Biting and clawing just feels good to cats, and it’s self-rewarding. Frankly, I’d much rather Karma-Kat bunny-kick the T.P. roll into submission than attack my ankles.

5. Fishing Ops: Your cat may enjoy exploring trash containers and fishing out wads of crumpled paper. Admit it. You’ve crumpled up balls of paper or even tin foil for him to chase. Paper is light weight, easily snagged by a reaching paw-claw, and bats across the room for fun cat Ping Pong marathons. I call these types of toys cheap thrills.

6. Gnawing Problem: During teething, kittens try to relieve gum discomfort by chewing on a variety of objects, and paper can be a target. Usually, young cats outgrow this behavior, but a few continue into adulthood and can use gnawing to relieve tension.

7. Fiber Forage: A small percentage of cats turn paper chewing and eating of inedible objects into an obsession, called pica. Oriental-type breeds such as Siamese, Burmese and Oriental Shorthair cats tend to have a higher incidence of obsessive-compulsive issues, including wool-sucking, in which they target fabric-type objects.