Sudden biting and pulling at carpet

Question
My cat Nicholas, of "grab whatever you're eating right out of your hand, and run off with it" fame, has developed an odd and potentially dangerous behavior.

Two mornings ago, I woke up to him pulling at the carpet in my room. But not with his claws. With his teeth. He was going to town on it. He pulled so hard he lifted the carpet right off the pad. Very weird, but then again, it's Nicholas. I got up and shooed him away

Last night, as I went to bed, I caught him pulling again but in a different spot, right outside my room. He was intently focused on that one area.

When I shooed him away, he went around the whole upstairs, in and out of all the bedrooms, over and over, nose to the ground like a bloodhound, looking for a new spot, I guess. He found the spot from the other morning, and started again. Nothing I could do could break his focus.

I took him to another room and gave him treats; he ate them and then went right back to pulling. I took him downstairs and opened a new can of food downstairs, he attacked it (unusual - he doesn't wolf normal food, and there was already food down), and then went right back upstairs to his spot.

I know there's nothing on the carpet in those spots. I swear. I don't know why he's doing it, but I'm a little worried he might swallow carpet fibers. Last night, I came very close to crating him for his own good.

Do you have any idea what this might be? Dementia?

Answer
Very odd behavior of Nicholas.  Darn, it's so hard to say if he has some organic brain syndrome or it he has a possible thyroid imbalance.   Have your local vet run some basic blood work and check the thyroid.  I am concerned about the confusion / Anxiety/ restlessness that your cat is experiencing.  Hopefully it will just be an easy imbalance they may be able to treat with supplements.

You may need to crated your busy feline until you can get to the bottom of his problems.  Yes, first stop is to see if the issues are medical.  I hope your Vet will be able to see you soon.

Best wishes and sorry I can't be of more help


Marie Peppers LPN  MA
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