What is pica?
Updated By PetymFacts checked against official sources on
Quick answer
Pica is eating things that are not food, such as fabric, wool, plastic, paper, rubber, stones or soil. In cats it often starts as wool or fabric sucking, especially in Oriental breeds; in dogs it can be a habit, a compulsive disorder or a sign of illness. Swallowed objects can block the gut, so a vet check comes first.
Also called eating non-food items, wool sucking, fabric chewing in cats, dog eats socks, dog eats stones.
Key facts
- Pica means eating non-edible materials; wool is the most common target in cats, followed by clothing, rubber, plastic, paper, cardboard and string. International Cat Care
- Siamese, Burmese, Tonkinese and other Oriental cats are more often affected, and kittens as young as three months may start chewing bedding. International Cat Care
- Medical causes include anaemia, gut disease, heavy worm burdens, long-term dietary deficiencies and dental or abdominal pain. International Cat Care
- Some dogs with pica have compulsive disorders, and medical causes such as gut and metabolic disease should be excluded first. Merck Veterinary Manual
- String, thread with a needle, wool and tinsel can bunch up the intestines and usually need surgery. International Cat Care
Why do dogs and cats eat things that are not food?
There is no single cause. The vet looks for illness first, then for stress, boredom and habit.
In cats, pica is often linked with stress, anxiety, boredom or frustration, and genes seem to play a part, given how often Oriental breeds are affected. Cats with medical problems may lick concrete or eat litter. In dogs, eating odd things is partly normal investigation, especially in puppies that explore with their mouths. It becomes pica when it is persistent or compulsive, or when it points to a medical problem such as gut or metabolic disease or a poor diet.
Indian homes and streets offer plenty of temptation: dupatta tassels and woollen shawls, rubber bands and hair ties, plastic bags on walks, chewed stones in a society compound, and the thread and tinsel of festival decorations. Dogs that grab and swallow things fast, especially when someone tries to take them away, can learn to swallow first, which is one reason not to chase or grab.
When does pica need a vet urgently?
If you saw a pet swallow something it cannot digest, call the vet. Do not wait for signs, and do not try to make it vomit at home.
If Vomiting, retching, not eating, constipation, a painful belly or lethargy after eating an object.
Possible blockage: see a vet the same day. It can be life-threatening and usually needs surgery. International Cat Care
If String, thread, wool or tinsel hanging from the mouth or bottom.
Leave it alone and call a vet straight away: string-like objects can bunch up the intestines. International Cat Care
If A cat licks concrete, eats litter, or a dog eats soil, with weight loss or pale gums.
Book a vet visit: anaemia, worms or a dietary problem may be behind it. International Cat Care
How do you manage pica at home?
- Get a full vet check, possibly with blood, urine and faecal tests, before treating it as behaviour. International Cat Care
- Put away the targets: wool, socks, hair ties, plastic bags, string and rubber bands. International Cat Care
- Add enrichment and reduce stress: play, puzzle feeders and safe chew toys. International Cat Care
- Ask your vet about feeding changes, such as a higher-fibre diet, for cats. International Cat Care
- Swap, don't snatch: trade a dog's find for a treat so it does not learn to swallow fast. Dogs Trust
- Never punish pica; it raises anxiety and strains your bond. Ask about a behaviourist or medicine if it persists. International Cat Care
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Questions owners ask
Why does my cat suck or eat wool?
- Wool sucking is a common form of pica in cats, especially Siamese, Burmese and other Oriental breeds, and often starts in kittenhood. Stress, boredom and genes may play a part, and some cats have a medical cause. See your vet, remove woollens from reach, and add play and enrichment. Never punish it.
My dog eats stones and soil. Is that dangerous?
- It can be. Stones can break teeth and block the gut, and eating soil can be linked to a dietary or medical problem. Ask your vet to check your dog. Meanwhile walk it on a lead in stony areas, trade finds for treats rather than grabbing, and give plenty of chews and enrichment.
Will my puppy grow out of eating everything?
- Many puppies explore with their mouths and grow out of swallowing odd things as they mature, especially with supervision, safe chews and puppy-proofing. If swallowing continues or becomes compulsive, or the puppy seems unwell, see your vet.
What should I do if my pet swallowed a sock?
- Call your vet straight away, even if your pet seems fine. Socks and other fabric can block the gut, and early treatment is much easier. Do not try to make your pet vomit unless your vet tells you to, and watch for vomiting, not eating or a painful belly.
Keep reading
Related terms
More in behaviour
- Calming signalsCalming signals, also called appeasement or displacement behaviours, are small body-language cues such as lip or nose licking, yawning, turning the head away, blinking, sniffing the ground or lifting a paw. Dogs often show them when they feel uneasy or in conflict. Noticing them lets you give a dog space before fear escalates to growling or snapping.
- Cat scratchingCat scratching is the normal habit of dragging the claws down a surface. Cats scratch to keep their claws healthy, stretch the legs and spine, and leave scent and visible marks from glands in their paws. It should not be stopped, but it can be moved from the sofa to a well-placed, sturdy scratching post with patience and rewards.
- Destructive chewingDestructive chewing is when a dog chews things it should not, such as shoes, furniture, door frames, wires or cushions. Chewing itself is normal: puppies chew to ease teething and all dogs chew to explore. It becomes a problem through boredom, too little exercise, hunger, frustration or separation anxiety, and is fixed by redirection, not punishment.
- KneadingKneading, often called making biscuits, is when a cat rhythmically pushes its front paws into a soft surface such as a blanket, cushion or a person's lap, often purring. It starts in kittenhood, when kittens knead their mother to keep milk flowing, and many adult cats keep the habit when relaxed. It is normal and needs no treatment.
- Litter box aversionLitter box aversion is when a cat stops using its litter tray and pees or poos elsewhere in the home, because something about the tray, its place or its use has become unpleasant or frightening. Illness is a common cause, so a vet check comes first. Then fix the trays: enough of them, clean, quiet, with litter the cat likes.
- Noise phobiaNoise phobia is an intense, lasting fear of loud or sudden sounds such as fireworks, thunder or gunshots. Affected dogs tremble, pant, hide, pace, try to escape or soil indoors, and some take days to recover. It is common: about a third of dogs in one large survey were noise-sensitive. A safe den, preparation and gradual training help.
- Reactive dogA reactive dog overreacts to everyday triggers such as other dogs, strangers, bikes or autos, usually by barking, lunging, growling or pulling, most often on the lead. Fear is the most common driver, with frustration and pain also playing a part. It is managed by keeping distance from triggers and changing the dog's feelings with reward-based training, never by punishment.
- Resource guardingResource guarding is a dog protecting something it values, such as food, a chew, a toy, a bed or even a person, from people or other animals. It is normal, often fear-based behaviour, ranging from eating faster or freezing to growling and biting. It improves with management and reward-based training that teaches the dog an approaching person brings good things.
- Separation anxietySeparation anxiety is a fear response in which a dog panics when left alone or apart from the person it is attached to. Signs include howling, destruction near doors, toileting indoors, drooling and escape attempts, usually worst in the first 30 minutes. It is treated with gradual, reward-based training, sometimes alongside medicine from a vet, never with punishment.
- Urine markingUrine marking is using small amounts of urine as a scent message rather than to empty the bladder. Cats usually spray backwards onto upright surfaces with the tail raised and quivering; dogs lift a leg against furniture or doorways. It is commoner in unneutered animals and stressed or crowded homes. Rule out illness first, then reduce the stress behind it.
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Sources
Each source was opened and read on the date shown. How Petym checks its sources
- International Cat Care: Pica in cats (updated 26 September 2025) (opens in a new tab)
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Behavior problems of dogs (opens in a new tab)
- International Cat Care: Cats and foreign bodies (updated 26 September 2025) (opens in a new tab)
- Dogs Trust: Resource guarding in dogs: how to keep everyone safe (opens in a new tab)
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Behavior problems in dogs (opens in a new tab)