Cat chewing destructively?

[Piggles]

One of my cats has the irritating habit of chewing on things.

She has always been a wee bit inclined to gnaw on leather shoes if she comes across them - but we just put that down to them tasting like cow skin or something and hid all our shoes from her.

Problem solved, or so we thought.

But in the last few weeks the chewing has gone up a gear. There are teeth-marks appearing all over the house on furniture and doorframes. All shoes, DH's hat, cardboard boxes, books... anything she can get her fuzzy little chops around will chewed on... and if it is something soft like a cardboard box she keeps chewing until there is nothing left except little mangled spat out pieces of cardboard and no box left

I always thought it was dogs who chewed things - not cats

Has anyone else had a cat like this? Did you ever figure out why he/she did it?

Is she an indoor cat? It could be possible she is looking for a replacement grass to chew on. My cat worryingly chews up plastic bags instead so I have to hide them.

I know I should buy some grass to keep inside for her as she obviously feels she needs it but I keep forgetting. Actually I think I'll do it after posting this message. Out of my 2 cats she is also the only one who chooses to eat dry food rather than wet - she obviously prefers that she has the chew it. She is perfectly healthy though according to my vet.

Both my cats are indoor/outdoor cats.

We have had a fair bit of snow and generally rubbish weather lately though, so the cats haven't been going out as much as they might usually. So maybe my little fuzzball is feeling the lack of something that she would usually chew outside.

Good thought about the cat grass for indoors - I think I might get some too :)

Thank god I'm not the only one with a cat that chews. My eldest has always chewed, and she's nearly 11 now. All DDs toys have teeth marks, but more worrying is her penchant for cables. The more live and electrical the better. Every single cable is either hidden or in conduit......after she chewed the power cable for my cordless phone and we heard the audible crackle of electricity.....

I've always wondered why she does it....she gets out in the day, is healthy, no teeth problems, so why chew anything in sight that looks vaguely edible??