Posted: November 27, 2009, 3 a.m. EST
Q: I have noticed that my 8-year-old cat is eating some litter when she enters the litterbox. Is this bad for her, why is she doing it and how can I stop it?
A: It would be interesting to know what type of cat litter you’re using. Some cats will eat clay cat litter because they are suffering from anemia. I’ve had two cases like this at my hospital in the past few years.
Clay litter contains bentonite, which can form a hard clump in the intestines, leading to obstruction. One way to get her to stop is to switch to a different type of litter, such as a pine-type litter or a wheat-based litter. More importantly, however, is to have your cat checked out by your vet to make sure that she is not anemic.