Why do cats like to shred toilet paper?


In your absence, your cat tends to reupholster your toilets, your bathroom, or even your living room with toilet paper? Rest assured, you are not alone. In fact, many felines seem to have picked up this bad habit. But why such an obsession? 

Good to know: never scold your cat for shredding the toilet paper. If it acts this way, it is because it is driven by their natural instincts. Therefore, it would not understand the reasons for your anger.


Why do cats like to play with toilet paper?

1. Toilet paper rolls

A roll of toilet paper…rolls. However, as you can imagine, this has the gift of exciting our feline friends. And for good reason, their hunting instinct awakened, cats take the roll of toilet paper for prey. Not to mention that the slightest breeze moves the sheets of paper. This explains why your cat likes to play with toilet paper so much.

And if you find it in shreds, it may also be because shredding it is a way for your feline to mark its territory visually and by smell.

Similarly, your cat, seeing you using the toilet paper, may have thought you were playing with it. When it too wanted to try this funny scratching post, it actually realized that it was a very entertaining toy!

2. Cats love paper

In general, you’ll find that cats like anything made of paper. It is in particular for this reason that your furball comes to sleep on your book during your reading sessions or on your notebook when you are working.

Maybe it’s the smell, maybe it’s the soft texture that doesn’t make a sound when shredded, but either way the felines seem to worship the paper. What if it was simply because it is a material that is particularly easy to tear?

3. What if it was related to a behavioral disorder? 

A final reason that may explain why your cat is obsessed with toilet paper is simply because it allows them to externalize their energy. Indeed, many domestic cats lack distractions during the day. However, the cat is an animal that needs to be stimulated physically and mentally on a daily basis.

In addition to the many toys and accessories (cat tree, scratching post, etc.) available to them, it must therefore be able to enjoy at least 30 to 45 minutes of play each day with their human. So if your cat has made toilet paper their worst enemy, it may just be because they’re bored.

Note that if, in addition to toilet paper, your cat eats anything and everything (plastic, fabric, etc.), it may be because it suffers from pica. Pica is an eating disorder that causes the affected animal to ingest inedible material. However, this can lead to intestinal obstruction which can be fatal for your cat. In this sense, a visit to the veterinarian is essential.


How to protect your toilet paper from your cat?

If you are tired of finding your toilet paper in the form of confetti, two solutions are available to you. First, remember to always close the toilet or bathroom door behind you. Simple but effective!

If your cat is smart and knows how to open doors, or if their litter box is in the room where your own toilet is, there’s only one thing left for you to do: install a toilet paper dispenser. In this way, the toilet paper will be completely protected by the lid of the dispenser, the latter being even fixed to the wall. The coveted object will therefore remain inaccessible to your cat!


Cat BreedsCat Food and Nutrition
Tips for Cat OwnersCat Training
Cat BehaviorKittens
Cat HealthCat Grooming
Cat AdoptionTravel with Cat
Holiday Season- Cat

Leave a Comment