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How To Keep Your Pets From Chewing on Electrical Cords


Tips & Advice

Crowded outlet with cords to depict making buzzing sound

Everyone loves their furry canine and feline friends. However, if you’ve been noticing that your pet has been gnawing on electrical cords recently, you’re going to want to break them of this habit ASAP — both for their safety and your own. 

Regardless of what’s causing this behavior, you need a solution. Keep reading to learn how to keep your pets from chewing on electrical cords.

Make sure to call our experienced electricians at Roby Services at (980) 308-0200 for all your essential electrical repair and replacement needs.

The Top 5 Ways To Prevent Pets From Chewing on Electrical Cords:

1. Cover Your Cords in a Protective Wrapping

The easiest and perhaps most direct way to protect your animals from the dangers of electrical cords is to first protect your cords themselves. You can do this by wrapping them in rubber tubing, running them through PVC pipes, or even buying some of the special bandaging made specifically to keep animals from chewing on cords. This will make sure your electrical system stays unaffected and your pets stay safe, even if the biting does continue.

2. Spray Your Cords With an Unpleasant Substance

If you’re looking for a way to train your animals that cord-biting is a dangerous behavior, one way to do this is to spray your cords with something they won’t like. This could include a menthol substance like Vicks VapoRub, which gives off a strong scent that cats tend to hate. Hot sauce is another option that cats and dogs will both avoid. And, of course, there are also many sprays designed to keep pets from biting things.

3. Take Your Pet to the Vet

If the reason your pet is displaying compulsive chewing tendencies is related to a medical problem, then you will need to take them to a professional veterinarian to get it diagnosed. Trying to solve medical issues on your own is no good, for pets and for people, and if there is something more serious going on with your pet, you’re obviously going to want to know sooner rather than later.

Watch out for other signs that your pet is not well, such as lethargy, aggression, or seizures, and let a professional help diagnose what’s going on with them before their cord-chewing gets out of control.

4. Give Your Pet Something Else To Chew On

If your pet is just bored, they may simply need something else to chew on. This could be a toy, some rawhide, or a rope — you should always have plenty of alternatives lying around so your pets are not tempted to do what animals do naturally on your furniture and belongings. And again, if your pet is bored, keep in mind that you should also…

5. Spend Some Extra Time With Your Animal

Animals and people all fall into old habits. We go to work, we come home, we go to bed, and we do it all over again. But if your pet is starting to lash out by chewing on your electrical cords, then it may be time to switch up your routine and give them some extra love. Whether that means taking your dog for an additional walk to help tire them out or letting your cat into other parts of your home to walk around, the best solution to solve problematic animal behavior is often to get back to why you fell in love with your pet in the first place.

Electrical Repairs for Chewed Wiring

Not sure what to do once the damage is done and your pet has chewed through your electrical cords? Depending on the type of cord and amount of damage done, an electrician might be able to cut the chewed portion out and splice the wire back together. In cases of extreme damage, it is likely time to replace the appliance. It’s a good idea to call an electrician for a home electrical inspection if you suspect your pet might have gotten into any other wires in your home.

Contact Roby Services today for more tips on how to keep your electrical system safe. We are available by phone 24/7 at (980) 308-0200, or you can schedule service online.

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