You know how the saying goes: One human’s trash is a random cat’s treasure! Okay… We’re not sure if that’s the exact saying but… We’ll take it.

If you are here right now, it’s probably because you’ve noticed that some cats tend to be obsessed with plastic bags. They sniff them, play with them, and sometimes, they even hop on inside of them — it seems like they just can’t seem to get enough! Well, it turns out, that you aren’t the only person who has wondered about this curious behavior.

Mychelle Blake, a pet behavior expert, explained the reasoning behind this obsession to Pet Health Network: It’s not the bag that the cats are obsessed with. It’s actually the smell that is leftover on the bag.

We already know that cats have a seriously strong sense of smell. That, combined with their love of people’s food, makes for them sniffing out whatever remains on the bag.

So when we go grocery shopping, come back with the food in the plastic bags and then empty out the food, the bags that we are leaving behind are actually very enticing for our little kitties.

Very tempting scents.

Whatever kind of groceries were in that bag is what is getting the cat excited. This could be why you see your cat chewing on a bag or licking a bag — they are trying to get a taste of that scent!

Another possibility is that your cat sees plastic bags as toys.

Another potential reason behind this strange behavior is that your cat actually sees the plastic bag as a toy. We can sort of understand that, too. It’s flowy, crinkly, and makes fun and somewhat loud noises. That might be why they like to pounce on them and scratch at them.

While it may seem super cute and innocent, it is very important to understand that plastic bags are not a toy for your cat. Even if it seems like they are just having good, honest fun, you must make sure to keep them away from the plastic bags.

This is because plastic bags are an extreme safety hazard — for cats, dogs, young children, and more. They can easily get their heads and/or mouths stuck inside which could lead to suffocation and possibly even death.

Cats also have a tendency to chew on plastic bags and that is not good either. Chewing on the bags can lead to choking.

So what’s the best solution?

You should always be keeping an eye on your cat but there are other preventative steps you should take that are more effective. When and if you bring a plastic bag into your home, make sure to dispose of it immediately — don’t leave it lying around.

Better yet, switch to reusable bags! These aren’t as dangerous and they are great for the environment. Now, what’s not to love about that?

And this doesn’t mean the fun has to stop for your cat. Just make sure to get them a bunch of cat-appropriate toys… They will be sure to love those just as much!

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Source: I Heart Cats