There are a variety of reasons cats might chew on and / or
eat nonfood items.
Another behavior linked with OCD is pica, which is a tendency to
eat nonfood items such as rocks, dirt or feces.
For example, sufferers of Kluver - Bucy syndrome — who often gorge themselves or resort to
eating nonfood items — have damage to brain regions including the amygdala and the OFC.
Sometimes
eating nonfood items (a condition called pica) can be caused by a medical issue, such as hyperthyroidism or nutrient deficiency.
Not exact matches
While pica might sound like a synonym for destructive chewing, the disorder is usually characterized by the intentional consumption of
nonfood items —
eating the
item is your puppy's main objective.
Eating stones and other
nonfood items may be due to pica but also may be just behavioural; if Duke is feed a quality complete diet he shouldn't be lacking any nutrients unless he has some intestinal disorder.