After finding another chewed up earbud, I’d had enough. I either had to get rid of my cat or find some cat proof earbuds!
OK, I admit I wasn’t really serious about getting rid of my cat after I calmed down.
But I’ve had a few pairs of headphones and earbuds ruined, and it was getting super frustrating.
Does your cat also chew on headphone wires or nibble on your earbuds?
We’re not alone. Most cats – especially kittens – love eating or chewing on earbuds and can’t seem to resist chewing the wires on a pair of headphones too.
Which is obviously a huge problem. Because once a cat has had a good chew, your buds are no longer going to work.
Before you start making calls to rehome your cat (I’m kidding) check out these sets of earbuds that are about as cat proof as it gets!
What Makes Earbuds “Cat Proof”?
First of all, I want to make something clear. I really don’t think there is a pair of earbuds that can withstand being chewed by a cat.
Their teeth are super sharp, and earbuds have to be soft to fit comfortably in your ears.
How can they be cat proof then? Well, the solution I found was to start using earbuds that are wireless and come with a cat-proof carry case.
You just need to remember to always store them in their carry case when they’re not in use. Because the only opportunity your cat will have to damage them is if you leave them out.
Even if you fall asleep while listening to music, as I often do, with no wires to grab at there’s nothing they can do to damage them.
Here’s my pick of the best earbuds if you have a mischievous cat. Plus, seeing as music quality is important to me, I’ve also selected some of the best (value) options on the market:
TOZO Bluetooth 5.0 Wireless Buds with Carry Case
This is the pair that I now have, so I’m happy to recommend them. And, at the time of writing this, they are about 4 months old without so much as a tooth mark on them!
First off, these buds check both boxes for being as cat resistant as possible; they are wireless and come with a hard carry case.
Secondly, you just need to spend a few minutes reading through the reviews to understand that the sound quality you get through these TOZO headphones is exceptional.
My last pair of buds were wireless, but they had the wire that goes around the back of the neck. I have to say, since swapping to completely wireless like these, I can’t go back.
SoundPEATS Wireless 5.0 Bluetooth Headphones with Carry Case
This is an alternative option from SoundPEATS. Most of the specs are very similar to the TOZO’s, but I thought I’d feature them because I know SoundPEATS is a brand a lot of people are familiar with.
Looking at them through a cat’s eyes, the case is going to keep kitties out. They fit into the ear nice and snug too, so unless you leave them out they’re going to be safe.
Why Do Cats Eat Earbuds?
I did some research into why cats are drawn to earbuds. Because trust me, I leave all sorts of small things out and my cats always seem to home in on my buds.
According to a couple of sources, cats are attracted to the smell of earwax. It’s not the buds they are after, which makes perfect sense.
At least from the standpoint of why they attack the buds. I’m not going to say it makes sense that they like earwax, because that’s pretty gross.
Before you say, “there’s no wax on my buds, they’re safe”, they’re not. Even if you can’t see earwax, a cat’s nose is 10-15 times stronger than yours so they can smell it.
It’s the proteins in ear wax that attracts them. Ever noticed how your cat’s ears are nice and clean? That’s right, they do a good job of that themselves.
If you were to clean your buds with a strong disinfectant it would probably put them off. You could test this and see, but it’s hard to clean ’em up after every use.
How Do I Get My Cat to Stop Chewing on My Headphones?
As I explained above, it’s the scent that attracts your cat more so than the feel and texture of the buds.
It’s not really practical to keep your buds sterile clean at all times, so you have no choice but to lock them away when not in use.
This is why examples of the best cat proof buds I gave you as an example above fit nice and snug in your ears while in use. And have a handy little carry case to keep them in while not in use.
Your best line of defense is keeping your earbuds well out of your cat’s grasp. There are few materials that will survive a cat determined to rip or bite it apart.
Wrapping Up
My goal with this article was to help you find a new pair of earbuds that you are able to protect from your cat.
As well as being an upgrade on what you had before so you can listen to your favorite music in hi-fi stereo sound quality.
If I’ve managed to do that, my job here was a success. Just remember, as cat owners we always have to keep one step ahead of our feline friends!
If you have any tips, stories, or other information regarding this topic, please share your comments below with the rest of the community. Much appreciated, thanks.
Image credits – Photos by Milada Vigerova, Daniel Romero, and Ramiz Dedaković on Unsplash
