What does your cat do while you eat?

eilcon

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Katie's the biggest pest when I'm trying to eat. If I actually sit at the dining room table, she starts out on a chair, then jumps up on the opposite end of the table. She then gradually works her way down to where I'm sitting and slowly inches closer and closer to the plate. She's so cute and tries to be so sneaky about I don't have the heart to make her get down.
Also, she usually doesn't touch my food unless I leave the table. Then, I'm out of luck!
She's also never done this when I have company, so I can't complain.

Peter and Claire don't have much interest in people food and could care less when I eat. Same with Gracie, unless it's lettuce.
 

breal76

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all of my cats are good. With the exception of one.

However she is forgiven since she is blind. She will take food off of your plate, out of your hand..or she will smack you for it. The little girl has no eye balls, and I can only assume the smell of food is too much to resist for her. Chinese food is her favorite.


( when I do want to eat alone I will go off to a room and close the door. )
 

beandip

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Originally Posted by MamaKitties

As for begging for food, I usually just let them sniff my food and 99% of the time, they don't even want to eat it. Yummy human food but my cats don't like them so I don't have a problem with them while I'm eating.
You're right, letting them sniff it works 99% of the time...but my Junior falls in the 1% category, because there's not much he doesn't like. I don't submit very often, but I do let him have his corn and cantaloupe sometimes!
 
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kiva13

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You guys are so funny! Lettuce, cantelope, yogurt? I love these responses because we all can relate. I am going to buy some bubble wrap. At least I won't get stuck on it along with the cat. Actually, he is so funny. We had the laptop on the table where my daughter was working, surrounded by sticky tape. She got on her lap and leaped onto the keyboard. A safe haven.

Mimi
 

wildhoneypie

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My cats love it when I have food. I usually never eat at my table though so they are always jumping next to me on my couch. They never paw at my food but they scoot as closely as possible to me and sniff loudly. Whenever I cook large meals though, I have a hard time keeping one from jumping on my counters so we usually have to put him into the bathroom and shut the door until all the food is cooking.
I have found that Hartz! Help! Stay Off Training Aid Spray helps distract them, especially when the odor is really strong and fresh. They avoid touching any spots where it is and usually walk away. I am not sure how other cats react to it, but it may help to give it a shot.
 

4badcats

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Paddy, God rest his little soul, NEVER understood the theory that cats eat cat food from their bowls and people eat people food off plates. As far as Paddy was concerned, he was people and anyones dish was fair game!! However much I pushed him away, he always begged, which is why I tend to feed the kits first, and us afterwards - soooo much easier. Bless him, when my friend came over for a girly night of wine and ice cream, he actually stomped up to her an plonked his head into the Haagen Daas tub!!!! I actally miss him most at tea time - I keep expecting him to start his little dance at my feet!!

The other three are generally very good - but they do sit on the floor a few feet away and just stare at me whilst I am eating - not actually begging or harrassing me, but more kind of 'willing' the food to jump off the plate at them!!!
 

pekoe & nigel

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I got my kittens three days before Christmas. On Christmas Eve I had my parents over for dinner. I got together a nice spread of appetizers and put them out in my living room. The whole time we were snacking in the living room Pekoe was all over us, trying to shove his adorable head in our plates. Then he figured out that all the food was on a kitchen cart, about 3' off the floor. So my tiny, 5 month old kitten took a flying leap across the room, and landed belly-first in a plate of nuts. Please remember I had only had him for 2 days. Wasn't there supposed to be an "adjustment period" or something?!?! A little bit of timidness?? ANYTHING?


Let's just say that Pekoe (and Nigel too!) have definitely not outgrown this determination to steal people-food.
 

duchess15

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Originally Posted by Pekoe & Nigel

I got my kittens three days before Christmas. On Christmas Eve I had my parents over for dinner. I got together a nice spread of appetizers and put them out in my living room. The whole time we were snacking in the living room Pekoe was all over us, trying to shove his adorable head in our plates. Then he figured out that all the food was on a kitchen cart, about 3' off the floor. So my tiny, 5 month old kitten took a flying leap across the room, and landed belly-first in a plate of nuts. Please remember I had only had him for 2 days. Wasn't there supposed to be an "adjustment period" or something?!?! A little bit of timidness?? ANYTHING?


Let's just say that Pekoe (and Nigel too!) have definitely not outgrown this determination to steal people-food.
That's funny! Lexi as I found out LOVES people food. I almost always eat in my room at my computer desk. She alway know when I have food also. She will come over, jump up on the chair, put her little feet on one arm and look over my shoulder. Then run to the other side and do the same thing. If that doesn't work, she butts my elbow to get it out of the way. This is a daily ritual and I have learned never to leave my plate! I have to carry it with me everywhere! I caught her licking my empty chili bowl one time so I can never leave it.
 

cheylink

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Maia just sits patiently and watches, usually when I offer her something, she walks away! Makes me feel like my food isn't good enough for her!
 

wesley's mom

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Wesley usually sits by my chair and stares up at me while I eat. Every once in a while I give him a piece of meat or something. I always wait until I am done eating, then bring a piece to his bowl. It seems like he knows if he waits patiently, then he will get a treat. I don't have a problem with him jumping on the table. Some times he reaches up with his paw and taps my arm while I eat. I just say firmly "No" and push him away. Usually he just walks away but if he smells something he wants he waits for his reward. Cats have fun and neat personalities, don't they?
 

gemma

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We made the seriouse mistake of feeding the cats on the kitchen table so that the dogs could not eat the cat food so we have to eat in the living room on our laps as any food on the table they see as there for cats all 3 of ours will beg and the eldest love the empty cob when we have had corn
 

jean44

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Most of my crew are good about not begging. I can usually depend on Fluffy to jump on the table to inspect my meal, though. I put him on the floor and tell him this is food for meowmy not him. He's usually back on the table within seconds. It takes two or three attempts for him to get the point. Kolohe and Eric will also come to inspect but leave if I move them or at least go to the other side of the table and wait hopefully. They never get anything from me so they wait in vain.
 

kalikat

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I have been laughing
while reading all these posts. Most of it relates to our household. I have double sided sticky tape around, which worked for a while, but now Blossom just jumps over it. I must try the bubble wrap. She's always jumping onto the kitchen counter, one place I don't think cats belong. She thinks she can get onto anything.
I made the mistake of letting her lick my cereal bowl when a baby. Now she comes running when she hears the spoon clink the bowl. She also thinks she can help me eat everything I have. I've never had such a persistant kitten before.
 

malena

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The funniest eating behaviour I've seen is my exhusbands favorite cat sharing dinner with him. She sits on the table on the opposite side of his plate and every second bite she grabs his food, from the fork, with her claws and put it in her mouth. That I call having dinner together.
 

jokieman

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Originally Posted by Kiva13

I'm just wondering how many other people on this board have cats who beg for food and try to eat out of their bowls. It was actually kind of funny. I spread packing tape, sticky side up, all over the kitchen table with the fantasy of being able to eat in peace. Of course it didn't work out that way because my plate got stuck to the table, along with my arms, and it wasn't very pleasant.

My cat did stay off the table though so I thought it was a success. However, we had a group of people over the other day, and so I took the tape off the table. Today he was sitting on it just like before. I have taken to walking around the house with a plate in my hand. Not good.

Thanks
Mimi
My wife and I have developed what's commonly known in Prisons as the "Guard position". That's where you eat with one hand and take the other arm and sort of "guard" your plate like prisoners do at meal times to keep other prisoners from stealing food.

Our cat Poe actually gets agitated if we eat for too long and don't give him something. He has even bitten once. (He got a stay in the carrier for 30 minutes for that little incident).

He's worse with my wife though. All i have to do is point my finger at him and say NO very sternly and he'll sit down and watch me eat. The worst he's done with me is try to stick his paw in my ice cream once so he could lick it off. It's actually a "move" he has. I call it the reach-over. Because he takes his paw and pretends like he's reaching up to grab your finger or something, and then tries to dive it into the bowl or onto the plate and grab something real quick. hehe.

I figure it's just something we have to live with. Some previous owner might have fed him their food or perhaps he picked up the habit as a stray, but come mealtimes it's always an issue for us.
 

cercia

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My cats will do one of 3 things:
- Wash their paws in the bowl.
- Eat as well, or try and filch something and then eat it, or just moan.
- Use the litter tray in the kitchen and stink it out just as we are about to eat.
 

shishi

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I have one that will sit there and never even lift a paw (Max) but Baby Kitty loves her food and would stick her face right in the bowl if I let her. When I am eating at home I try to feed them some wet food at the same time. Gives me time to eat with a little peace but I have to be quick about it!
 

vanessab25

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LOL...My Nermal is a meat addict, especially when it comes to chicken and mince - she will sit as close to me as possible and stare at the food on my plate

Lily on the other hand is a dairy fanatic, whether it be yoghurt, ice-cream,dessert with cream in or milk - she will do her best to try and get to it, but of course we don't let them have being kitties and all.
 
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