Odd behavior at feeding time

babbittd

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I'm not too concerned about this, but was curious if anyone else had seen their cats do it.

I've watched my male kitten scraping with his paws around the food dish as if he's looking for something....one paw at a time and only around the food dish during feeding times. It's not as if he has vision problems...He seems to see quite well.
 

momofmany

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Does he like the food you are serving him? My Scarlett will do that with the flavors she doesn't like. She scratches in the same manner as when she buries her poo.
 

barbb

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Yep, same as what MOM said, my kitties will make a burying motion with their paws all around the food dish if they are finished eating their wet food and do not want anymore.
 

ddcats

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Originally Posted by Momofmany

Does he like the food you are serving him? My Scarlett will do that with the flavors she doesn't like. She scratches in the same manner as when she buries her poo.
Maybe she is?
?

Ya never know what's really in that food - unless your an employee.
 
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babbittd

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Originally Posted by BarbB

Yep, same as what MOM said, my kitties will make a burying motion with their paws all around the food dish if they are finished eating their wet food and do not want anymore.
That is fascinating! Maybe they "bury" it in order to hide it (as with defecation and urination)?

I feed them mostly Merrick's canned wet and some California Natural's dry food. Liking the food does not appear to be a problem as he always eats when either is offered and is growing quite quickly.
 

paulena

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Yes, my lil Sassy Girl does this after she has eaten almost all of her food. It's like she is trying to cover it and save it for later!!
 

orestes

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My Sasha does almost the same thing, but with her water and before she drinks it. It's cute until she knocks it over.
 
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babbittd

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Originally Posted by Paulena

Yes, my lil Sassy Girl does this after she has eaten almost all of her food. It's like she is trying to cover it and save it for later!!
Sometimes it can be very funny to watch their jungle instincts play out in the household.
 

epona

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I have told this before but it's funny enough IMO to bear repeating...

Radar is a manic food-coverer. He paws around the food bowl for ages until he finds something to cover it with. I regularly find socks covering his food. Other things he has put in his food bowl include the throw from the sofa and the catsitters glasses. He has also tried to pull my foot into the bowl, and one time when Sonic was nearby he tried to drag him into the food bowl too
 

aussie_dog

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Some cats do it because they don't like the food; other cats do it because they're just not hungry (they're "burying" it and saving it for later); some cats do it because they honestly think it's poo (lol)

My girls tend to do it only when they've eaten as much as they want and there's still a little food left. Willow and Molly do it, though Buffy doesn't seem to do it very often. Willow and Molly usually do it when they've had their fill of food, but once in a while I'll give them something new and they'll immediately try to bury it after just sniffing it. Whether it's because they're just not hungry yet, or they don't like it, is still under investigation.
 

deljo

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Cats outside bury their leftovers after they have eaten. This way they can go back later. It must be instinc.
 
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babbittd

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Originally Posted by Epona

I have told this before but it's funny enough IMO to bear repeating...

Radar is a manic food-coverer. He paws around the food bowl for ages until he finds something to cover it with. I regularly find socks covering his food. Other things he has put in his food bowl include the throw from the sofa and the catsitters glasses. He has also tried to pull my foot into the bowl, and one time when Sonic was nearby he tried to drag him into the food bowl too
that is very funny....

When I first got him, seven used to put toy mice in his food and I really didn't think anything of it.
 
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