food bowl behavior

mezlo · Feb 17, 2009

What does it mean when a cat makes a burying/scratching motion around the food bowl after eating? Is she trying to get rid of the food or save it for later or what? Whitney (who is probably 14-15 months old) does this at least once a day. I don't think she's really fond of the food (Wellness Indoor Health dry) but she eats it rather than starve. Ashley (almost 3 years old) seems to eat it just fine.

arlyn · Feb 17, 2009

It's an instinctual hoarding behavior, some cats do it, some don't.
Outside they would bury their leftovers to eat later.

lunalover · Feb 22, 2009

My kitty does this all the time. And if she walks past her food plate later and notices it's still there she tries to bury it again, hehehe.

carolina · Feb 22, 2009

Lucky does that all the time, so I always have a smashed up paper bag next to her bowl, so she can cover her food with it - other wise you will find carpet, toys, and anything she can put inside her bowl...
As far as what it means... She is just saving for later; instinct that comes from their wild days... When they were full they would bury their prey so no one else would eat it.

motoko9 · Feb 22, 2009

The hoarding theory makes sense to me. What I find strange, though, is that one of my cats does it around his water dish, too!

kara_leigh · Feb 23, 2009

Originally Posted by carolinalima

Lucky does that all the time, so I always have a smashed up paper bag next to her bowl, so she can cover her food with it - other wise you will find carpet, toys, and anything she can put inside her bowl...
As far as what it means... She is just saving for later; instinct that comes from their wild days... When they were full they would bury their prey so no one else would eat it.

Gus used to put dish towels in his food and water dishes. Drove me nuts. I had to move Nora's food and water. I used to keep it in the laundry room but she kept putting the lint from the dryer into her water bowl. I moved them to the kitchen and she doesn't do it anymore.

trouts mom · Feb 24, 2009

Trout actually does this to random items on the floor too...randomly scratching around and underneath things. Weirdo

alleygirl · Feb 24, 2009

Riley does this with his wet food if he doesn't finish it all in one sitting. He will "bury" it and then come back in a little while to finish it. I've seen Xander do it a few times, but Riley does it every time. He doesn't do it to his dry food bowl which is out all the time though.

x0fantasy_ · Feb 24, 2009

Now it makes perfect sense!!!!

Jellow and Khi do this sometimes!

I catch them and call their name and they just look at me and continue.

THey mostly do this to the water bowl...

althekitty · Feb 25, 2009

Mine does it too, hehehe. It is funny to watch. He digs and digs around both bowls and then wanders off. He doesn't put anything in his dishes though, it sounds sooo cute!

mezlo · Feb 25, 2009

Thanks for all of the replies. I really think she was just trying get rid of it since she didn't like it. I've switched foods to Friskies (yes, I know it's not premium) which she really likes and I haven't seen her do this since.

Mez

food bowl behavior

mezlo

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arlyn

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lunalover

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carolina

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motoko9

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kara_leigh

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trouts mom

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alleygirl

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x0fantasy_

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althekitty

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mezlo

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