Cat acts like it wants to bury his food...

I'm trying to change to some healthier food options right now, and 2 of my 3 cats act like they want to "bury" this new food. They don't do it every time, but sometimes they scratch around the plate on the floor as if they were trying to bury it just like it's poop. Mike usually does it after he's already eaten some, and Miles does it before he eats. They do both still eat the food though, but not vigorously. They definitely don't like it as much as their old food, but it's healthier for them so I've been kind of persistent. We're about 2 weeks into the new food and they're still doing this burying motion...

Keep at it.  It just takes a while for them to adjust to healthier food but it's so worth it in the long run.

Mine do the same thing.. always have.  If they're not sure they like something, they 'bury' it and walk away... I often wonder if it's a case of "I'll just bury this in case nothing better comes along and can always dig it up again " And they often do come back, especially if there is nothing else offered.

But, interestingly, my girl will eat her fill of a favourite food, then 'bury' the rest.  I'm pretty sure she's doing it as she doesn't want the boy (aka 'bottomless pit') to get it!

My picky girl either gobbles up her food, or does the drama paw-paw-paw burial act sticking her nose up in the process. She's done this as a single cat in the household, and hasn't changed when we added a second cat. The instinctual activities of the cat pitted against a tile floor don't really make sense to us, but they must to her.

My cat covers her food for later. I think the big cats in the wild do that to prevent other animals taking their food....thus it has trickled down to house kitties.

If I offer Sheba a bite of my dinner and she doesn't like the smell or something, she will try to bury it.  But, she will never come back to it.

The burying of the food is a natural instinct.  Some do this more than others.  The first time I saw it, it concerned me, too.  But, basically when they were wild (before domestication) predators like cats would bury their food to save it for later and to hide it from other predators.  They are just going through the motions.  I even let mine put a piece of paper over their food because then they feel they've accomplished something!

My 12 week old kitten does it too and I've been racing her to the litter box every time I see it, thinking she's confused and about to go. Glad to know I can stop worrying and she's just being a cat. :lol3:

Williecat, I did the same thing too. Lol