Cat Pawing Air

My cat has been pawing in the air. Is that him playing with himself?

One of my cats paws the window when she wants out. I've seen video of a cat who paws the air near his mouth to ask for food.

Hard to say what your guy wants. Watch closely, see where goes or what he touches after the pawing gets your attention. Maybe all he wants is your attention. Study him and see what he's telling you.

Well soon after he starts eating.

Are you sure he isn't just washing his face? Most cats do that after they've eaten.

No he wasn't washing his face, he was hitting the air.

Maybe he's trying to "bury" his food? Sometimes cats will paw around their food bowl, often not actually covering anything, to instinctively protect their food from others. I've seen them paw at solid floors or walls, but never at the air, though, so I'm not certain.

My other thought is that it could be a displacement behavior, which would accompany anxiety or stress, but if he doesn't seem to be showing any other signs of being upset then it's probably not likely.