Scratching around the food bowl?

Our six month old kitten has just started to scratch the linoleum around the outside of his food bowl like he is trying to cover the smell. It's kind'a funny to watch him, but is this a normal behavior or is he trying to tell me something? It's his favorite food since he will only eat Purina Kitten Chow and nothing else, so I don't think it is the smell. We've tried Iams, Purina Pro Plan, and Nutro which all of these he will not even touch.

Kittens are precious! But this particular behavior has roots in instinct. All cats have scent glands in their paw pads that deposit when they scratch like that. He is leaving his scent there to let any other cats know that is HIS food - so leave it alone! In the wild, he would also cover it with dirt, leaves and whatnot to hide it.

So, feed him what he likes, and smile when he covers it up. Nothing out of sorts here!

Yours,

Gaye

Thanks for the reply, I was having a tough time answering my boy's questions on this.

My 3 year old (spayed today!) Cagney does that too, whether she has her own dish or is sharing with my other 2 cats. Its funny to watch her, she acts almost frantic at times!

Recently her 3 month old son Rudy has started to imitate her, and thats even funnier...he looks so determined and ferocious guarding hi dish! :laughing2

Lily (also spayed today!) on the other hand doesnt seem to give a hoot...she knows theres more where that came from...smart cat!

I thought our kitten might have been losing it at first.

Oh my gosh! I was going to ask this question too! Gus scratches the carpet all around his food bowl whenever he is done eating or when we give him freah food. I have never had a kitten who did this before! Thanks Gaye!

Gizmo & Scooter do the same thing -- very funny! :tounge2: Sometimes, they will put their paws on each other like they are trying to burry each other or wipe the smell on them! :LOL:

Dani has done this, but ONLY when she is upset by something, such as construction going on in my building......or something scared her.

I assumed she was "burying her food" because she was upset. (she dd not eat the food, even her favorite. I could tell she was nervous) Otherwise, I have never seen her do it other than about 3 times.

Buy a large man's handkerchief or bandana and put the bowl on top of the scarf. When kitty is finished, one scratch flips the scarf up over the bowl, kitty can't smell the food anymore, stops scratching and goes away happy. When kitty wants to finish eating, comes back, scratches the "cover" off and starts eating.

does that thought only to his vomit after he throws up he would scratch around the vomit. wierd

kitty knows it is waste, it smells bad and is trying to cover it up. It is a normal behaviour to portray after a kitty is sick