Does anyone know why cats cover their food? We used to think it was because they were trying to hide it from the other cats and then that it was because they did not like the taste of it. Any ideas? Thanks!
By the way I should add that we feed them in their food bowls in the kitchen so the one cat in particular is covering it with imaginary linoleum. *GRIN*
It's an instinctual behavior. We see it fairly often in our rescue cats, particular strays that had been wild for some time. I have a mama in rescue with me right now that does it and drives me insane because she manages to flip the dish, dumping the food on the carpet.
They do this to protect and hide their food from scavengers and preserve it so they may return later.
Even "big cats" do this, hide their food in trees or bury it to protect it.
Try feeding a smaller amount, only enough to be finished in one feeding.
My older cat, Callie, does this with her canned food portion. She leaves just a tad behind, then "covers" it (but only if we feed her on the carpet, not on the linoleum), then Hannah comes right behind her and cleans the bowl!