pawing the ground
 

I have noticed that the cat will often sniff her food and that starts
pawing the ground around her bowl (similiar to litter box covering). I had
previously thought that this was there way to say, 'no way' to the food but
she just comes back later and eats it. Is she just trying to cover the
food for when she returns later?

--
Message posted via http://www.catkb.com

"jr via CatKB.com" wrote in message
...
I have noticed that the cat will often sniff her food and that starts
pawing the ground around her bowl (similiar to litter box covering). I
had
previously thought that this was there way to say, 'no way' to the food
but
she just comes back later and eats it. Is she just trying to cover the
food for when she returns later?

Cat are predators with a very keen sense of smell. They bury their
droppings and their left-over food; they scrupulously clean themselves and
their kittens; and they go off away from their family to die.

They do all this so that those smells do not attract scavengers that would
take their food or kill their kits (or other weak members of their family).

Hugs,

CatNipped

--
Message posted via http://www.catkb.com

If she is burying her leftover food, why does she come back to eat it? Or
does she think that she is hiding her leftover food so noone else will get
it?

--
Message posted via http://www.catkb.com

On Thu, 2 Jun 2005 20:55:11 -0500, "Catnipped"
wrote:

"jr via CatKB.com" wrote in message
.. .
I have noticed that the cat will often sniff her food and that starts
pawing the ground around her bowl (similiar to litter box covering). I
had
previously thought that this was there way to say, 'no way' to the food
but
she just comes back later and eats it. Is she just trying to cover the
food for when she returns later?

Cat are predators with a very keen sense of smell. They bury their
droppings and their left-over food; they scrupulously clean themselves and
their kittens; and they go off away from their family to die.

They do all this so that those smells do not attract scavengers that would
take their food or kill their kits (or other weak members of their family).

Not only are cats beautiful and alive, they are also intensely moral
beings.

Hugs,

CatNipped

--
Message posted via http://www.catkb.com

John Ross Mc Master wrote:
snip

Not only are cats beautiful and alive, they are also intensely moral
beings.

What moral code embraces capturing an animal much smaller than you ....
playing with it until nearly dead ... and then leaving it behind to die?

This must be a Johnny Ross troll. Funny too.

On Fri, 03 Jun 2005 01:47:05 +0000, jr via CatKB.com wrote:

I have noticed that the cat will often sniff her food and that starts
pawing the ground around her bowl (similiar to litter box covering). I
had previously thought that this was there way to say, 'no way' to the
food but she just comes back later and eats it. Is she just trying to
cover the food for when she returns later?

Yes!

Many cats show this behaviour. If they are not hungry, they will make
an attempt to bury the food, much as they would do in the wild. Burying
it will mask the scent to some extent to stop other predators or
scavengers getting to it and eating it. As its such a natural instinct
for them to do it, even domesticated cats still exhibit this trait, not
all of them, but a fair number do.

I would not worry about this behavior, its perfectly normal.

The Hermit.

---
Visit http://www.thehovel.com/bb for friendly chatter with cat minded
people.
The Hovel - Feline Friendly Internet.

"jr via CatKB.com" wrote in message
...
If she is burying her leftover food, why does she come back to eat it? Or
does she think that she is hiding her leftover food so noone else will get
it?

Burying food is the cat's equivalent of putting it in the fridge until
you're ready to eat the rest. ; Or, to answer your second question, yes.

Hugs,

CatNipped

--
Message posted via http://www.catkb.com

We did have one very snooty cat who would "bury" the food if she didn't
like it. She'd walk up, take one sniff, and then spend about 5 minutes
burying it from all angles. She was a drama queen.

Maybe her instinct was telling her to bury that crap so that no other
cat would be poisoned by it.

Rhonda

jr via CatKB.com wrote:

I have noticed that the cat will often sniff her food and that starts
pawing the ground around her bowl (similiar to litter box covering). I had
previously thought that this was there way to say, 'no way' to the food but
she just comes back later and eats it. Is she just trying to cover the
food for when she returns later?