Pawing Dry Food on to the Floor

Alino is our 18 year old (as of June 23) Blue Point Siamese, and just
the most sweet and dear little guy that anyone could hope to have. He
has always been a BIG eater, very fond of his food, but never messy
with it. For some reason, he has now started to dig his right front
paw into his dry food bowl and spread the nuggets all over the floor,
which he then licks up--some of them, that is!! He does not do this
with his wet food. His "sister" (an almost 2 year old Short Haired
American Tabby adopted from North Shore Animal League just over a year
ago after Amaretto died), also digs at her food bowls with her paws,
both wet and dry, but manages to lick up more off the floor than Alino
does. We think they are imitating us eating with "our hands"
(appropriate eating utensils in hand in our case--!!), but since this
is a new behavior for Alino, we thought we might ask the group about
it. My husband has suggested lowering the bowls back down to floor
level (the bowls are currently elevated by about an inch off the floor
in two blue wooden stands), but if there is a "deeper" reason for the
behavior, perhaps some of you could shed some light on what we might
do--??


TIA,

PegNDerek

Peg Caldwell-Ott wrote:

His "sister" (an almost 2 year old Short Haired
American Tabby adopted from North Shore Animal League just over a year
ago after Amaretto died), also digs at her food bowls with her paws,
both wet and dry, but manages to lick up more off the floor than Alino
does.

It sounds like you can teach an old cat new tricks, and Alino's new
"sister" has accomplished it.

I have one who has always had a tendency to fish her kibble out of the
bowl and chase it around a while. Being portion-controlled, she's very
careful not to lose any of it.
--

Wayne M.

"Peg Caldwell-Ott" wrote in message
...

Alino is our 18 year old (as of June 23) Blue Point Siamese, and just
the most sweet and dear little guy that anyone could hope to have. He
has always been a BIG eater, very fond of his food, but never messy
with it. For some reason, he has now started to dig his right front
paw into his dry food bowl and spread the nuggets all over the floor,
which he then licks up--some of them, that is!! He does not do this
with his wet food. His "sister" (an almost 2 year old Short Haired
American Tabby adopted from North Shore Animal League just over a year
ago after Amaretto died), also digs at her food bowls with her paws,
both wet and dry, but manages to lick up more off the floor than Alino
does. We think they are imitating us eating with "our hands"
(appropriate eating utensils in hand in our case--!!), but since this
is a new behavior for Alino, we thought we might ask the group about
it. My husband has suggested lowering the bowls back down to floor
level (the bowls are currently elevated by about an inch off the floor
in two blue wooden stands), but if there is a "deeper" reason for the
behavior, perhaps some of you could shed some light on what we might
do--??

Some cats don't like their whiskers touching the side of the bowl when they
eat. Try putting the food on flat dish or bowl with low sides.

Phil