# Pawing at food bowl



## Bally (Sep 23, 2010)

Hi,

This is my first post/thread so hi to everyone...

I've just adopted an 18 month old female cat who paws at her food dishes like she's in her litter tray.
She kicks her bowls round and gets water and food everywhere.

I thought it might be that she didn't like the food but she eats her fill then kicks the rest all over the floor 

I grew up with cats and none of them did anything like this.

I've only had Marley a couple of days and she's been really affectionate and playful so far & I'm wondering if she's not happy about something.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers... Mick.


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## thedogsmother (Aug 28, 2008)

Dizzy does this too, Ive had her since she was 5 weeks old (long story) and she is a very clean cat so shes never tried to go to the toilet anywhere other than her litter tray, I think she just gets confused after shes eaten and starts digging.


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## buffie (May 31, 2010)

I think most cats do this.Mine always have ,I think the pawing at the food bowl is just a natural instinct to try to cover the food to hide it for later.





Where are my manners.Welcome to the forum :thumbsup:


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## ClaireLily (Jul 8, 2008)

Ours do it too, every day we come home from work and the towel that their water fountain and food sits on is folded over the food dish, its like us putting our napkin on our plate when we have finished. Only 2 of ours do the pawing thing and its always on the floor right next to the dish, I thought it meant they were unimpressed with their meal


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## Bally (Sep 23, 2010)

That is a relief. 

I might buy some heavier & deeper bowls then so she can't kick them as far!!

Thanks for the replies.


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## Nando (Jun 28, 2010)

yep my big one does this as he eats more dry food so when he gets wet food he'll eat halfish sometime and paw around the dish to save it for later.... his only problem is our younger kitten shes only 15 weeks old and shes like a dyson she'll eat loads of wet food shes not to keen on dry,

but our older kitten wasnt until his big chompers came through. but, anyway hell save it for later second his backs turned and shes finished hers she's finishing his lol.


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## sunzstan (Sep 14, 2009)

one of my cats does it to his water bowl as well as his food


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## jilly80 (Nov 28, 2009)

Bally said:


> Hi,
> 
> This is my first post/thread so hi to everyone...
> 
> ...


hi to you too
well i have one cat who has done this for all of his six and a half years, he does it with the water bowl and the food bowl, what they are doing is wanting to hide it for later and to claim its theirs x


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## JOANNEJ1655 (Sep 5, 2009)

I have two cats and one of them does this. My other cat does try to copy him sometimes as well! Lol


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## bengalie (Oct 11, 2010)

All of our cats have done it. I think it is kind of like marking their territory, and yes, covering it up. It is funny sometimes.


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## tellingtails (Jul 28, 2010)

Alot of cats do this and it is an instinctual thing, they do it for various reasons.

Sometimes after eating, or simply when you put down a bowl of food, your cat may try to let you know that the food is not to his liking by trying to bury the entire bowl 

This behavior can also occur when the cat is displeased with the location of his food bowl,or the food itself.

They also do this when they are not very hungry or full, and they are trying to bury their food (which he/she is then thinking of as prey) for them to have later on, when they are perhaps more ready to eat or finish.

Its these little quirks that makes cats so interesting and fun :thumbup:


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## Mildred (Sep 26, 2010)

One of my cats does this, all around the food, the kitchen cupboards, the bin etc. Sometimes he catches the binbag with his claws and makes confetti!! x


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