Cat Scratching beside food plate.

[Mikie]

Hey -

Im looking for help here - just adopted a cat from the Humaine Society, 2 year old plain black one named Tuffy :)

I've had him for 3 weeks now, and just recently noticed that he scratches beside his food as if he was in the litter box . weither it's a bowl of dry food or a plate of wet food. does this mean he dosin't like the smell of his food? it's TUNA

His bowl of water is full - and food is there - he does eat it adventually tho. but any hints on why he does this?

thanks!

[Randi]

Welcome Mikie!

I have seen our cat do this, and I'm pretty sure he did it to tell us he didn't like that particular food we had put in front of him. But since you've tried different kinds, it's hard to tell what the reason is. Perhaps some of the other members will be able to help! ;)

Good luck! :)

[Pam]

I have seen my Andy do this too. He is my "neatnik" so I figured there might be an odor on the floor or something that he was trying to cover up. Occasionally Trevor will present us with a hairball and even after I have cleaned the spot on the carpet, and feel it is as clean as can be, Andy tries to cover up where it used to be. Maybe just a very sensitive nose? :rolleyes:

[Mikie]

a smell? hmm.. I thought my kitchen smells nice - but I guess it dosin't for him.. hmm

Thanks! ;)

[momoffuzzyfaces]

It's just a cat thing. Mine all do it sometimes. They often do it when they are done eating. Maybe trying to save it for later? It's more annoying than anything.
Welcome to Pet Talk by the way!:)

[Uabassoon]

My cat Corkscrew does that too, but I don't think it has anything to do with him not liking the food. He's a pig and he loves to eat anything and everything.

[Sara luvs her Tinky]

Jupiter does this ALL THE TIME to his water..... I have no idea why.... he always ends up spilling it on the floor. I had to put the water bowl into a smaller (clean) litterbox so it just spills in there.... I think maybe some cats just do that.?!?!?

[rg_girlca]

Mikie, first let me welcome you to Pet Talk.:D, and congratulations on adopting an older kitty from the HS.
In regards to your Tuffy scratching beside his food plate. Nothing to worry about, it is a cat thing. I've had plenty of cats who have done this. To me it seemed they did this with the thought,
"I'll cover this and get back to it later".
Enjoy your new furbaby who will give you nothing but unconditional love.:)

[yorkster]

Yes, I have heard that too.
I thinks it's something that wild cats do, in order to save their 'leftovers' for later (and it keeps other cats from smelling their food. ;)
One of my cats does this with both his food and his water =(MESS) :eek:

[sasvermont]

My G & M do it too. But it just so happens that they are also very sloppy. I have gotten into the habit of putting a dish towel or paper towel under the food dish. Every night, when they have had their fill, the cover the food dish with the cloth or paper towel, then uncover it later when they are hungry. So, my vote is that it is a "save it for later" scratching, trying to cover it up, so that it will be SAFE for later.

:eek:

[Mikie]

OMG! sopmeof those replies are just too funny - yet now that i think of it.. is absolutely true -

Thanks for the many welcomes and replies :) Im not a big message board fan - but HUUGE MERCI BEAUCOUP :)

*cuddles with tuffy*

[krazyaboutkatz]

Welcome to Pet Talk mikie. My cats Pepper and Sunny both do this with there food dish. I've told other people about this and no one had ever heard or seen a cat doing this. They'll also do it right after they use the litter box so I'll find litter on their placemat. Both Sunny and Pepper also play in their water dish. Storm doesn't do either one of these things. I always thought that this was abnormal behavior. Maybe I have two normal cats and one abnormal cat. Hmmm. http://www.gifs.net/animate/paws.gif

[AvaJoy]

I translate this behavior to mean: "Pardon me, beloved human, but this belongs in a litter box, NOT my food bowl". I had trouble with Debra turning her nose up at canned food that she once liked, so when I presented her with the last in a long line of premium (and not so premium) brands and she did the cover up motion, I finally got the message and now she gets steak cooked on the grill which I then cut up in tiny cat-sized pieces and refrigerate in a ziplock bag for the week. Usually there is enough for two weeks, so I freeze half the little pieces. She also eats a mixture of various dry cat food. Spoiled, isn't she . . . ;)

[yorkster]

VERY spoiled Avajoy :D :p

[iluvmicho]

my kittie micho does this too.he will never stop.but i am thinking it has to do with when they were nursing from their mothers and they would push with their hands.we have a mat under his bowl and he picks it up with his claws over and over.it gets annoying but i know its not hte food cause he won't eat anything but whiska's with savory nuggets.and ice cream.i wish i could help you but i don't think their is a cure for finniky scratching.-iluvmicho

[tuxluvr]

Originally posted by yorkster
Yes, I have heard that too.
I thinks it's something that wild cats do, in order to save their 'leftovers' for later (and it keeps other cats from smelling their food. ;)
One of my cats does this with both his food and his water =(MESS) :eek:

Hmmm. perhaps a marketing opportunity for "kitty tupperware".....:D

Ritzy occasionally does this too, but not as much with her food as with new toys I buy that don't meet her approval. I have purchased no less than 5 catnip toys, each of which has been sniffed once, then subjected to the "ritual air burial" and subsequently ignored for all time thereafter.

The litterbox, however, is another matter....while she does eventually "cover up", she spends almost 20 minutes each time pawing at the air around and above the litter box before actually hitting the dirt. Maybe she's waving the smell away?:eek:

[lovemymaltese]

I have never seen a cat do this or even heard of it, best of luck! Sorry that I couldn't be of more help, just a little support.

[yorkster]

Originally posted by tuxluvr



Ritzy occasionally does this too, but not as much with her food as with new toys I buy that don't meet her approval. I have purchased no less than 5 catnip toys, each of which has been sniffed once, then subjected to the "ritual air burial" and subsequently ignored for all time thereafter.



Ritzy's not a catnip fan? One of my cats does not care for it :confused:


An old boyfriend of mine had a cat that would try and cover-up our morning coffee................would jump up next to it and spend a few minutes with each cup: scrape,scrape,scrape, then some pawing in the air. Don't know what that was about. :D

[Ila]

Misty is my neat freak. If she has gotten crumbs on the floor from her eating she will take her paws and go all around her dish and put the crumbs as far under the dish as she can so it looks clean in her area. She does this often I don't think much about it because that is just the way she is. I think a lot of cats are like that they like clean areas.
http://cards.webshots.com/cp-29634358-xNDF-album/26887090AFWyJWoHQi

[tuxluvr]

Originally posted by yorkster


Ritzy's not a catnip fan? One of my cats does not care for it :confused:


:D

Nope, never has been. Every little "gift" evokes that "kitty stinkeye look" from Ritz like 'Mom, you're kidding, right?"

I've learned my lesson

[I_love_cats]

My Joey does the same thing, he would scratched around his food before he eats and after he eats. Now Toby, he does the same thing. I don't why they do it but I would love to know. I was thinking why he would scratched around his food plate, is that he is marking his territory. He doesn't want anyone stealing his food. They are telling this my food, you can get your own.

[Barbara]

Tigris does it from time to time. I always took it as a proof that cats can use metaphors ;) I understand it as "This tastes like sh...". (I try to change the flavor of food so that they get not used to one single flavor -sometimes Tigris tells me that way he would like some other)

[wayne0214]

There are a few in my managerie who do this same thing, although not consistantly. I do not understand why they do it and it is not done whenever they are presented with a less-liked food type. It could be for several reasons, such as purring.

Our Maya does this too sometimes !
It mostly means she is not really happy with her meal ... you should see her face then !!!!!
But I then reply wit : "no Maya , this is what you get !!" ,
and she starts eating it !!!! LOL LOL !!

http://pages.prodigy.net/rogerlori1/emoticons/cat67.gif

[Cataholic]

I have heard this is the cat's way of marking their territory, using the oil glands in their paws...similar to when they mark a tree (or my couch) with their scratches! So, they are letting the others know this is their food by scratching around it, as if to cover it up. I don't think it has ANY thing to do with not liking the food...

Mine are more prone to do this when there has been a stressor in their lives, and they feel the need to be territorial (what, like I am going to start eating their food?).

Same thing with the litter box..it is two fold. Yes, they are covering up their gifts, but, they also are marking the area around it to let them and others know it is their gift.