Cats that growl....and people that love them.

[Cataholic]

I have had many a cats, and know many a cats. I have had kittens, young cats, rescued cats, and kittens that I have known their whole lives. I have met some really odd cats in my life (and Lilycat's! Her cats are O.D.D.).

I recently adopted little Cali, a more sweet and loving kitten you will not find. She craves affection like a duck takes to water. She is in your face, on your lap, under your covers (and nearly rolled over on this am...), and shows absolutely NO aggressive traits whatsoever. She is a complete and total love-bug.

Until it comes to food. This little whippet growls- I mean full out- GROWLS if I go to put more wet food into her bowl, remove food from her clutches (she eats in a nano second, and starts in on others food before I can get the bowls away to the other cats), if I pick her up from her food, etc. It seems mostly directed at me rather than the other cats...though they are busy eating their own food that it might be that someone else hasn't approached her, yet.

She has never gone to bite or swipe at me...it is just a growl. Has anyone ever experienced this?

[catmandu]

When Scrappy Two first came here , she would growl at anyone coming near her plate.
Shes gotten out of that habit now.
Actually My Princess the Purrfect at 18 is paranoid about the other Cats being near her when she eats and thats why the Streo Stand Princess Pads good as my Senior Kittyzen can eat in peace there.
She can growl and hiss and the Kitten Trio remembers that they have something else to do , now!!!

[Prairie Purrs]

My Caly (maybe it's the name) growls if anyone gets near his food--but only if the food is Fancy Feast, which is rarely on offer. It's such a funny growl, though. It sounds kind of like he's muttering, or swearing in feline. I'll have to try to get a video sometime.

My RB Cricket used to full-out growl when she heard anything that disturbed her. If she heard anyone on the porch or near the windows, she'd sit up and growl like a watchdog.

[Cataholic]

^^ I have had cats that growl, when they stand up and do that prairie dog growl. It is hysterical.

I have never had a cat growl over food.

[katladyd]

Mac will growl when you annoy him. It's pretty funny to hear. Ming, never growls except at the vet.

[Freedom]

You are good, Johana! I know I've heard that growl, but no way I can say who it was /is that does it. LOL

[Catty1]

I think kittens may grow out of it. Remember Broccoli Kitten? NO ONE was taking that away from him - and he was just teeny weeny!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIFNEddeZI4

[pomtzu]

I had never seen the broccoli kitten video, but I also once had a litter of Siamese kittens that would growl and fight over broccoli. Must be a kitten thing!

[Catlady711]

I've seen a number of kittens at work growl while eating, but be perfectly sweet in purrrsonality in general. It's like they're literally attacking the food. lol

Bear used to growl when eating as a kitten. It didn't bother his brother Pooky one bit. Actually we called him 'Pokey Pooky' because he'd go behind Bear and poke him in the rear which just made him growl louder.LOL That's why I had to give them separate bowls at a young age. I had wanted them to eat from one bowl together seeing as they're brothers, but Bear wouldn't have it that way. He eventually outgrew the growling.

[moosmom]

I've had many rescue kittens growl when eating. That's normal cuz they never knew when their next meal was gonna be.

That video is a riot and that kitten is just PRECIOUS!!!!

[Laura's Babies]

Amy growls when she is in your lap and you need to get up.... EVERY time! Or if you need to move her from one place to another when she is all comfy and cozy and you need to move her. Grrrrrrrrrrr! She has only started doing that in the last several years.

[prechrswife]

RB Samson would growl every time someone came to the door. He was "all bark," though. If it was someone he knew, he came running to greet us, and if it was someone he didn't know, he would run and hide.

Saphirah occasionally growls when she is annoyed.

[sasvermont]

Chloe, as a kitten, would grab a skein of yarn and growl, then run with it, growling the entire time. It was soooo funny to see her take off with the yarn....like she had the "big kill".

All three of my cats growl when they hear a car door or a door open or close. They are my little "watch cats".

I had a couple of cats, years ago, that would growl when they had captured something, i.e., food from the kitchen counter or out of the trash. It did not stop me from taking it away from them .....

I suspect your kitten will outgrow the habit.

It is funny to hear a cat/kitten growl....especially a kitten.

[Cataholic]

She is funny when she does it. It is only with food, and only with me. I guess I should stop looking so longingly at the dish?

I do laugh when my other cats growl. Dakky starts growling the moment Monte gets on the bed. A couple of my cats chirp more than growl..a discontented chirp...not a happy bird chirp.

This morning, I could get neither growly kitten NOR growly child out of bed! I thought I would deal with this as a teenager...not as a 5 year old!

[krazyaboutkatz]

Both my Ziggy and RB Starr would growl over their food too. They were very food aggressive. Starr eventually out grew it but if one of my other cats gets too close to Ziggy while she's eating she'll start growling. She'll also try to steal my other cats food so I really have to watch her.

She also growls and hisses if one of my other cats keeps chasing her or gets too close to her when she just wants to be alone. When Ziggy and Pearl were kittens they both growled at the vet. It was so funny to hear wee little kittens trying to scare the vet. Hopefully your cat will out grow this.