Cat scratching floor

[carmel horgan]

HAS ANYBODY ELSE GOT A CAT THAT SCRATCHES THE FLOOR BEFORE AND AFTER EATING FOOD. MY KITTEN ..11 MONTHS OLD ..SCRATCHES THE FLOOR AROUND HIS FOOD BOWL BEFORE AND AFTER MEALS. IT'S ALMOST AS IF HE IS TRYING TO HIDE/BURY THE FOOD. HE IS SOME WHAT STRANGE AND OFTEN SLIGHTLY NEUROTIC..HE WAS HANDED IN TO ME AS A KITTEN 5 WEEKS OLD. WE DISCOVERED HE HAD A BROKEN LEG AND HE SPENT 2 WEEKS IN ISOLATION AFTER SURGERY TO MEND THE BAD BREAK. COULD THIS HAVE CAUSED IT? HIS LEG IS FINE NOW AND WE NEVER FOUND OUT WHAT HAPPENED BUT HE IS STILL SLIGHLTY NERVOUS AND DOESNT RISK HIGH/LONG JUMPS.
C

[Meow101]

Hi,
Here is a link to an intresting subject related to yours: http://petoftheday.com/talk/Forum12/HTML/000108.html
Hope this helps.
-Meow101
(also known as Smare)

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In a cats eye, they rule all
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[pam_pesto]

Spencer-- Pesto greets us when we come home by running over and attacking her scratching post near the door. It must be a carpet thing!

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Personal servant for Pesto
http://www.angelfire.com/80s/pestoswitzer/main.html
http://www.angelfire.com/pq/coolcatclub/main.html

[carmel horgan]

[THANKS FOR THE HELPFUL WEBSITE ADDRESS.I HAVE CONTACTED AN ANIMAL PSYCHOLOGIST WHO BELIEVES IT IS A SIGN OF DISLIKE OF HIS FOOD.
I HAVE CHANGED THE MENU AND SO FAR SO GOOD.
THANKS
C

[Troy]

Carmel,

I wouldn't worry about this behaviour as it is quite common. One of my cats always uses this motion to try and cover up his food. Cats cover up things to prevent the smell escaping (as with their faeces). This motion you have discribed is just your cat saying he doesn't approve of the smell - you'll probably find he still actually eats the food but just doesn't seem to like the smell. In the wild felines will always cover up their faeces unless they are the "top cat" of the area - in which case they wan't everyone to know they are the boss and this is "their" smell.

You and your cat have nothing to worry about - as long as your kitten is healthy and is eating then this behaviour should just be seen as endearing

Good luck...

[auggie]

Carmel,
Troy is right. This behavior is quite common. I always got a kick out of watching my Kitten trying to cover up his food. I think he was telling me what he tought about his Food (smells like poop) Cant't say I blame him.