Why do cats scratch around their food?

When it’s time to eat, you may notice a particular kitten behavior. Some cats will scratch the floor or surrounding walls their food, or even their food directly. But why do cats scratch around their food and is that normal behavior?

For many cats, this scratched instinctively returns when cats play with prey and is a normal part of their eating habits. Other common causes can also include kneading dough to relax and keep their area clean. However, the call to the house is based on Charleston Veterinarians and the owner of Feet facing downDr. Shannon Barrett warns that if scratching around food is a new behavior, it could indicate digestive problems, from IBD to cancer. Always consult your veterinarian if your cat’s behavior suddenly changes or worries you.

With the help of Dr. Barrett, we’ll take a look at some of the common reasons cats scratch around their food, if you should stop this behavior, and when to see the vet.

6 reasons why cats scratch around their food

Let’s take a look at the most common reasons cats scratch around their food, ranging from normal behaviors to reasons that may require dietary changes and a consultation with a veterinarian. your.

To protect their kittens

Maybe the female cat can instinctively scratch due to food cachewhere they save or stockpile safe food for their children.

However, it can also involve marking territory for the protection of their kittens. “Cats have scent glands between their paws and by extending their paws they can activate these glands,” Dr. Barrett said. “If they are concerned about their kittens, they may scratch the floor to mark their territory and scare away any potential predators.”

This is a normal behavior that, instinctively, should not indicate any health problems in your cat.

iStock / eli_asenova

To mask the scent of their food

While scratching can mimic the behavior of burial to cache food — to mask the scent of food to keep food safe — this “burying” behavior can also have more serious effects.

“If cats are trying to mask the smell of food, we worry about an underlying medical problem,” says Dr. “Anything that causes GI discomfort, such as food allergies, kidney disease or cancer will be included in the list.”

If your cat is suddenly mimicking burying and isn’t of the mother cat type, it’s best to consult your veterinarian to rule out any medical problems.

Clean up their space

“Many cats are finicky eaters and love to keep the area around their food containers and litter clean,” says Dr. Barrett.

For cats, grooming Helps keep them feeling clean, cool and their coats in good condition. It’s perfectly normal for cats to groom themselves, but this also applies to cleaning up their space, such as picking up dry food that may have been scattered around their bowls.

So, if cats scratch around to clean up their area, this behavior is not only normal, but also very helpful for the family!

iStock / kelvinjay

Kneading the floor

Maybe you’ve seen cats knead soft objects or even the arms of their parents. However, some cats may also exhibit somersaults on the floor — including the floor area around their food bowls.

Kneading mimics the act of suckling like a kitten and can be very comforting to cats, who may also exhibit this behavior during mealtimes. “Many cats do this to self-soothe, and in return, they become more comfortable,” says Dr. Barrett. “It’s normal behavior.”

If acrobatics are accompanied by lurking, tail wagging, stiffening, or aggression, contact your veterinarian.

Too much food

If cats are gnawing on their food, they may be trying to “bury” it — but in this case, bury it because they’re done and want the food out.

This behavior can occur with dry food, but may be more common with cats that eat it wet foodbecause it doesn’t stay fresh for long.

The simplest solution is to make sure that you feed your cat portions carefully to avoid waste and problems.

They don’t like their food

Another reason cats might scratch or “bury” their food? They just don’t like it!

Cats can be picky about food, which is why they may leave food leftovers or try to get rid of the food by scratching/burying.

Barrett recommends going back to your cat’s previous diet if they’re scratching with something new. But, if that’s not an option, “consider the diets to sensitive stomach. “

iStock / Astrid860

How do I prevent cats from scratching around their food?

“There’s no need to stop this behavior if it’s part of your cat’s routine, but if it started suddenly, consider if you’ve changed anything recently,” Dr. Barrett says. Have you changed their food, bowl, or bowl location? Cats are special species and it doesn’t take long to trigger a change in their behavior.

However, you may want to stop your cat if the scratch destructive or related to a medical problem. “If scratching behavior is accompanied by decreased appetite, weight loss, vomiting or diarrhea, it’s time to contact your veterinarian,” says Dr. Barrett.

If a medical cause has been ruled out, Dr. Barrett recommends the following:

• If they are eating dry food, consider a slow-feeding bowl. These cause your kittens to eat more slowly and thus prolong their feeding time. In the past, cats had to hunt, so using slow food bowls made it harder for them to get dry food.
• Another option is to use their dry food dispenser. These toys have small holes and when they roll around the house, their dry food will fall out. Again, the goal is to get them to work a little harder for food.
• Some kittens also tend to be more “foot-oriented” and prefer to use their paws to explore their environment. For these cats, food handling/forming that requires them to use their paws to remove food can be a good option. These are all ways to enrich your cat’s habitat. An entertained cat is a happy cat.

You may also consider reducing your cat food portions by using cat toys to redirect behavior, retain leftovers, try a new position for your kitten’s bowl, or see if tall food bowl perform the trick. The most effective method will depend on your cat and the source of their scratching behavior.

Take it

Let’s face it, Cats are weird! And sometimes it’s hard to tell if their behavior is because they are quirky little creatures, or because something is wrong. When in doubt, you should always check with your veterinarian.

That said, in most cases, cats scratching at and around their food is a normal behavior based on instinct and preference. If your cat scratches suddenly or is accompanied by other behavioral and digestive issues, it’s time to make an appointment to have any medical issues resolved.

From knocking things over on our desks, to putting them on our heads, there are plenty of silly reasons to love our cats. We love and adore them for the little quirks that they, even, sometimes pay for with our beautiful laminate floors.

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