Understanding a pet’s behaviors needs a lot of knowledge and expertise. Cats often adopt several gestures and behaviors that make the owner worry.
There are many naturally occurring behavior in cats, and paw and scratching around the food bowl is among them.
You might have observed on several occasions that your feline pawing or scratching his food bowl or the floor before or after eating. So Why do cats paw and scratch around their food?
This article is a complete guide about cats pawing and scratching behavior. I will let you know about all the possible causes of cats pawing and scratching around their food bowl or water bowl.
You can use the quick navigation table of content for ease.
Why do cats paw and scratch Around their food?
According to pet experts, a cat usually paw at the ground around their food or scratches their food bowl for many reasons such as Following their wild instinct, hiding their presence from the predator, Protecting newborn Kittens, Excess of food, keeping their place clean, Avoiding eating and stress, etc.
9 Reasons of Cats paw and scratch around their Food
1. Following Instinct
Dogs and cats follow their wild instincts and adopt much uncertain behavior without reason. In the wild, this is an ordinary feline nature to bury their food to hide the traces and cover-up its smell to protect themselves from the predator.
Unfortunately, your kitty may also adopt the action in the same regard.
2. Protecting the Newborn kitten
If you are the owner of a queen cat and have newborn catlings, you may notice that your queen is scratching the floor around the food area or their litter box.
Besides other reasons, your feline can adopt this action to hide the food traces and their presence to protect its newborn from the predator risk.
3. Cleaning Its Territory
Cats are elegant and neat pets. A well trained cat often cleans its living area by many means, such as by waging the tail, licking, or rubbing with the paw.
When a cat eats the meal and some traces are left behind, she may be pawing on the floor to clean its territory.
4. Excess of Food
Excess of food irritates both us and pets. So when you offer Excess food to your tom, he may rub the dish with a paw to inform you that I am full and don’t need any more food.
5. Avoid Eating
Why is my cat scratching the floor near her food and not eating? Many feline health issues compel your cute tom into health issues such as avoiding eating.
If you observe that your cat is rubbing and scratching the food bowl or the floor and avoiding eating for a couple of days, please make sure to contact your vet; maybe your cute friend is suffering from any health issue.
6. Feeling Thirsty
Water Availability is much essential than food. Sometimes your cat feels thirsty and needs water, so he may paw at you or scratch the floor around the food area to inform you about his thirst.
Please make sure to provide water to your kitty in the cats water bowl along with the food.
7. Issue with the food bowl
Sometimes your cat will be unable to eat properly from the food dish. She will try to find the possible accessible portion of the food dish to pick the meal easily and scratch and move the pot in circles. Always feed in the best cats food bowls.
8. Issue with the Food
Yes, pets also like and dislike some food. If you mistakenly offer such food to your feline that does not suit with their mood, they may avoid eating after testing it for a while and try to away the food bowl with paws and scratching.
9. Stress
Stress in cats is the leading cause of developing many pets behaviors. According to pet experts, many behavioral changes can occur in cats due to stress, such as licking, moving in circles, pawing at your face scratching the doors and floor, etc.
If you observe that your kitty is continuously scratching, contact your veterinarian.
How to stop a cat from Scratching Around their food?
Make sure to take the food dish away once your tom or queen finishes the meal.
Provide water in the cat water bowl along with the food. Sometimes your cat may scratch the food dish in thirst.
Provide the meal in the cat-friendly food bowl so that your feline eats from the dish easily.
Do not offer spoil or rotten food. Always provide healthy feline food or Cat dry food.
Keep your pet calm and stress-free. You can use cat toys to keep your pet friend playing and stress-free.
Do not feed your cat on surfaces that have a chance of damage or scratch or have space for hiding the food, such as carpet, wood floor, sofa or bed, etc.
You May Also Like To Read:
