If your cat throws his food on the floor while he’s eating, he may just be a messy eater – or there may be an underlying behavioral problem.
I had this issue with one of my cats many years ago, and fortunately, I was able to correct it.
Here’s my story and how I was able to train my cat to stop throwing his food on the floor and making a mess of my kitchen floor!
Why Does My Cat Throw His Food on the Floor?
There are a few reasons why your cat may be throwing his food on the floor while eating.
The most common reasons that explain this behavior are:
He’s a Messy Eater
Some cats are just naturally messy and will make a bit of a mess when they eat – this isn’t necessarily something that can be corrected.
If your cat is a messy eater, the best thing you can do is to confine him to a small area while he eats and put a food may underneath his bowl.
This is a frustrating problem to deal with, but what can I say, some animals just lack eating etiquette!
Related – Reasons why some cats move their food bowls!
He’s Competing for Food with Other Cats
If you have multiple cats, they may be competing for food and this is causing your cat to eat quickly and not focus on chewing his food.
The solution here is simple – feed each cat in a separate room so they can’t see or smell the other cats while they’re eating.
This will help reduce stress and competition, and hopefully, your cat will start eating more slowly and carefully.
He Doesn’t Like the Shape of His Food Bowl
Believe it or not, some cats don’t like eating out of certain types of bowls.
If your cat is throwing his food on the floor, try changing the shape of his bowl – sometimes a different size or shape can make all the difference in the world.
I had a cat that struggled with the classic round bowl, I could see he was trying to snatch food out instead of dipping his head in.
Turns out it was uncomfortable when rubbing on his whiskers, so I bought a bowl with no sides and solved his messy eating habit overnight!
His Food Is Too Close to His Water Bowl, Litter Tray, or Something Else
Cats are very particular creatures and sometimes the placement of their food bowl can cause them stress.
If your cat’s food bowl is too close to his water bowl, litter tray, or something else he doesn’t like, it may be causing him to eat quickly and not focus on his food.
The solution here is to simply move his food bowl to a different location.
Related – Here is the ideal distance that should be between a cat’s food bowl and litter box.
It’s a ‘Quirk’ of His Personality
Some cats just have quirky personalities and do things that don’t make sense to us.
If your cat is throwing his food on the floor and you can’t figure out why, it may just be a quirk of his personality.
The best thing you can do is to try to correct the behavior with some of the tips above, but if nothing works, don’t stress too much about it.
At the end of the day, I’m sure you still love him – quirks and all!
How Do I Stop My Cat From Throwing Food Around?
If your cat is throwing his food on the floor and you want to correct the behavior, there are a few things you can do.
Here are some tips that might help you get to the bottom of his behavior and resolve it:
- Confine him to a small area while he eats with a food mat underneath his bowl.
- Feed each cat in a separate room so they can’t see or smell the other cats while they’re eating.
- Try changing the shape of his bowl – sometimes a different size or shape can make all the difference in the world.
- Move his food bowl to a different location.
If you try these things and your cat is still throwing his food on the floor, it may just be a quirk and hopefully it’ll pass.
Why Is My Cat Throwing Up His Food?
If your cat is throwing up his food and isn’t just a messy eater, it’s important to take him to the vet so they can rule out any medical conditions.
There are a few different reasons why your cat might be throwing up his food, including:
- He ate too fast and didn’t chew his food properly.
- He has an intestinal blockage.
- He has a food intolerance or allergies.
- He has an infection or virus.
It’s too difficult for me to say and for you to guess. It’s really something best assessed by a vet.
In Summary
There are a few different reasons why your cat might be throwing his food on the floor, including stress, competition, and bowl placement.
If you’re unsure why your cat is doing it or you think your cat is making a mess by vomiting, be sure to take him to the vet to rule out any medical conditions.
On a positive note, with a little trial and error, you should be able to correct the behavior!
Resources
Image credits – Photo by am on Unsplash
