Purrs In Our Hearts - Cat Forum UK

Cat Health & Behaviour => Health & Behaviour General => Topic started by: bluecat on January 07, 2008, 12:08:26 PM

Title: Behaviour advice
Post by: bluecat on January 07, 2008, 12:08:26 PM

MARY IS SCRAPING HER PAWS WERE HER FOOD BOWL IS SHE ONLY RECENTLY STARTED DOING THIS  WHEN SHE DOES IT SHE WALKS AWAY FROM HER FOOD AND DOSENT EAT ANY IDEAS ?

Title: Re: Behaviour advice
Post by: Kittybabe (Ruth) on January 07, 2008, 12:39:43 PM

Hi, is this new food? I have found that if its a flavour of food they don't like they try to "cover it up" like its waste. Others will have other theories but Lexy only does this if she gets beef flavour food.

Title: Re: Behaviour advice
Post by: Gill (sneakiefeline) on January 07, 2008, 12:42:50 PM

I think you must have upset her big time  :rofl: :rofl:

Sometimes they also try to cover it if they want to save it for later!

Did you leave caps lock on  :evillaugh: :evillaugh:

Title: Re: Behaviour advice
Post by: unseeliechylde on January 07, 2008, 14:11:27 PM

I think it depends on the cat - Riley does this if for some reason we have to feed him from a different bowl, or in a different location, than usual. As cats have scent glands between their toes, they sometimes paw the ground to scent-mark something. In Riley's case, he's making it clear that "this is mine" :evillaugh:

Title: Re: Behaviour advice
Post by: Tiggy's Mum on January 07, 2008, 17:44:32 PM

I thought it stemmed from covering up the 'prey' to eat later.  Riley does it all the time and he loves the food he gets so he's not pretending it's poo or anything  :shy:

Title: Re: Behaviour advice
Post by: Bazsmum on January 07, 2008, 18:59:14 PM

I have mixed reactions from my lot.....some will cover it straight over (well in motion) and some will eat part then cover....so thats gotta be a bit of both from me!  ;)

Lol Helen....defo dont think they think its poo either!  :sick: ;)

Title: Re: Behaviour advice
Post by: Linda (Bengalbabe) on January 07, 2008, 19:01:02 PM

Yep benglies do it all the time - either before they start or after they finish  ;D

Title: Re: Behaviour advice
Post by: blackcat on January 07, 2008, 19:02:43 PM

lots of cats do it. I think it goes back to when they were wild animals and had to hide their prey from other predators - nothing to worry about unless the litter tray is too close handy, in which case you will find the contents of the litter tray all over the floor beside the bowl  :rofl:

Title: Re: Behaviour advice
Post by: Bazsmum on January 07, 2008, 20:02:24 PM

Ive just recently learned that stripey wallpaper can send them bonker's with ref to going back to the wild etc!  :Crazy:

Title: Re: Behaviour advice
Post by: blackcat on January 07, 2008, 20:06:37 PM

lol Ruth, I have never had stripey wallpaper so I wouldn't know! actually now I consider it, I did have regency stripes in one place I had, but that was only one wall and most of that was covered with furniture ... I did have a seriously neurotic cat at the time - perhaps that is why!!! :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

Title: Re: Behaviour advice
Post by: Bazsmum on January 07, 2008, 20:11:55 PM

"Yes" I reckon the obstruction to get to the safety of the long grass was unbearable!  :evillaugh:  :rofl: