The Mystery of Cats Scratching Around Their Food

If you’ve noticed your cat scratching around its food bowl before eating, you may have wondered what this behavior means. While it might seem odd or even frustrating, scratching around food is actually quite common in felines. This is a behavior rooted in both instinct and environmental factors. In this article, we’ll explore the reasons behind your cat’s scratching, the evolutionary instincts at play, and what you can do if it’s becoming a problem.

Understanding the Feline Scratching Instinct

Cats are complex creatures with a variety of instinctual behaviors, many of which are inherited from their wild ancestors. Scratching, whether it’s around their food or elsewhere, is one such behavior that stems from these primal instincts. But why exactly do cats scratch around their food?

Here are the most common reasons:

1. Marking Territory

One of the primary reasons cats scratch around their food bowl is to mark their territory. Cats have scent glands in their paws, and by scratching, they leave their scent behind. In the wild, scratching serves as a way for cats to stake a claim over their territory and to communicate with other animals.

How it applies to food bowls: When your cat scratches around its food bowl, it could be marking the bowl as its own. This territorial behavior is especially common in multi-cat households, where each cat may feel the need to assert dominance over their feeding area.

Signs of territorial scratching:

• Scratching the ground around the food bowl
• Scratching at the food or bowl itself
• Occasional growling or hissing while eating (especially in multi-cat households)

2. Instinctive Hunting Behavior

Scratching around food could also be linked to your cat's natural hunting instincts. In the wild, cats often "bury" their food by scratching at the ground to hide it from potential predators or competitors. This behavior stems from their need to protect their food supply from scavengers.

How it applies to domestic cats: While your cat may not need to hide its food from predators, the instinct remains. Cats may scratch the ground around their food as if they are "covering" it, much like their wild ancestors did. This can also be a form of preparation before they start eating, as it mimics the actions they would take in a hunting situation.

Signs of hunting behavior:

• Scratching the surface around the food bowl
• Tapping or pawing at the food
• Pausing before eating to "prepare" the area

3. Preparing the Eating Area

Another explanation for this behavior is that cats scratch to "prepare" their eating area, similar to how they might scratch to create a comfortable resting spot. Cats are known to be very particular about their environment, and scratching can help them feel more comfortable and secure.

How it applies to food bowls: Your cat may be scratching around the food bowl as a way to create a sense of safety and comfort before eating. The scratching could be an attempt to "arrange" the area around the bowl to their liking, ensuring it is a suitable space to consume food.

Signs of preparation behavior:

• Scratching at the floor, surrounding area, or even the food itself
• Using their paws to push or move the bowl
• Scratching before or after eating, not during

4. Seeking Attention

Some cats may scratch around their food bowls as a way to attract attention from their owners. Cats are often very communicative and will engage in certain behaviors when they want something—whether that’s food, affection, or playtime.

How it applies to food bowls: If your cat knows that scratching around the food bowl often gets a reaction from you, it may be doing it as a way to seek attention. This could be particularly true if you respond by refilling the bowl, offering treats, or simply paying attention to them in other ways.

Signs of attention-seeking behavior:

• Scratching around the food bowl frequently
• Scratching while looking at you or meowing
• An increase in attention-seeking behaviors at meal times

5. Discomfort or Disliking the Bowl

Sometimes, cats scratch around their food simply because they’re uncomfortable with the setup of the food bowl itself. This could be due to the material of the bowl, the placement of the bowl, or even the type of food. Cats are known for being particular about their environment, and a food bowl that isn’t to their liking can cause them stress.

How it applies to food bowls: If your cat scratches the area around its bowl or paws at the food, it might be trying to communicate discomfort. For example, some cats may not like the shape of their food bowl, the height of the bowl, or the texture of the surface around it. Additionally, if the food isn’t appealing, scratching could be a sign that they don’t want to eat it.

Signs of discomfort behavior:

• Scratching and pawing at the bowl or the surrounding area
• Refusing to eat the food or walking away
• Scratching when the bowl is placed in certain locations

6. Health problems

Oral or Dental Discomfort: Oral diseases, dental problems, etc. may cause cats to feel pain when eating, resulting in scratching behavior for food.

Other diseases: Certain diseases may cause cats to lose their appetite or react abnormally to food, such as kidney disease and thyroid problems.

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How to Help Your Cat Overcome Food Scratching Habits?

Here are some ways to help your cat overcome the habit of scratching food.

1. Provide suitable environment and objects

• Place a cat scratching board

Place a cat scratching board or other items suitable for cat's claw grinding near the food bowl to guide the cat to grind its claws in the right place and fulfill its claw grinding needs.

• Choosing the right eating utensils

It is also important to choose suitable eating utensils. The material, size and shape of the utensils should be suitable for the cat's habit of using them, and avoid using utensils that are too deep or too narrow, so as not to make the cat feel uncomfortable.

• Ensure food is fresh and varied

Ensure that the cat's food is fresh, without spoilage or odor, and meets the cat's taste and nutritional needs. To avoid your cat getting bored with the same food, try changing the brand and flavor of cat food regularly, or mixing wet food with dry food to increase the variety of food. In addition, you can occasionally add some natural ingredients, such as chicken, fish, chicken liver, etc., which can attract your cat's appetite and provide them with nutrition.

2. Control the supply of snacks

Limit the supply of snacks, especially before the main meal, and avoid giving your cat too many snacks to ensure they have an appetite for the main food.

3. Conduct behavioral training and correction

• Stop and divert attention

Make a stopping sound when the cat scratches the food, and then shift the cat's attention to other appropriate behaviors, such as playing or claw grinding.

• Positive reinforcement

Encourage your cat to exhibit the correct behavior through positive reinforcement, such as giving your cat a reward or praise. For example, praise and reward your cat promptly when it is sharpening its claws in the right place or eating quietly.

4. Pay attention to your cat's health condition

If the cat's food scratching behavior suddenly becomes frequent or is accompanied by other abnormal symptoms, such as vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite and depression, it may be caused by health problems, such as oral diseases, digestive problems or other systemic diseases. In this case, the cat should be brought to the veterinarian promptly for a thorough physical examination and diagnosis, and treated according to the veterinarian's recommendations.

What to Look For When Cat Scratches Food?

Here are some hygiene issues to keep in mind when your cat is scratching for food.

1. Cat's own hygiene

• Clean claws

The cat's claws may carry various bacteria, parasites and other pathogens, and the dirt and bacteria on the claws may contaminate the food before scratching it. Therefore, it is necessary to trim the cat's nails regularly to avoid the nails being too long and harboring dirt, and to keep the cat's claws clean to prevent the cat from scratching food with dirty claws.

• Oral hygiene

Bacteria in the cat's mouth may also spread to the food when scratching it, so pay attention to the cat's oral health and brush the cat's teeth regularly or provide oral cleaning products to reduce the growth of oral bacteria.

2. Food hygiene

• Food freshness

Make sure your cat's food is fresh and not spoiled or smelly. Spoiled food may cause health problems in cats, such as vomiting and diarrhea.

• Food Storage

Store your cat's food in a dry, cool place away from direct sunlight and moisture to prevent mold and spoilage. At the same time, pay attention to the shelf life of the food and do not feed your cat food that has expired.

• Cleaning of eating utensils

Regularly clean the cat's eating utensils, use hot water and detergent to clean thoroughly, and then rinse with water to avoid food residues and bacterial growth.

3. Environmental hygiene

• Location of the litter box

The litter box should be placed away from the cat's food and water to prevent the cat from touching the litter box after eating and then clawing the food, thus spreading the bacteria in the litter box to the food.

• Household cleaning

Keep the home environment clean and clean the room regularly to remove dust, hair and other debris to reduce the breeding of bacteria and parasites.

4. Clean your room

• Avoid exposure to harmful substances

Put toxic substances in the home, such as cleaners, insecticides, medicines, etc. out of reach of cats to prevent them from accidentally eating or contaminating food after contact.

5. Prevent the spread of diseases

• Vaccination

Ensure that cats are vaccinated on time to prevent common infectious diseases, such as feline distemper and rabies, to reduce the risk of disease transmission.

Also Read: The Guide to Cat Vaccination Schedules

• Regular medical checkups

Take your cat to the veterinarian for regular medical checkups to detect and treat potential health problems in time to ensure your cat's health.

• Pay attention to human-cat interaction hygiene

Wash your hands promptly after interacting with your cat to avoid spreading bacteria from your cat to food or other objects. Also, do not allow your cat to lick people's mouths or open wounds to prevent the spread of disease.

FAQs

Why does my cat try to cover her food after eating?

For food that cannot be eaten in one sitting, some cats are likely to show instinctive burying motions in an attempt to hide them. Behaviorists speculate that this may have something to do with feline storage behavior, which is found in many felines that survive in the wild. Cats will also try to move food if they don't like the eating environment you've set up for them, such as too noisy, mixed odors, inability to fixate, and too little space.
Cats may also start covering up their food when they lack appetite due to some illness. If the cat suddenly starts this behavior with symptoms such as decreased food intake and lethargy when there is no change in the environment or diet, it is recommended to take the cat to the hospital for further examination

Is it normal for kittens to scratch around their food too?

Conclusion

Cats scratching around their food is a behavior rooted in their natural instincts, from marking territory to preparing their eating area. While this behavior is typically harmless, it can sometimes be a sign of discomfort or stress. Understanding the underlying reasons can help you address any concerns and make mealtimes more enjoyable for your cat. By providing the right environment, food bowl, and feeding routine, you can ensure your cat’s happiness and well-being.