Strange Cat Food Behaviours Explained

Pet Shed Vet

March 31, 2021

Cat sitting by the window

Cat lovers revel in the silly things felines do. This is true on cat food time as well. Felines happily satisfy themselves and their enjoyment of cat food can top the list of funny cat moments.

However, cats can behave strangely with food. Some owners assume that the animal doesn't like what they are offered, but they are wrong. Felines may show certain cat food behaviours due to other causes. Remember: cats are smart and there is always a reason for what they do. Here's your chance to learn.

  1. Why do cats sometimes suck wool or clothing?

    This has more to do with rearing and diet than it does with the cat food itself. When cats wean too early, they are reminded of their mothers with the wool lanolin and they tend to suck it in response. Check your cat food for fiber content. Your feline may have a lack of fiber in her diet. If so, find a cat food with adequate fiber content. Lots of cuddles and good quality cat food will ensure your kitten will soon grow out of pining for its mother.

  2. Why do cats sometimes scratch the floor as though they are trying to bury their food dish?

    There are generally two reasons. Domestic cats do this if they do not like the cat food in front of them - better they scratch the floor than toss the cat food all over the place! Originally this behaviour comes from the wild as beyond the comfort of home, wild felines bury cat food to keep it for later. Naturally, if not buried, other interested animals will eat the food. If your feline displays this wild trait, the cat food is fine so try a couple of different types of cat food to determine which the reason is.

  3. Why do some cats go bonkers over catnip, while others ignore it?

    Catnip is an herb from the Labiatae mint family. Frankly, its intoxicants give cats a natural high. Feline reactions to catnip are just as natural. If the cat has the catnip gene, he goes crazy for it. If she doesn't have the gene, she walks away. There is another reaction which puzzles owners: the cat rolls all over the catnip. This means she loves it! Forget about cat toys, the catnip provides instant and lasting play and a great sense of wellbeing. Owners, just remember to give catnip to your baby long before you expect him to settle in for the night. If he goes crazy with it, give catnip to your baby early enough that you both get to sleep on time.

  4. Why do cats sometimes "sneer" when smelling something?

    Felines possess an amazing sense of smell. In fact, smells define a cat's world. Have you noticed? Your feline sticks her snout in your smelly shoes after you take them off? Their noses tweak quickly to any smell related to food. Cats curl up their lips and "sneer" when they are taking in an interesting, intense new odor. "Flehming" is when felines draw that odor into an organ on the roof of their mouths to smell it more deeply. The Jacobson's organ allows your feline to really take in that smell. The sneer proves it.

  5. Why do cats sometimes insist on drinking from a dripping faucet?

    In most homes, water dishes go right beside the cat food dishes. So, why do cats go for bathtubs or toilets with clean water? Felines are finicky and they prefer running water. This is why cats prefer fresh water sources to standing water in the dish. Experts note that dripping faucets appeal to a cat's sense of sight and hearing. That tap motion takes your baby from the cat food dish in the kitchen to the bathroom for a little drink. Don't be shocked if your little one stirs the water dish with a paw, too. That means he is looking for fresh water. Very cute.

  6. Why do cats tip over their water dishes, or drop food on the floor to eat it?

    Cat food is sensuous to felines in several ways. First, they smell the food before they start to eat it. Secondly, they experience the crunch of dry food, and the overall feel of eating. Since whiskers are a cat's feelers, they are very sensitive and cats use them for navigation. Cat food bowls sometimes touch whiskers, which cats don't like. Your feline prefers to consume cat food in the open, where whiskers are free. Keep this in mind when you buy pet supplies. Wider, shallow cat food bowls solve this messy floor issue.

Cat food elicits distinct behaviours in felines. Some are funny. Others are annoying. However, owners benefit by remembering that cats have their reasons. Your pet may enjoy the cat food eaten off the floor. He may drink from the toilet. She may walk away from nature's well-known feline intoxicant. These behaviours show your cat's distinct traits. They often originate in the wild, even though your baby is domestic. Cat food provides an excellent way to experiment with your baby's culinary palette and gives us some classic cat moments.