Why Do Cats Paw At The Floor

Kitty has just enjoyed another tasty meal from his food dish.

Why do cats paw at the floor. This assumption is inaccurate. Cats who scratch the floor or wall after using the litter box are usually making a comment about the litter box itself and or the litter that is being used. If your floor is covered by a smooth carpet your cat may be more likely to paw at it than onto other types of ground.

Many cat owners assume this is a clear sign that the cat isn t interested in the food. Kitty can t actually see the water right under its muzzle. While it seems strange to you it s perfectly natural and a throwback to kitty s wild origins.

Cats paws are used to communicate one of the many reasons cats scratch objects is to mark their territories and broadcast information about themselves. We re used to thinking of cats as being averse to water but the truth is some cats enjoy playing with and in water. In some cases cats will also drag objects such as towels on top of their food bowls.

In the wild cats frequently kill animals much bigger than they can eat. A common mistake cat owners make is that when their cat swipes their paw on the floor around their food dish they think that they are covering up the food like they would their poop in a litter box. They are burying it which they do for the same reason they bury their business its so they can maintain their low profile.

The pawing and digging is an example of instinctive behavior meaning your cat probably didn t learn it from its mother. Inexplicably he begins pawing at the floor around his bowl trying to hide his leftovers. In addition to the visual evidence.

Often the cat box is too small for the cat or there isn t enough litter or there s too much litter in the cat box. So when my cat eats some of her food first then begins to paw around the dish she s following an instinct that doesn t make much sense for her circumstances she is after all a house cat with. Consider the location of the cat s eyes as he or she approaches the dish.