SAEDNEWS: Burying or covering food is a natural, instinctive behavior in cats. However, it can sometimes be linked to anxiety, competition with other pets, or issues with their feeding routine. Here are 6 common reasons cats try to hide their food, along with practical ways to help prevent the behavior.
According to Saednews, Cats display many behaviors that we humans find unusual—and, honestly, sometimes a little strange. In most cases, however, there is a natural or instinctive explanation behind what they do. Sometimes these behaviors can look funny or adorable, while in other situations, they may indicate that something is wrong. There are also times when owners become concerned about what is actually a completely harmless habit.
Burying food, sometimes referred to as caching when observed in wild cats, is a natural behavior. It usually involves a cat scratching the ground around its food bowl. The cat is not actually burying the food, but that is essentially what it is trying to accomplish.
Read on to discover whether this behavior is simply instinctive or whether it could indicate a problem with your cat—and what you can do to discourage it if necessary.
Cats are a lot like humans in some ways. Sometimes they are little predators that will happily eat everything placed in front of them. At other times, they simply are not as hungry and cannot finish every bite.
If your cat is not particularly hungry, it may try to cover or bury its food to keep it safe so it can return to it later. This is especially common in cats that receive wet food at scheduled mealtimes. If you leave food available for them to graze on throughout the day, they know it will still be there later, so they may not feel the need to hide it.
If you have two or more cats, or if you have a dog that likes to steal your cat's food, your cat may try to protect its meal from other animals.
This is closely related to saving food for later. Your cat knows it cannot finish everything in one sitting, but it also knows that if it leaves the food unattended, another pet may come along and eat it.
In the wild, cats may cover leftover food so they can return to it when they become hungry, while reducing the chances of other animals finding it.
If you have a female cat that has recently had kittens, or if both a mother cat and her kittens live in your home, the mother may try to protect or save food for her young.
Cats have strong maternal instincts and will naturally do what they can to ensure their kittens are fed and healthy. A reliable source of nutritious food is essential to a kitten's development, and a mother cat instinctively understands this.
Cats generally do not eat their food as quickly or aggressively as some other predators. They may take their time while eating, which means they sometimes need more time to finish a meal.
Your cat may worry that its food will be taken away before it has had enough time to eat. Again, this behavior is more common in cats that receive food at specific mealtimes rather than cats that have access to food throughout the day.
It may look as though your cat has finished eating, but giving it a little extra time to rest and return to the bowl could prevent it from feeling the need to hide its food.
If you give your cat more food than it needs, it is more likely to feel the need to cover or bury what remains.
This can be particularly common in rescue cats that may not have received enough food earlier in life, as well as stray or feral cats. They may have learned to recognize the possibility that another animal could take their food, so they instinctively try to protect it.
Food-burying can also be a sign that you are providing more food than your cat actually needs. Alternatively, your cat may be getting additional food somewhere else.
Although it may not always seem that way, cats are naturally quite tidy animals. They cover their waste after using the litter box, and your cat may also see leftover pieces of food on the floor or at the bottom of its bowl as something that needs to be covered.
In other words, your cat may simply be trying to keep its eating area clean and organized.
Is Burying Food Unhealthy?
On its own, burying food is not necessarily an unhealthy behavior. However, it is worth figuring out why your cat feels the need to do it.
If your cat is hiding food because it cannot finish its meal, or because another pet steals its food whenever it walks away, you may need to make some changes to ensure that your cat is getting everything it needs from its diet.
How Can You Stop Your Cat From Burying Its Food?
The first step is to identify the reason behind the behavior and address the underlying issue.
Make sure you are feeding your cat an appropriate amount of food each day. If you feed your cat at specific mealtimes rather than leaving food out for grazing, consider dividing its daily portion into two or even three meals.
Do not remove the food immediately after your cat stops eating. Give it some time to rest and return to the bowl.
If you are already providing an appropriate amount of food but your cat repeatedly leaves its meal and tries to bury it, consider whether it may be eating somewhere else. You should also watch for other signs of a health problem that could be reducing its appetite.
If there is no obvious reason for the scratching, it may simply be an unusual but harmless habit. Feed your cat on a hard, durable surface that will not be easily damaged by scratching. As long as your cat is not hurting itself and does not become excessively obsessive about burying its food, there is generally no reason to be concerned.
Final Thoughts on Why Cats Bury Their Food
The main reason cats try to bury their food is to protect it or save part of it for later. Make sure your cat has a quiet, comfortable place to eat where it can enjoy its meal without interruptions or competition from other animals.
If your cat continues scratching around its food but has no underlying health problems, there is usually no reason to worry. Simply make sure the behavior does not damage the floor or the area around its food bowl.
