Cats have a lot of behaviors that we humans find unusual and, frankly, a little strange. However, in most cases, there are natural and instinctive reasons for their behavior. Sometimes, these actions seem funny and cute, but they are actually signs that something is wrong. In other cases, owners may be overly concerned about patterns that are completely harmless.
Feral cats burying food, also known as storing, is a natural behavior. It usually refers to the floor near the cat scratching bowl. They don’t actually bury the food, but that’s exactly what they try to do.
Read on to find out if this is an innocent behavior or if it means your cat may have a problem and see if there is anything you can do to prevent it.
6 Reasons Cats Sometimes Bury Their Food
1. save it for later
Cats are just like humans. Sometimes they are greedy little creatures and will eat anything you put in front of them. Other times, they don’t have the appetite to eat every bite of food you put in front of them.
If your cat isn’t feeling too hungry, they may try to bury the food to keep it safe so they can come back for it later. This is more common for cats who are fed wet food at regular mealtimes. If you leave the food down for them to eat, they know it will be there later because it is always there, so they may not feel the need to hide it.
2. Protect it from others
If you have two or more cats in your house, or if you have a dog that steals cat food living with you, your cats may try to protect their food from others. This is somehow closely related to trying to preserve food for later consumption. They know they can’t eat all their food in one sitting, but they also know that if they don’t eat it, the family dog will come over and eat it all.
In the wild, cats will bury leftovers so they can come back and eat them when they are hungry because they are confident that other animals won’t be able to find them.
3. Leave it for the kittens
If you have a mother cat that has recently given birth to kittens, or if you have a mother cat and kittens in your home, adult cats may try to save food for the kittens. Cats are naturally maternal, so they will do everything they can to make sure the kittens are fed and stay healthy. The most important thing for the health of kittens is a steady supply of food, and mom cats know this.
4. Not spending enough time with food
Cats don’t usually wolf down their food like dogs do, which means they need a little extra time when eating. Your cat may worry that they don’t have enough time to eat before their food is taken away.
Again, this problem is usually found in cats that have regular mealtimes, rather than those that are fed all day long. It may seem like your cat is dawdling on his food, but give him a little time to finish it and you’ll both be happier.
5. Eating too much food
If you overfeed your cat, they are more likely to feel the need to bury the rest. This can be a problem for rescued cats who may not have gotten enough food early in their lives, especially stray and feral cats. They will realize the possibility of their food being stolen by other animals and want to protect it. This could be a sign that you are feeding too much food to meet your cat’s needs. It may also indicate that your cat is getting food from other places.
6. Cleanup
Although it may not always seem like it, cats are naturally very tidy animals. When they use the litter tray, they cover their poop and your cat may realize that the food on the floor or even at the bottom of the bowl is a bit untidy. Cats may try to organize their food, especially if they do realize it’s messy.
Is food storage unhealthy?
On the surface, burying food isn’t an unhealthy habit, but you should try to figure out why your cat feels the need to do it. If they’re burying their food because they can’t eat it all, or because your dog is stealing their food as soon as they turn around, it means you need to take some action to make sure they’re getting everything they need from their diet.
How to prevent burying
Find out what’s causing the burying and try to fix the problem.
Make sure you feed the right amount of food each day, and if you’re feeding at mealtimes rather than offering food to graze, make sure it’s split into two or even three meals during the day.
Don’t pull up the food as soon as your cat stops chewing:Give them a little time to rest before coming back for more food.If you feed a moderate amount of food, but your cat keeps leaving the food behind and trying to bury it, determine if they may be getting their food elsewhere or if there is a related health issue that is causing them to lose their appetite and not eat.
If there is no obvious reason for the scratching, it may just be an unusual quirk of your cat’s that isn’t causing any injury or damage. Make sure you are feeding your cat on a hard surface that won’t be easily scratched, and if they aren’t hurting themselves or are too engrossed in burying their food, it won’t cause any problems.
Final Thoughts
The main reason cats bury their food is to protect it, or a portion of it. Make sure your cat has a quiet and peaceful dining area where they can eat undisturbed with no competition for food. If your cat insists on scratching, there are no potential health issues, no reason to worry, and you can simply make sure the floor and surrounding area is not damaged.
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