What is this odd behaviour of my kitten?

Question

My kitten (5mths old), has started to move her food and water bowls with her paw(s). Although they are placed on a non-slip mat, she forces them off, sometimes turning them completely over! At first I thought she was perhaps thinking she was still in her litter box, and trying to 'cover' them lol. It seems rather a strange thing for her to start doing. She enjoys all the food I give her - so it cannot be some kind of protest!!

Any suggestions?

This happens with food in the dish and when empty. The water bowl was turned completely over last night!

Funny you saying that, she was eating some of my broccolli last night lol

I have sent off for one of those fountains, as cats don't like static water (she is always in the bath, basin and kitchen sink waiting for me to turn the tap on) - then she either puts her head under the running water or uses her paw!

Answer 1

she is just being playful

Answer 2

I have a Cat called Millie and for some unknown reason she always tests the water with her paw first( perhaps to test the temperature) before drinking. she also has the same habit as your kitty re moving the bowl...! i tried to stop this by buying the heavy ceramic bowls but no...when i got up the next morning the bowl was across the other side of the kitchen! She along with her sister also play daily with small fury mice and yep the water bowl is usually where they end up...( I have a line of soggy mice drying on the radiator!).....i have had numerous puddles of water and have just resigned myself to the fact that the water bowl may not be in the same place when i wake up every morning!! I think its a game


also try this website...quite a good selection of answers!

cat stuff.why does a cat do that?

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Answer 3

A cat not eating is the significant signal of being sick yet that doesn't sound like the case with this infant. i truly do not imagine you're gunna awaken and she'd have gave up the ghost. It appears like a psychological manifestation not a actual one which ought to take your cat away "a twin of that". possibly she's nonetheless frightened round a sparkling residing house? perhaps she replaced into very connected to her mom and on the grounds that of this she needs to adhere to the former such issues as kitten foodstuff? you'll discover she grows out of it with age. you're vet can do a test in case you opt for although somewhat?! If not take her to a distinct vet as i'm particular my vet has those centers so as that they are really round! Behavioural themes must be triumph over so a lot of love and affection and far of encouragement to eat and drink. perhaps slightly hen or fish to tempt her then trick her into the dry foodstuff? you should mash up a troublesome boiled egg with slightly milk and positioned some new dry foodstuff in it to wean her onto it? Vets continuously say any type of deception to get an animal to take a pill is amazingly good. foodstuff is even more advantageous mandatory so any style of deception must be suggested! good luck, i'm confident each and everything will be ok.

Answer 4

My cat does the same thing, only with just the water bowl. Some cats like "moving" water. You could try getting one of those "fountain" water bowls for your cat. Don't know if that would help with the food bowl or not. You might need to find heavier dishes.

Answer 5

Alot of cats do this, it's normal. Sometimes they do it if the bowl is empty, water is dirty and they don't like it, or they're just playing around. My male cat does it mainly when the water bowl is empty, like he's trying to tell me what's wrong. My female cat does it however on accident when she's drinking. She's an odd one and dips her paws into the water then licks it off. Only way she drinks. And sometimes the bowl will tip when's doing this.

Answer 6

My kitten (4 months old) does exactly the same thing - my older cat (now 4 yrs) also did it when she was a kitten.

Basically cats try to bury their food bowls to hide their food. They are especially likely to do this if there is more than one cat in the household.

I also think that once he tries to bury it he realises that he can move it around and then it becomes a game!

Answer 7

My cat - 3 years old - eats his fill and then spends ages scratching away as if he is trying to cover it, tipping the bowl over and generally spreading the food everywhere in the process. When he was younger he would spend up to 15 mins doing this after he ate.
Its an instinctive thing.
Leave her to it - as she gets older she won't bother so much.
Funny things aren't they!

Answer 8

She's probably trying to bury it. Even when the bowl is empty, the smell it there and she knows it's hers. My large cat tries to bury his and the other cat's food. And yes, he was turning the bowls over, and we were always picking up his food. I went to the $1 store and got 2 wide base bowls and they don't turn over now.

Answer 9

I'm not sure WHY they do it, but I had a friend whose cat use to do that also. They finally had to duct-tape the bowl to the floor, because she was driving them crazy at night.

They're probably just playing with it - the same way young kids will explore an object. It may be their way of learning cause and effect.

Answer 10

Maybe she justs thinks its fun to turn the bowls over. I have a cat who, when she was 7 months old did the same thing. Don't worry, it eventually stops

Answer 11

Probably the same reason they play with 'live' food. It's almost certain part of learning hunting and capturing skills. Unfortunately the bowls don't really have a chance!