When I get the 9 lives cat food, as soon as they hear me use the can opener they lose their minds. They claw at my legs,meow alot. When I go get the bowl and fork [I use the fork to mush it all together] they climb up on the counter and start going to the bowls and trying to eat it, I put them down all the time and when I raise my head after putting the other one down the other is up there. When I give them the food they only lick the gravy, then take it out of the bowl and put it on the floor and eats it. I'm going to list my question
1. why does my cat lick the gravy?
2. why does it take it out of the bowl and eat it?
3.why are they so alert when the hear the can opener?
4. how do I stop them from going crazy on my legs when I open it?
I'm sorry for all the questions but I know its only instinct but I need to know how to at least stop one thing out of the 4 questions, It becomes a living hell when I go to the can opener. Please no rude answers.
2007-07-20 21:43:42 · 5 answers · asked by RenjiXRukiaFan 3 in Pets ➔ Cats
The best answer will go to the answer that is not rude and please dont say 'why do you ask so many questions'
and the best answer needs an answer that makes sense. I am so sorry for all the questions
2007-07-20 21:45:31 · update #1
Oh I have another ?. when my cat had the babies the great cat a.k.a spanky tries to bite the neck of my cat baby and I hear hissing,growling and when I seperate then spanky goes right back at it and spanky is nuetered I want to stop this for my cat baby and a week before I got him nuetered I saw her laying down biting her neck and mating could she get pregnant again while she has her babies, no I cant spay her while she is feeding the kittens that will mess her milk up and the kittens will die I want to know if she will get pregnant I already have her an appoitment for her a month from now if shes not pregnant
2007-07-20 21:52:01 · update #2
Yes they do rub me and run in circles and a wierd meow comes out
2007-07-20 22:03:54 · update #3
As the others have said, they've learned that the sound of the can opener means yummy food. If you open a can of, say, pickled beets with a can opener, chances are they will come running thinking they are going to be fed. The gravy is the best part and I am really surprised cat food companies haven't figured that out and sell gravy-only cans (people who usually only feed dry kibble might want to put gravy over it, a sick or old cat might be enticed to eat if it had gravy on the food, etc.). Cats first try licking their food into their mouths, only reverting to chomping on a lump when licking doesn't get them anywhere and sometimes it's easier for them if they have a lot of surface space to lick the stuff around on--that's what I've observed anyway. You can train your cats to come running at the sound of the can opener and then sit (nicely) before they get their food. It'll take a while to train them but we have all our cats do this because I don't want them underfoot (literally) when I'll preparing food for anyone.
2007-07-21 10:22:36 · answer #1 · answered by Inundated in SF 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, the can opener sound means food. Best way to do the can opening is to use a hand cranked can opener or to put the cats on the other side of a door when you prepare their food so they can't be right there. They'll all come barrelling in when you open the door, but that's normal.
There was just a cartoon in the paper last month of Cat Heaven-- about 20 cats around a heavenly can opener as the hand of God turned it on. LOL!
They eat the gravy because it's the best--like eating frosting off the cake before you eat the cake.
The side of the bowl may be too high for the one cat, try serving it on a plate. Some still want to put it on the floor, but it happens less often when you use a plate versus the bowl. They don't like their cheek fur or whiskers to bump things when they eat is the main reason behind this.
The breeding question....call your vet and ask, that's the sort of questions he's been trained to answer. I really don't know if it's possible to become pregnant when not in heat, but i don't think they can. The vet would know for sure.
2007-07-21 10:35:09 · answer #2 · answered by Elaine M 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
This is normal cat behaviour. The gravy is easier to digest and may have more flavour than the solid part. Cats like to get to the food easily, they are not trained in table manners. It may be difficult to get to the food in the bowl and they can pull it apart more easily on the floor, just as they would if they caught a mouse or bird. They know that the sound of the can opener means you are opening a tin of catfood and so they have a conditioned response. Pavlov did experiments with dogs and found that that by ringing a bell at mealtimes the dogs would start salivating in anticipation of the food. They go "crazy on your legs" ( I really like that expression) because they are excited. Somertimes they may try to jump up and get the food as you are preparing it, or they may walk around in circles and rub themselves against you. Welcome to the world of cats.
2007-07-21 05:01:20 · answer #3 · answered by John S2005 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
It's simple....Your cats Love the food that you are giving them just like you might have a favorite food. The clawing and going crazy is their excitement in getting something they love.
Why do you need them to stop going crazy when they hear the can openr, personally I love it when my cat comes running cause I know I'm giving he something she loves.
they are going to ,lick the gravy off first because that's the best part!!
2007-07-21 04:55:22 · answer #4 · answered by EvArtD 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My cat does the same thing! Honestly, they LOVE IT! I can't use the can opener or open a pop-top can without being "rubbed" to death lol.
2007-07-21 05:29:01 · answer #5 · answered by maggiemae363 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋