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Posts: 1591
From:NY, USA
Registered: Oct 2002

posted 10-09-2003 11:13 PM         

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Anyone know why a cat would scratch the floor in front of the water bowl before taking a drink? My cat, Chieve, used to do this and I always wondered why....and now I see Bean doing it as well except not at the water bowl...he does it when I am preparing to give them canned food. I have also noticed both of these cats scratching the floor often before lying down. Bean is almost 4yrs old and never did this before Chieve came around last year. Just curious why they do this and if one cat could have possibly picked this strange behavior up by seeing another cat doing it.

[This message has been edited by nern (edited 10-09-2003).]

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Member

Posts: 81
From:Fairfield, CT
Registered: Sep 2003

posted 10-10-2003 08:02 AM         

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I once had a cat who would do that after she finished eating. I would laugh and thank her for cleaning up after herself :-)

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Posts: 102
From:
Registered: Sep 2003

posted 10-10-2003 08:05 AM         

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When mine are done eating, they always try to "bury" the food. I think it is a throwback from in the wild when their ancestors used to have to cover any leftover food to protect it from predators. Cats are weird about odors!

NTC

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Posts: 97
From:usa
Registered: Oct 2003

posted 10-10-2003 08:10 AM         

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Both my cats do that. My female Cali does it with her food. My kitten Charlie does it with his water only his whole paw goes down into it. He also does it with his food, but when he does it he paws it to the floor then eats it. I think its just a cat thing.

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~*T*~

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Member

Posts: 18
From:Hanford, CA USA
Registered: Jul 2003

posted 10-10-2003 10:37 AM         

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I thought I was the only one who had strange cats. Benjamin always scratches at the water bowl before and after he gets a drink. He makes a mess, it drives me crazy. Myles tries to cover his food, I agree it probably is a wild cat antic. Don't you just love our little fur babies?!

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Posts: 9
From:ca.
Registered: Oct 2003

posted 10-10-2003 10:41 PM         

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yes my cat sassy (6) trys to cover her food after eating...sometimes she will be there up to 15 minutes scratching away at the floor, my other cat pepper (11) couldn't care less...

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Posts: 1392
From:
Registered: Sep 2003

posted 10-11-2003 08:56 AM         

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My husband told me that pawing at the water comes from a leftover instinct when cats drank from streams and things. He says it is to stir up the water so the scum and stuff goes away and cleaner water is left.

Jamiya

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Posts: 1591
From:NY, USA
Registered: Oct 2002

posted 10-12-2003 01:23 PM         

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Thanks for all your replies

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