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What is food caching?
Food caching is hiding and burying food.
It is a behavior commonly seen in cats and is rooted in their evolutionary history as predators and scavengers.
The domestic cats ancestor, wild cats, often did this to store food for later.
They also did this to mask the scent of their food and avoid being found by their predators.
In the wild, cats didnt have a guaranteed source of food.
This caching behavior lets them return to their leftover food and prevents other animals from stealing it.
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In the wild, burying food also had a territorial aspect.
The scent glands on the cats paws help them leave their scent behind when covering their tracks.
This warns other animals that the food belongs to someone.
It is more likely that you would see such behavior in feral cats or a neighborhood cat.
Because they are natural hunters, cats feel the need to bury their food to store it.
While our feline companions have been domesticated, your cat may still show this natural behavior.
This behavior is instinctive, meaning cats arent taught to bury food; they just do it.
While cats no longer need to cover their food, they simply dont know.
According toa scientific data, these instinctive behaviors are hardwired.
The reasons for this behavior could range from environmental stressors like new cat food to social stressors like bullying.
Some medical issues like diabetes and hyperparathyroidism could lead to food burying and food aggression.
In multi-cat households, food burying may also indicate that your cats are having conflict over food.
Your cat is tidying up
Cats are naturally tidy animals that like to keep their space clean.
Your cat may simply be burying its food because he doesnt want it anymore.
In addition to this, a cat could cover up food because they dont like the smell.
Cats have a keen sense of smell and may be more sensitive to certain odors.
Feeding your cat the right amount of food is essential to prevent this behavior.
Buried food may rot, leading to foul smells and even illness when eaten.
Also, this buried food might attract rodents.
According toVCA Animal Hospitals, adult cats should be fed two meals daily at 12 hours.
By doing this, she might feel that shes saving up food for later for the kids.
This is linked to their innate behavior in the wild.
Note that other adult cats may also bury food for kittens.
This is especially common in cats that have previously been mothers.
If the food burying is sparked by overfeeding, the veterinarian can help you develop the proper feeding regimen.
2) Try dry food
Dry foodis more challenging to bury than wet food.
If your cat likes to graze, consider transitioning to dry kibble.
By doing this, you encourage your cat to finish meals at once and prevent burying of leftovers.
By doing this, you maintain cleanliness and prevent food burying.
Also, regularly clean your cats food bowls and mats to prevent disease.
If your cat buries food occasionally and is healthy, you may not need to interfere with this behavior.
Conclusion
In most cases, cats attempt to bury their food because it is instinctive behavior.
In other cases, it might mean your feline is stressed or doesnt like the food.
Frequently asked questions
Why does my cat only eat food off the ground?
Your cat might eat off the floor out of preference, curiosity, or resourcefulness.
Your cat may also have floor-eating syndrome.
Why is my cat scratching the floor near her food and not eating?
Your cat may be scratching around their food bowl like theyre trying to bury the food.
This is instinctive behavior in cats linked to their wild ancestors.
