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Location: the wrong side of the tracks Richmond, VA
585 posts, read 2,014,607 times
Reputation: 794
First: thank you for saving the life of a sheltered animal! You will be rewarded with a lifetime of love, it's said that rehomed animals are some of the most loyal out there, as if they know you were their hero. Well done
Second: this is totally normal. My Buck (also a shelter kitty, adopted when he was 2 months old - I didn't plan on getting a kitten that day but he had something else in mind when he jumped onto the cage bars and demanded I take him home, who was I to argue cat logic?) does this... it's annoying as I have a dual water/food bowl along with separate water and food bowls so some inevitably ends up in the water bowl... he always bats the kibble out of the kibble bowl and prefers to eat it off the floor. His brother will even flip kibble out of the bowl so he can get it off the floor, they make a game of it.
Third: as has been suggested on this thread (even if you aren't asking for it), please take a minute to read through the MANY MANY threads on this forum about feeding just for educational purposes (or any other thread for that matter, you'll learn a lot just looking around!). Then you will be an INFORMED cat owner and some of the kooky things your kitty does will make a lot more sense. Not lecturing, not suggesting anything, just saying there is quite a bit of helpful information here and anyone here will be happy to offer TONS of advice if you need it (and, obviously, even if you don't) so don't be afraid to ask!
I think the whisker interference issue may explain why cats do that. I used to feed my cat using a bowl but after getting tired of having to clean up the residue of all the food he'd scoop onto the floor to eat, I switched to a plate and the problem has been solved. He keeps the food on the plate (although he does spread it around a bit) and his whiskers are untouched while he eats.
Location: the wrong side of the tracks Richmond, VA
585 posts, read 2,014,607 times
Reputation: 794
Quote:
Originally Posted by emilybh
I think the whisker interference issue may explain why cats do that. I used to feed my cat using a bowl but after getting tired of having to clean up the residue of all the food he'd scoop onto the floor to eat, I switched to a plate and the problem has been solved. He keeps the food on the plate (although he does spread it around a bit) and his whiskers are untouched while he eats.
I bought special bowls just for that purpose that are lower to the ground. They did seem to like them but unfortunately the water one was so shallow and easy to tip over, the kittens would just stomp around on it and get water all over the place
I bought special bowls just for that purpose that are lower to the ground. They did seem to like them but unfortunately the water one was so shallow and easy to tip over, the kittens would just stomp around on it and get water all over the place
I never thought about the same problem with the water bowl. He'll still drink the water out of a regular bowl. I do have some wide mouthed soup bowls though. Maybe I'll start putting his water in that so his water drinking will be more pleasurable.
Sounds like you have a cat that wants to remain a cat - This is wild behavior. The cat does not want to eat off a plate or out of a bowl..It's the hunter instinct...If the cat killed a mouse it would not bring it home and put the thing on a plate for supper- It would eat it on the ground....I like your cat already- sounds like a good one.
Location: the wrong side of the tracks Richmond, VA
585 posts, read 2,014,607 times
Reputation: 794
Quote:
Originally Posted by emilybh
I never thought about the same problem with the water bowl. He'll still drink the water out of a regular bowl. I do have some wide mouthed soup bowls though. Maybe I'll start putting his water in that so his water drinking will be more pleasurable.
I stopped using it when my senior could no longer crouch down that low due to her sore little bones but brought it back out for the kittens and they loved it, though like I said they might also make a mess so have a good mat under it with high sides so you don't get water on the floor. It's also easily spilled from the sink to the mat but I just fill it with the water pitcher I keep in my fridge and it's usually empty in the morning so that is a good sign.
Even if they make a mess, the kittens love it and seem to drink more water when I use that one versus the other bowls we have.
My cat always drank from the dog's 2 big stainless steel bowls so I kept using those after my dog passed away. She likes to dip her paw in the water or sometimes she'll look at her own reflection. LOL
My cat always drank from the dog's 2 big stainless steel bowls so I kept using those after my dog passed away. She likes to dip her paw in the water or sometimes she'll look at her own reflection. LOL
Sounds like a funny kitty.
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