Some cat owners notice their pets' unhygienic habit of removing pieces of food from their bowl and dragging them around on the floor. This can happen to both small kittens and fully grown cats. Many don't understand why cats prefer to play with their food, attributing it to their pet's pickiness. But in fact, there's a scientific explanation for this habit.
Why do cats do this?
Cats are essentially predators, accustomed to first obtaining food for themselves and only then consuming it with appetite. This is why, when a cat sees a piece of meat or fish, it may start fiddling with it, pulling it out of the plate and imitating the hunting process.
Even the cutest and fluffiest cats have predatory instincts.
This behavior may also be due to discomfort: perhaps the animal's bowl is too deep or of an awkward shape, and the animal is trying to make eating easier.
Make sure your pet's bowl is comfortable enough.
Many kittens play with food because they are at their most active age—they are learning about the world around them and the properties of various objects, including food.
Kittens, like children, first learn about the world by smashing and breaking everything around them.
How to stop a cat from playing with food
To wean a pet off this habit, the owner needs to be patient. If a kitten takes a piece of meat from its bowl and carries it to the center of the kitchen, return it to its place, return the food to its plate, pet the cat, and calmly tell it that this is not right. You can also use more forceful methods: clap your hands loudly or spray the cat with water from a spray bottle to distract it from this behavior. Most animals lose the habit of taking food from their bowl as they grow older.
It is important to properly train your cat not to steal food.
It's important to understand that some animal habits are not due to whims or being "spoiled," but to natural instincts. Therefore, it's worth being more lenient with our pets and allowing them to occasionally express their character.
