Posted: 1/14/2009 5:49:25 AM EDT
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We got the kids a cat about 6 years ago. He's a lazy, non-mousing, scared of birds furball. For his first 4 years I got the impression he thought he was a dog as there are more dogs in the neighborhood than cats and he's roughly the size of a small Cocker Spaniel.
In the last couple years he's come to terms with the reality that he's acat and has been exhibiting more cat like behaviors. Thankfully, he still doesn't meow much if at all as a noisy cat I cannot abide. He has this one really odd behavior though and I can't figure it out. When I let him in the house he goes straight for his food bowl. Fair enough, but he will follow me around and try to lead me back to his food and water even if it's fresh. He will stare at me, stare at the food, walk around my feet, stare at the food and won't leave me alone. Usually a little scritch on the head will get him eating and he'll leave me alone for a while and eat. What's up with this thing? Is he trying to get me to eat kibble or what? |
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He wants to SEE you put food in the bowl. Honest, no joke, try it one time and see if he doesn't eat right after. I should have clarified what I meant by "fresh". He does actually see me get the food and water and put them in the bowl. In fact, I thought the same thing which is why I tried that to see if it made him quit with the attempted force feeding of the Meow Mix, but no joy. |
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He associates you and the pat on his head with food. Your cat sees that as part of eating and seeks it out. Congratulations, you've just completed a successful Pavlov experiment. I wondered that as well. I don't *think* this behavior started after the skritch though, I think the skritch was started as a way to make him lemme 'lone. |
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You know, I'm not really sure but I think it's possible that if one were able to figure out cats, they might also be able to figure out wimmenz.
They both have certain given behaviors that make no sense when observed and neither of them will give a reason why when asked. |
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I think your cat means to say:
I hate Meow Mix. It tastes like barf. Not my barf, mind you, cause that tastes pretty good unless I have been eating Meow Mix. I even hate the commercials for Meow Mix. That goddamn fake meowing cat gave all of us a bad name. Do I wander around making annoying noises? NO, I do NOT. I have tried to make this obvious. If starvation didn't force me to eat that crap I would have long since dropped dead. Do you remember that time I got on the counter and shredded part of your newspaper? You acted like I had carved up an original copy of the Magna Fucking Carta with the way you carried on. NO, I was not making a mess for a mess sake. I was trying to cut you out a coupon for a higher grade of cat food! You try cutting on the little dotted lines with a set of meat cleavers! It ain't easy! So, for the love of all that is HOLY please stow the Meow Mix! |
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I have 4 cats, and each one has their own "thing" they do. And they learn from each other. Except the biggest one which does this weird double bunny hop thing, then plops on the floor like a dog. He's the only one that does that.
LoL, Come to think on it my 2 teenagers also have there own "thing" too. LOL! |
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He wants to SEE you put food in the bowl. Honest, no joke, try it one time and see if he doesn't eat right after. That's about the size of it. My big orange guy Unit 3 often tries to lead me into the back yard. I keep a hanging basket with catnip growing in it, up in a tree where cats can't get to it (otherwise it would be impossible to grow the stuff). We have a ritual - Every day I give him one leaf of catnip. |
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I think your cat means to say: I hate Meow Mix. It tastes like barf. Not my barf, mind you, cause that tastes pretty good unless I have been eating Meow Mix. I even hate the commercials for Meow Mix. That goddamn fake meowing cat gave all of us a bad name. Do I wander around making annoying noises? NO, I do NOT. I have tried to make this obvious. If starvation didn't force me to eat that crap I would have long since dropped dead. Do you remember that time I got on the counter and shredded part of your newspaper? You acted like I had carved up an original copy of the Magna Fucking Carta with the way you carried on. NO, I was not making a mess for a mess sake. I was trying to cut you out a coupon for a higher grade of cat food! You try cutting on the little dotted lines with a set of meat cleavers! It ain't easy! So, for the love of all that is HOLY please stow the Meow Mix! It's funny you mention that. We had a neighbor that used to feed him also. Actually, several neighbors did that but the one I'm thinking of bought him a "Christmas present" a couple years back. She bought him that expensive high grade (whatever that is, must be flavored like Persian Cat butt instead of like domestic) food and he loved it. In fact, he loved it so much we didn't see him for about 3 weeks until she ran out and refused to buy anymore. |
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I think your cat means to say: I hate Meow Mix. It tastes like barf. Not my barf, mind you, cause that tastes pretty good unless I have been eating Meow Mix. I even hate the commercials for Meow Mix. That goddamn fake meowing cat gave all of us a bad name. Do I wander around making annoying noises? NO, I do NOT. I have tried to make this obvious. If starvation didn't force me to eat that crap I would have long since dropped dead. Do you remember that time I got on the counter and shredded part of your newspaper? You acted like I had carved up an original copy of the Magna Fucking Carta with the way you carried on. NO, I was not making a mess for a mess sake. I was trying to cut you out a coupon for a higher grade of cat food! You try cutting on the little dotted lines with a set of meat cleavers! It ain't easy! So, for the love of all that is HOLY please stow the Meow Mix! ahh I see you speak CAT. 
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Mine won't eat unless the bowl is full to the top. Strange behavior.[>:/] We had one that would complain if he could see the bottom of the bowl too. cover the bottom with food, no more meowing. Cat (yes, that's his name..."Cat") will often dig his food out of the bowl and eat it off the floor. I think it's because his fat head is slightly too large for the bowl, but until he gets off his lazy ass and gets a job he will just have to go with what's provided. |
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...Cat (yes, that's his name..."Cat") will often dig his food out of the bowl and eat it off the floor.... My calico, Samantha, eats kibble one piece at a time. She drags a piece out onto a tray that I keep the food bowl on, eats it, and repeats. On a side note, I just gotta ask: Do you, in fact, have your Colt .45 right by your side? |
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One of mine does that. He hardly eats and will sit next to his full dish, just waiting. I pick up a little bit of the food and drop it back into his dish and he's satisfied.
Strange creatures... seems like they pick up new habits and lose others every single week. |
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Mine won't eat unless the bowl is full to the top. Strange behavior.[>:/] We had one that would complain if he could see the bottom of the bowl too. cover the bottom with food, no more meowing. It may be that he doesn't like his whiskers touching the side of the bowl. |
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My kitten kinda does the same damn thing.
Once I get home from work he'll start hitting the pantry door and whine until I put food in his bowl, even when there's still some food in it. But I can't figure out why he hit the pantry door, I keep their food in the lazy-susan. ETA: Here's the fat cat eating...she's strange too.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUft8YD4iCc |
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Mine won't eat unless the bowl is full to the top. Strange behavior.[>:/] We had one that would complain if he could see the bottom of the bowl too. cover the bottom with food, no more meowing. It may be that he doesn't like his whiskers touching the side of the bowl. I'm talking about just covering the surface with food and not changing the depth. |
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Mine won't eat unless the bowl is full to the top. Strange behavior.[>:/] We had one that would complain if he could see the bottom of the bowl too. cover the bottom with food, no more meowing. It may be that he doesn't like his whiskers touching the side of the bowl. I'm talking about just covering the surface with food and not changing the depth. Throw a little Lion Chow in the bowl once in a while and see if kitty begins stalking you 
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He is psychically blasting you with the message, "Get me something new and different to eat, NOW!  ".New food gives Cat the shits. He's been a good cat in that regard and has never crapped in the house. He pissed on the doormat once when the snow was too deep for him to go out but other than that he's been very good in that regard. I don't want to ruin that particular record. |
