{"id":79784,"date":"2025-03-30T17:48:52","date_gmt":"2025-03-30T17:48:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cats.com\/?p=79784"},"modified":"2025-03-30T17:48:52","modified_gmt":"2025-03-30T17:48:52","slug":"why-do-cats-cover-their-food","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cats.com\/why-do-cats-cover-their-food","title":{"rendered":"Why Do Cats Cover Their Food?"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Cats

Sheila Fitzgerald \/ Shutterstock.com<\/p><\/div>\n

There is no arguing with the fact that cats tend to have quirky habits.\u00a0 Among the many that perplex cat owners is when cats cover their food.<\/p>\n

You may have noticed your cat scratching and pawing at the floor around their food bowl.<\/a> Or you may have even found them covering their leftovers with a towel, blanket, or sheet of paper. Thankfully, this is normal feline behavior. It is typically driven by natural instincts inherited from their wild ancestors.<\/p>\n\n

Occasionally this food-covering behavior is a sign of stress or anxiety, loss of appetite, or an issue with the food itself. In this article, we will explain the roots of this quirky cat behavior, how to discourage it when necessary, and when you should seek the advice of your veterinarian.<\/p>\n

Causes of Food Burying in Cats<\/h2>\n

So, why do cats scratch around their food bowls, scraping their paws like they do in the litter box<\/a>? They are actually trying to bury their food, using a similar action they use to cover their toileting deposits. But why? Here are some possibilities:<\/p>\n

1. Instinctive Behavior<\/h3>\n

The reasons why many cats try to bury their food can be traced back to their wild ancestors. Many of these ancient instincts are still within our pet cats. Domestic cats are part of the Felidae family, which contains 37 recognized species. They likely evolved from a common Asian ancestor 10 to 12 million years ago.<\/p>\n

The Felidae family also includes big cats like lions, tigers, leopards, and cheetahs, as well as several species of wild cats. Samples of DNA from pet cats across the world are almost identical to African wildcats<\/a>. Our domestic house cats also share over 95% of their DNA with tigers<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Wild cats may cover and hide the remains of their meals for several reasons:<\/p>\n