Meowing for food but only eats when I'm with her

[AutumnEve]

My dear little cat seems to have a psychological issue. We adopted her when she was 10yo 2 years ago) so I don't know much about her background.
Wherever I am in the house she meows desperately at me. If I try to give her attention she quickly runs away, towards the food bowl, keeps meowing until I stroke her in front of the bowl and it is only then that she is happy to eat.
I love her dearly but she can be quite stressful. She seems a happy cat in all other respects and doesn't do this if we're outside (though she only goes outside if we're outside).
Any tips/ideas?

No advice sorry but ours generally likes company when she eats too. We adopted her age 6 but had been a loved pet beforehand so may just be a personality quirk. Ours does like to be with us so think it's linked to that.
I help at our local CP adoption centre and have noticed some cats eat when someone is in the pen. Others however inhale the food and some eat when nobody is around. Funny creatures really.

Your cat has decided that one of her many needs that you must attend to is keeping her company while she dines
My cat has issues too.

My cat prefers to eat when I'm around. I think it makes him feel safer. That said, he usually cleans his bowl out overnight, so who knows!

Mine's like that too. If I dare leave the kitchen when she's eating she'll come flying after me and I get hard stares until I come back.

Same here, I get menaced if I don't respond promptly!

Think it's in the hope I may drop something new and delicious in his bowl. He has good quality dry food on tap which he settles down to eat within 10 seconds of me following him into the kitchen.

Funnily he doesn't have this problem at night, the furry terror

Speaking of furry terrors. About 4:00 this morning mine whacked me on the head and meowed at me, then two minutes later she's asleep & im wide awake.

Why? I have no idea.

😂 Empress

So it sounds as though this trait is here to stay. She meows a lot if I'm in the kitchen (her food is next door in utility), meowing at me is as if she's panicking- eyes wide open, tail up, paws wide kind of thing.
At night she sleeps soundly on our bed. We have two other cats so it's probably a safety/comfort thing, making sure the other rulers of the house don't interfere (they never have a probably never will)

I've had mine since he was a kitten and he has those same issues.

I'm the designated lookout while His Lordship dines.

And the servants have to accompany him outdoors at all times.

He's now 7 years old and sadly there's no sign of improvement yet.

Teehee at all the furry dictators

CatsInKilts mine thinks it's the best thing ever when we're both in the garden together. I've found myself doing his bidding chasing the bully neighbour cat out of the garden while His Lordship watches in delight...

Poor Empress!

Mines started to do this too. She clambers all over me until I go to the kitchen with her then I have to stand with my legs open so she can squeeze through and eat, once she's eating I do tend to make a run for it and shut the door

I had a cat that was the same, only ate if you were there with him. If anyone came in to feed him I always had to explain, not just to put the food down, but sit with him while he eats it!
Current girl is much less fussy in that respect though she does start with the 'I think it is my teatime now' miaowy suggestions from a good 3 hours in advance if we're both at home!

She can get away with it. As long as it doesn't happen too often.

Aw she's gorgeous. Nice leg

Hi EmpressCat!

Can we have more cat pics????

I think it's a sign that she loves you very much and likes your company when she's eating. Would you consider eating at the same time as her in the same room? A bit much to ask, really. Have you tried leaving her gradually when she's eating, say after a couple of mins, then after 4 mins, etc, and hopefully she'll ween herself off of you?

I thought it was just mine that did this! I find myself saying 'good girl, who's a good girl, who's a clever girl' when she finally stops mincing around and eats...I think it's me that has the issues