Meal time etiquette

[CrazyDuchess]

I know there probably isnt a real reason other than this is what she likes to do.... but it confuses me

One of my cats has taken to eating the first half of her meal in the bowl..... then drags the remaining half on the floor and eat it there....

Why does she do that??

Magic does this.. fortunately she has food so it's not to messy. I read somewhere that there is a reason for it, but I can't remember what it was. I'll try and find out again.

It can sometimes be a symptom of mouth or dental pain (i.e. they associate the bowl with the source of the pain). If it's a recent behaviour change and she hasn't had a vet check up for a few months, it might be a good idea to get her checked.

One of ours likes to lift each mouthful onto the floor before eating it. The other takes her share from the kitchen, through the hall, into the dining room and eats it on the rug in there.

Shape of bowl? Cats don't like having their whiskers bent so maybe the first half is fine, but the second half (being lower in the bowl obvs) is less comfortable.

@UtterlyUnimaginativeUsername that is exactly what Magic does. But she doesn't do it all the time, and will happily sit next to her sister and eat.

How old is she? If older and you've had her a while, are her teeth ok?

My Ollie does this, but he's only 18 months old. He was a rescue and then had to share a large bowl with two dominant brothers when he was little, so hard to get a look in. He now has his own bowl

Thanks - this is really helpful. She is nearly 4 years old - and it's fairly recent..... but she doesnt do it every meal time- maybe 40-50% of the time...

Maybe a dental check might be in order!

Strange things these cats eh!