Why does my cat play with her food?
Answer:
Your pet’s behavior is not unusual.
Pets usually hide their food for the same reason you or I might—they think the food stinks! This happens often when pets are ill and don’t feel like eating or when you suddenly change their diet. But, if your cat eats well and keeps returning to her food, she probably does not object to the smell.
Hiding food can be an instinctive behavior. In the wild, your cat would eat what she needed and hide the rest of her food from predators and scavengers until she was hungry again. In your home, covering up her food dish might be her way of carrying on this instinctive behavior.
Or, she might just be playing with her food. Cats are experts at finding ways to entertain themselves. Playing peek-a-boo may be something your cat does to make eating more fun, like children who finger paint smiley faces in cake frosting or adults who make mini-sculptures out of their mashed potatoes.
Your cat’s behavior is nothing to worry about. Think of it as a charming quirk—one that’s a lot of fun to watch!
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