Even though cats have chosen to live with humans, they still have the wildness in their bones that they used to have in the wild! This has also given them a natural defensive instinct: to avoid the risk of their natural enemies being attracted to the smell of their own excrement, cats will always 'cover up' their excrement after using the toilet for safety.
Reasons why cats and dogs do not eat well_1
So, when this covering action occurs with food rather than excrement, it means two things.
1. I'm not hungry, I've had enough!
As carnivores, cats have a habit of burying their leftover food in the wild, either to keep it as food for later or to cover up the smell to avoid attracting more animals to come and compete for it.
Reasons why dogs and cats don't eat well_2.
2. It's too bad, take it away!
"If I don't like it, don't put it in my bowl! Once the thought has crossed the mind of a capricious cat owner, he will start to make a sand paddling motion to cover up the smell of his annoyance and to tell his minion to get rid of it!
Reasons why dogs and cats don't eat well_4
What about the dog owner? The most common thing that we hear from our dog owners is the "top bowl" action. Sometimes they start to top up their bowls as soon as the food is put down, and sometimes they still top up their bowls even after they have eaten all the food.
1. Wait before eating, hide it first!
According to evolutionary history, dogs have an instinct to hide food. If they can't eat the food they've been given, if they don't want to eat it right now, if they can't eat it, or if they have leftovers, they will want to "push it away and bury it" to prevent it from being snatched up by other threats, and then eat it when they are hungry.
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2. It's too good - I want more!
If your dog waits until he has eaten all the food in his bowl before he starts pushing it up, congratulations, the food provided today has pleased his owner so much that he wants more!
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The next time you see your cat making sandy movements next to the food, take the bowl away to avoid affecting your owner's mood and possibly triggering more picky eating habits in the future.
