Why does she do this?

[filardimarg-9]

Last night after I had fed Bella she started to eat then stopped & started to scratch as if she was covering it up, not seen her do this before, can anyone tell me if they know why she did this.

[Lilith]

Lol - the little horror.

Cats often do this, even though they've enjoyed their meal - once they're full, it's similar to laying down the knife and fork and pushing the plate away ... she'll probably come back to it later. Does look very ungrateful though.

That's life with cats for you

[bobbys girl]

Big cats in the wild will do something similar. They are trying to cover their prey so no one else will pinch it. Then they will come back to finish it off.

Doesn't work in our house - Grace always gets there first!

[Kay]

I've had cats who 'cover' something they don't like, as if the very sight of it offends

[filardimarg-9]

Well I know she likes it, 10 minutes later she went back to it & carried on eating perfectly normally.

Marg

[Ruth B]

I do think it is a way of trying to protect something they want to come back and finish later. I have know a cat pull a towel off the radiator near their food bowl and drag it across the bowl. I'm not sure how intentional it was, she did tend to paw at things and might just have caught a claw in the towel but it certain caused a few smiles to those that saw it.

[Lilith]

Ah, that reminds me of something I once read about mother cats, usually ferals, who will scrabble leaves, debris, even earth, over kittens before they leave them, hoping to hide their presence, and scent, from predators. Even domesticated queens may pull a blanket over their litter if they intend to be away for a while.

Cats are fascinating!

[papa cat]

In front of the two litter trays I have for my cats I have a thin doormat and a small rough 'litter trapper' mat to 'clean their paws' as they walk away.
Time and time again I find that one or both of the mats has been dragged into the litter tray, and they have then crapped on that as well
(yeughh ) and they both have to be washed !

[Lilith]

Urrgh!

I'd try puppy pads, myself - at least you can just bin them