# Cats and burying or hiding food **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 11, 2002, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cats-and-burying-or-hiding-food/103109 "2002-04-11T21:16:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2002, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cats-and-burying-or-hiding-food/103109/1 "2002-04-11T21:16:47Z")
I’ve noticed one of my cats tries to hide or bury food. If it’s the weekend and we let him lick the plate after we finish eating breakfast, as we sit in bed reading the paper, he will often try to cover the plate with the paper. Or if we give him food on the floor, he will pluck vigorously at the carpet, as if he’s trying to cover up the food dish. But he doesn’t do it with every type of food. We can’t figure out if he does it with food he likes, or doesn’t like, or if there is some other criterion he is using. Can anyone shed any light on this? ---
**Author:** ![happyheathen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5e925/32.png) [@happyheathen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/happyheathen)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2002, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cats-and-burying-or-hiding-food/103109/2 "2002-04-11T21:42:35Z")
Cats should not be eating (human) table scraps - does he have a food dish with fresh cat food in it? Unless a cat feels threatened, it will GENERALLY not try to stash food reserves. The only thing cats normally bury is waste - so, feed it cat food and avoid the critter’s opinions of your food 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2002, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cats-and-burying-or-hiding-food/103109/3 "2002-04-11T23:09:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by happyheathen \* > \*\*Cats should not be eating (human) table scraps - does he have a food dish with fresh cat food in it? > > Unless a cat feels threatened, it will GENERALLY not try to stash food reserves. > > The only thing cats normally bury is waste - so, feed it cat food and avoid the critter’s opinions of your food 😉 \*\* Our cat is very well provided for: Science Diet Oral Care to his little heart’s delight, frequent cat treats, and occasional containers of Sheba (which I like to call Aspic for Cats. We only rarely give him scraps. There are three other cats, so maybe he’s trying to hide it from them. The Sheba I mentioned above is the other kind of food that I’ve seen him try to hide. ---
**Author:** ![happyheathen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5e925/32.png) [@happyheathen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/happyheathen)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2002, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cats-and-burying-or-hiding-food/103109/4 "2002-04-11T23:39:53Z")
If there are other cats, and a ready supply of food, then he’s being weird and either covering his scent (I don’t want them to know I got it) or trying to establish exclusivity on _his_ food. Unusual, but within the usual range of wierdness for cats. Paranoia or territoriality - take your pick. You maight want to watch out for aggressive behavior toward the other cats. ---
**Author:** ![fluiddruid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@fluiddruid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fluiddruid)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2002, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cats-and-burying-or-hiding-food/103109/5 "2002-04-12T01:56:25Z")
My cat does this. Occasionally, I’ll give him a little bit of skim milk in a saucer. He usually takes a few sips, then paws around the dish, as if to cover it. He only does this with milk. We do have other cats, but the funny thing is that he did it when I lived alone with no other cats as well.