My cat likes eating her wet food with her paws

[Jaginthebox]

Hi there...I have a female cat that has a terrible messy feeding habit. She loves to pick away at her wet food with her paws. Sometimes she will eat normally, but most times she uses her paws. The food gets everywhere!!!! I have tried various bowls, plates etc...thinking it was because she didn't like her whiskers touching the sides of bowl. Just wondering if this is behavioral or is there maybe a method to her madness?

 

[Mrcclms]

My cat did that few time

kinda randomly


try to elevate the bowl ?

 

[Kiyangoin]

Maybe chop the food up a bit for her? I guess that only applies if it’s pate. I had a cat that would take individual pieces of dry food and put them in her water bowl to soak before fishing them out and eating them. Might just be an unfortunate personality quirk.

 

[misty8723]

My rb kitty Cindy did that. I thought i was cute. She would also pull the dry food out of the bowl and eat it from the floor.

 

[susanm9006]

Maybe a cafeteria type tray underneath Her food dishes might keep thing contained. I doubt that you will be able to change her preferred eating method but chopping in into small pieces might help.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. There are slow feeders for canned food too - might help to stop her habit. Or, you can also try to smear a flat plate or paper plate with canned food, which might make her have to lick the food instead of pawing it at it. See below link for a possible solution.
Amazon.com : DETOP Cat Fun Slow Feeder Bowl Interactive Bloat Stop Dog Eco-Friendly Durable Food Bowls (Small)

 

[maggie101]

These bowls solved my problem. They are high and whisker free. I got them on chewy bowl on the left

 

[maggie101]

NECOICHI Extra Wide Ceramic Elevated Cat Food Bowl, 2-cup - Chewy.com

 

[Caspers Human]

I have tried various bowls, plates etc...thinking it was because she didn't like her whiskers touching the sides of bowl.

That's what I was thinking, too. I definitely agree with giving her a bowl that doesn't tweak her whiskers.

Just remember that, if she scoops her food with her paws in order to prevent her whiskers getting tweaked she might repeat the behavior through force of habit. If she has learned to do it a certain way, it might take time for her to unlearn the behavior.

I vote for giving her a new bowl that doesn't tweak her whiskers then giving her plenty of time to adjust before declaring success or failure.

 

[siamesecat108]

My cat does this. Getting this bowl helped: Dr. Catsby Whisker Relief Food Bowl

He still uses his paws occasionally, but not nearly as often.

 

[maggie101]

My cat does this. Getting this bowl helped: Dr. Catsby Whisker Relief Food Bowl

He still uses his paws occasionally, but not nearly as often.

I used to have that one. It worked out great except for my cat Peaches. She will lick her food right off

 

[danteshuman]

I had a cat that did that! Oh how I miss Gandalf! He would impale his food on his claws (with just one paw) and eat his food off of his claws. We gave up and just spread lots of newspaper around under him when he ate.

You might try feeding her off of saucers and switching to pate only.