Post Eating Behavior

[KarenKat]

So Gohan has been a kibble grazer his whole life. He maintained a perfect healthy weight by eating bites of kibble throughout the day. We would joke that he was eating enough to sustain himself for the next hour.

Recently we switched him to wet food, and he eventually became used to eating four meals per day. What’s weird is afte she eats a bowl of food, he turns and leaves while shaking his back legs. It’s like he got invisible water on his back paws and is trying shake it off. Anyone else have similar behavior? It’s just an odd thing.

 

[verna davies]

One of mine will shake his back leg when coming back in the house, as you said, like shaking water off it.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Oh my! That is too funny! And, I have never heard or seen anything like that! I sure hope some other members have!

You don't suppose the extra moisture somehow just makes him feel like he is a little wet? But, I am glad he likes it enough not to stop him from eating it!!

Is his bowl on a mat or near a vent, maybe you've moved it to a bit different location - something that could have changed the texture of the floor or created a air flow that he didn't have before?

 

[stephmnichols]

Now that I think about it, Maui does a similar thing after eating! I never really thought much about it, but I will have to watch over the next couple days and see how consistent it is. So weird!

 

[KarenKat]

You don't suppose the extra moisture somehow just makes him feel like he is a little wet? But, I am glad he likes it enough not to stop him from eating it!!

Yeah, that was my theory. Some type of psuedo-grooming behavior, where he is cleaning his teeth and adding on that as well?

Now that I think about it, Maui does a similar thing after eating! I never really thought much about it, but I will have to watch over the next couple days and see how consistent it is. So weird!

Cool, interesting that he’s not the only one!

 

[KarenKat]

I filmed him eating lunch today, of course it started to thunder halfway through but he was a champ! Also he’s so slow, I cut down the video from the full 10 min 15 seconds of chomping.

View media item 422512
Normally he exits the other direction, and the stretch doesn’t always happen but I documented a few good foot shakes in there.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Good video!! If you had told me the stretch also occurred every time, I would have told you he just has a 'routine'. But, even without that stretch - he just has a 'routine' (or two, depending on his mood)!!

I watched that video 3 times - made me laugh each time!!!

 

[PushPurrCatPaws]

KarenKat - I think I can contribute to this thread...

I suppose many here know that Milly had to have two knee surgeries a few years ago. She has done this leg shaking thing when her knees are bugging her or if she's feeling nerve tingles in her toes/ legs/ knees from being in a still or cramped position for several minutes while crouching to eat.

Post-surgeries, it is usually more noticeable in the winters when the temps are cold and her knees feel more achey (is that a word? e.g. when her knee joints feel stiff... having potential aches in them).

See, I used to set her food dish on the floor. But I found that she does this leg-shaking and leg extension thing less after I raised her food dish up 2-3 inches, which allows her to sit more comfortably while eating.

Wasn't Gohan the one that had some issues a while back? Maybe he is getting some nerve tingles or cramps while eating...


Just offering my anecdote here.

 

[KarenKat]

Thanks PushPurrCatPaws ! Yes, well remembered, he has some mild back arthritis and had some type of traumatic fall about a year ago. That’s why his tail is sort of at half mast - it doesn’t quite go straight up anymore.

We can try raising his food bowl up, and see if he does that more. Thanks for the suggestion!

 

[ArchyCat]

At Pet Smar t, you can fit nd elevated feeding stations for dogs. Four legs, 3 or so aches high. Both with single or two bowls. It's what I use, more to reduce bug infestation than anything else. And I feed wet food on paper plates.

 

[MoonstoneWolf]

Shaman and Treasure do that even after eating dry food. I just thought that maybe they were stretching or something?

 

[PushPurrCatPaws]

Thanks PushPurrCatPaws ! Yes, well remembered, he has some mild back arthritis and had some type of traumatic fall about a year ago. That’s why his tail is sort of at half mast - it doesn’t quite go straight up anymore.

We can try raising his food bowl up, and see if he does that more. Thanks for the suggestion!

Yeah, I've seen Milly doing that stretching action too, like Gohan does in your video. In fact, maybe I should scour my videos and see if I have one of her doing these things just after eating. It may or may not mean she is achey, but also could just mean that she's a bit stiff. The best thing to keep muscles and joints more supple is daily gentle walking, walking, walking (on top of the usual jumping, zooming, etc.) -- I just think of Milly doing a good thing by stretching those muscles during her daily Walkies on her leash (I still walk her through my apartment bldg.'s hallways).

Shaman and Treasure do that even after eating dry food. I just thought that maybe they were stretching or something?

I think most cats stretch a bit after eating if they take 10 minutes to eat like Gohan does! (Milly eats in 3 or 4 minutes.) It depends.

But I think the foot- and leg-shaking thing is a bit different than a normal stretch. In my experience, anyway.

 

[KarenKat]

Olive definitely stretches after eating, she’s pretty speedy though. Closer to Milly at 3-4 min. Gohan sometimes stretches but he almost always shakes his feet.

 

[PushPurrCatPaws]

Olive definitely stretches after eating, she’s pretty speedy though. Closer to Milly at 3-4 min. Gohan sometimes stretches but he almost always shakes his feet.

Occasionally Milly's foot actions tap against the floor... tap tap tap! I've caught Milly impersonating Thumper sometimes after eating a meal.