Puzzling Eating Behavior

[destinyz12]

So 4 months ago I adopted a kitten (now 9 months old), and I also already had a young cat for a while before that (now 15 months old), and while the older cat made it clear that she was in charge from the start, they never had any issues eating side by side and always did just that for the first few months, until maybe a month ago...suddenly the younger cat (Flash) started refusing to eat at the same time as the older cat (Foxy) most of the time now. He will hold back and watch Foxy from a distance until she is finished and then go over and eat. I usually watch them eat and I never saw anything to indicate that Foxy was intimidating Flash in any way or scaring him from eating with her, so what could be the cause for this behavior suddenly?? Most of the time they get along great as seen below

 

[Mamanyt1953]

If that is the only thing that is going on, I'd say offhand that Foxxy has established that she is the alpha cat in the house and that Flash is being respectful and allowing her to eat first, which is right and proper in their eyes. So long as they are getting along otherwise, don't fret overmuch about it. Come back here, of course, if other behaviors develop. Sometimes it takes quite a while for these rituals to be apparent.

Gorgeous cats, BTW!

 

[destinyz12]

thanks! it is just so weird that the behavior only started recently. Then again, he is a strange boy. He likes to splash around in his water dish in between taking sips of water also

 

[Mamanyt1953]

Cats are, in my opinion, the most unique little fursonalities on the planet. They do stuff, just because. We'll probably never know why he does it, but so long as they are generally getting along, just let him be him! Hekitty drinks from the toilet. Almost exclusively. I have the cleanest toilet in the state of North Carolina. I refer to that chore as "cleaning Hekitty's water bowl."