Why Do Cats Bury or ‘Cover’ Their Food?

Generally speaking, “dogs bury bones and cats bury urine.” The reason for burial is not the love of cleanliness and hygiene as we humans know it.

There are other reasons:

1. Prevent being tracked

In the wild, cats will choose open areas to relieve themselves because they reduce the likelihood of being attacked by predators. Cats will select the litter box in a home environment to relieve themselves.

Why do cats bury feces, urine, and other smelly things? This is because of the nature of cats. They believe this reduces the odor emitted by their bodies, making them less likely to be attacked by enemies and preventing their location from being discovered by other cats.

2. Hide food and eat it later

Like a dog burying a bone, in the wild, cats bury their prey in the soil so they can come back to eat it anytime and prevent other animals from stealing it. This instinctive behavior is also shown in domestic cats, especially about their favorite foods. For example, if they eat delicious cat food and can’t finish it at one time, they will bury it.

3. Keep it as a souvenir

Such as coffee and durian. Cats may also bury coffee and durians because they have a particular smell and taste, and the cat may think they are items worth saving. However, exposure to coffee is not recommended, as caffeine is toxic to cats and may harm their health.

4. Protect favorite toys

Cats will also bury odorless items. Due to instinctive behavior, cats will also bury their belongings in the home environment. Cats’ instinct drives them to protect their belongings from other animals or humans. At home, cats may hide toys or other items in corners or dig holes in the ground to bury them.

Therefore, cats burying things is intuitive, and specific scenarios must be analyzed in detail.