The Cat's Meow Rescue
Stay in touch!
  • Home
  • Available for Adoption
  • ADOPTED!
  • Special Needs Cats
  • Blog: Feline Friends
  • Contact
  • More Information
    • FAQ
    • Barn Cats
    • Finding your kitty a new home
    • Caring for Abandoned Kittens
    • Important to Spay & Neuter
    • Introducing a new cat to your home
    • Declawing - If you care, be AWARE
    • Litter Box Issues
    • What is Feline Leukemia?
    • What is FIV?
    • Kitty-Proof Your Home
    • Help Us Help Them
    • Become a Foster
    • LINKS
    • Media Kit
    • EVENTS
    • Special-Needs Posters Story

Why Do Cats Put Toys in Their Bowls?

8/20/2019

12 Comments

 
Picture
by Nomi Berger
 
The short answer, despite several theories: no one really knows.
 
And yet, consider the following:
 
Safekeeping: The theory given the most credence by animal behaviorists involves a cat’s territorial instinct. They believe cats consider their food and water bowls to be safe places, known only to them. Depositing a prized possession – in this instance, a favorite toy -- in one or other of their bowls is their way of keeping it safe. The rationale behind this paw-ticular theory? A domesticated cat’s wild relatives such as leopards, bobcats and wildcats have been known to store their food in a safe location known as a cache. Because indoor cats don’t have caches, their food and/or water bowls are the purr-fect substitutes in which to hide their own “bounty.”
 
Hunting: There are two theories, both based on the assumption that your cat associates her toys with food or prey. One theory posits that when a toy (everything from rubber mice and moppy balls to catnip squirrels and fuzzy turtles) is dropped into her water bowl, she’s equating this with hunting and may be attempting to drown her prey before devouring it. The second theory suggests that she’s trying to teach YOU to hunt, the way a mother cat teaches her kittens when she brings the prey she’s caught back to them. And because you’re a regular “visitor” to her water bowl, she’s left that toy there for you to find.
 
Playing: Many wild cats feel extremely comfortable in and around water and will often play in it. Similarly, some domesticated cats may drop their toys into their water bowls in order to fish them out -- as their own form of playing.
 
Reliving that happy feeling: For your cat, her food bowl is a happy place, the source of everything good. And since she loves to eat, she undoubtedly associates her food bowl with those happy feelings. It’s theorized, then, that she’s merely bringing objects she likes (one or more toys) to a place she loves (her food bowl).
 
Expediency: Some cats are seldom seen without a toy in their mouths, and they simply drop it into their food or water bowls because they can’t hold onto the toy and eat or drink at the same time.
 
Can you – or should you -- stop your own cat from dropping her toys into her food or water bowl? Some behaviorists say “no”. Why? As peculiar as this particular habit may seem to you, it may, in fact, be instinctive in nature. If so, it may be impossible to try and stop her from doing what nature intended her to do.
 
Even if you did manage to stop her, any resourceful cat would quickly find an alternate safe place for her prized possessions -- such as your sink, bathtub or toilet bowl. Or if she’s the “gifting” kind of kitty, she may generously and lovingly deposit one of her water-logged toys on top of your head in the middle of the night!

12 Comments
Anita Holloway
8/20/2019 03:02:17 pm

Thank you for this insightful and enlightening article! My rescue cat has adopted particular toys with faces and which I lovingly call them Cat Daddy Bilbo and his "babies". He regularly puts them in his food and water bowls in addition to his litter boxes in an effort to take care of them and take care of them.

Reply
Heather
8/20/2019 03:19:15 pm

❤️ Thank you, Anita! I’m glad you enjoyed the article!

Reply
Lady Dione
4/2/2022 04:28:08 pm

Thank you so much this all makes sense now.

Reply
Nomi Berger
8/21/2019 10:51:18 am

Thank you for taking the time to comment and share your experience and thank you even more, Anita, for adopting a rescue kitty.

Reply
Cora Rutherford
5/11/2021 08:33:17 am

Our cat, Marge, was a rescue from the local animal shelter. We've had her for years but noticed early on that when we came home from work there would be one or more toys in her water bowl. Occasionally there will be one in the food bowl as well, but not often.
She also carries her pom-pon toys up to the stair landing and deposits them there, every day. There is a tiny octagon-shaped window on the stair landing where she spends a great deal of time fussing at bugs, squirrels, and birds. We placed a box with a blanket there for her. It's one of her favorite places, so the "happy place" theory makes complete sense in this case. There are normally 2-3 of her very favorite pom-pons placed there, every single day.
We would never try to stop her from these quirky kitty habits...we find them adorable. 💕

Reply
Anne Womack link
9/29/2021 06:38:01 am

Whatever the reason, I find it incredibly endearing. My personal theory is her saying hey look, the bowl is empty.
thank you for the information.

Reply
Linda Rhyne
10/27/2021 12:18:50 pm

My Mollie has always put her toys in her food bowl, but lately she's piled up most of her toys in front of her bowl. I think what she does is so cute. I moved them to the side,, and the next morning they were there again.😁Thanks for the article.

Reply
Lisa Terrell
11/15/2021 07:33:00 am

I have been so confused, as my cat has just started this behavior; but he is the only cat I've ever had that brings me his mouse to throw and then brings it back to me, again. Years ago we had a dog that my husband could never teach to play that way. Thank you much for the information and I feel better about knowing the possibilities!!

Reply
Nora Scott
12/10/2021 12:10:43 pm

Thank you so much for this insightful article. We have two Siamese rescued from a shelter. They’re 1 yo and 4 months, we have them since they’re 7 weeks old. Bella and Blue, Bella is the main fetcher. My husband wanted a dog to play fetch with him, our last dog was a Chug, Chihuahua Pug, and she didn’t care about fetching. She died 4 years ago. My husband wasn’t very fond of cats. I brought my cat from Argentina when I married him 15 years ago. She died last year, she will fetch not balls but little lids. Bella likes to fetch all kind of balls, her favorite are the pompoms and fuzzy sparkly ones. And those are the ones she usually will put in her water bowl. I couldn’t stop wondering, why she behaved like that. Now, I understand and I find it incredible cute. She is a super sweet girl, they both are. Blue also has some kind of odd behavior in the way she drinks her water. She drinks it only with her paw, very seldom with her tongue. She also likes to drinks the last drop directly from the faucet. We think is because their mother was a feral cat. Ah, Bella also carries in her mouth their cat wand, drop it near you to invite you o play, lol. From the minute trey reached the house, they become the Queens here. They never were shy, or reluctant to approach us. At the contrary, they are both super affectionate. I can’t believe how my husband changed too. They’re his babies, it’s all about them, he bought plenty of toys and gadgets to keep them entertained. After work he makes them play until they’re tired. I can’t explain how happy I am. Losing Jade, last year truly shocked me and I couldn’t cope with her absence. Bella and Blue, are kittens with such huge personality each, one is dominant the other one is the big sister always taking care of Blue. They never fight, only playing. We’re truly blessed to have them in our lives.

Reply
Andy watt
1/16/2022 04:16:35 pm

My rescue cat brings me cotton buds and if thrown always brings them back and when his water is low he drops a cotton bud in,same with food bowl and biscuit bowl when nearly empty he places 2 cotton buds in the bowls

Reply
Mary Ann
8/26/2022 04:26:13 pm

Thank you for this article. I have 8 cats (yes my entire family are freaks) and they constantly deposit plastic springs and hair ties into their food and water dishes.

Reply
Janie
11/20/2022 02:01:22 pm

My boy must "baptize" all new toys before playing with them. He is also a fetcher, like a dog. Puts toys in his food bowl. This was a great article and I now realize how smart my kitty is!!

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Author
    Blog articles for TCMR are written by Nomi Berger, an established author and journalist of 40 years, living in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, who graciously volunteers her time and talent to help further our rescue efforts.


    AWARDS

    Picture

    Picture
    Cat Rescue Blogs

    Picture

    Picture
    Animal Rescue Blogs

    Picture
    Awarded by Best1x.com
    Best for Pets

    Picture

    Picture
    2017 Top 35 Cat Blogs awarded by "We're All About the Cats"

    Picture
    Awarded by "Feedspot.com"

    Picture
    Awarded by "10Greatest.com"

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015

    Categories

    All
    Cat Facts
    Cat Safety
    Community Awareness
    Fun Facts
    Health And Behavior
    How You Can Help

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly