Feline Food & Behavior

Cats often make a chattering sound with their teeth when seeing something they want to hunt.

While dogs may be man's best friend, many find that cats are more to their liking. Cats exhibit different behavior than dogs, and many believe that cats have a different "character." Personalities and food preferences can vary greatly from cat to cat.

Feline Diet

The most important part of a cat's diet is protein, which must be obtained from animal sources. Carbohydrates should only make up a small portion of a cat's diet. In addition, cats need to consume vitamins A, B1, D, E and trace amounts of B12.

Feline Behavior

Just as humans have personalities, so do felines. Some felines can be very stand-offish and aloof, while others are affectionate and even demanding of attention. Some behaviors that illustrate love are a cat kneading you with its paws, as a kitten does its mother, or rubbing its head against you to mark you with scent glands. To express displeasure, cats may bite, hiss, scratch furniture or claw the area near the litter box.

Funny Feline Food Behaviors

Often, cats will drop toys in food or water dishes, but this is because the cat identifies this as a safe location, and wants to hide its property. Some cats will refuse to drink out of bowls, preferring running water because of the sound and the cleanliness of it. If a cat which regularly drinks out of a bowl suddenly refuses, clean the bowl and replace the water--often your cat is telling you that there is dirt or bacteria in the water that he can smell but you cannot see.

References

• Foothill Felines Bengals & Savannahs: All About Feline Nutrition
• Foothill Felines Bengals & Savannahs: Feline Behaviors--Why Does My Cat Do This?