Why does my cat drop food outside her bowl? Is she sick or just messy?

It may be impossible to train her to eat from the bowl. It’s not uncommon that pets will remove food from the bowl to eat on the ground or only eat if the food is placed on the ground. Unfortunately we don’t know why they exhibit these behaviors. I recommend to experiment with feeding her on a plate or a very wide bowl that does not come in contact with the whiskers on her muzzle or the top of her head. It could be a tactile sensation she does not like. Also observe her closely to make sure she’s not showing evidence of illness or not wanting to eat due to a medical condition. There are many reasons a cat will stop eating including sickness or dental problems. If you are not sure if Luna is healthy, have her examined by the veterinarian. Best of luck.

Cats may not eat due to many conditions including bacterial over growth, parasites, viral infection, bad teeth, severe gingivitis or other even organ diseases. If the not eating has continued beyond 24 hours, I recommend to have her examined by the veterinarian. Since there are so many conditions, the doctor will preform a physical exam to start figuring out the cause. Make sure to bring in a sample of fresh stool. The doctor will check her for parasites and bacterial over growth. Many times a bland diet (you can try boiled white meat chicken and plain boiled white rice) can help and then a slow, gradual introduction to the normal food can be done. A good diet in general is Royal Canin. It is low residue and highly digestible. I hope your kitty starts feeling better quickly! Please feel free to post any additional questions!

Some pets get in the habit of eating a certain way. They become conditioned in a sense to doing things a certain way and feel safer with their owners there for them. Cats in particular like to have flat dinner trays to avoid any rubbing of their whiskers when they eat. They are still very much un-domesticated in a lot of ways and so they want to make sure they can see around them while eating as a defense mechanism. This may be why your kitty likes to eat from your flat hand that is raised off the floor, because he/she feels safer in that position. You can try a flat dinner tray that is slightly raised off the floor and see if this encourages your kitty to eat on his/her own.

I don't think it has anything to do with the glass container. I would just to make sure clean the container very well and make sure it is dry. Then try using it again. If she is still having this issue but is eating from the food in bag, I wouldn't be too concerned. To make sure there is nothing medical going on I do recommend a check up from your vet.

Sometimes cats will attempt to cover their food like this when they are no longer interested in eating. I would try to keep a very close eye on exactly how much she is eating to make sure her appetite is not decreased. If her appetite seems normal and you have not noticed any vomiting or weight loss you probably don't need to worry about this behavior. If the cat poop has litter on it I agree that Mia is likely the culprit. Sometimes cats will also get feces stuck to the hair around the rectum and it can later fall off - you could examine her rear end after she leaves the box to see if this is the case.

It could be either one. I cannot tell you without examining him myself. I suggest you have the vet check his mouth for any signs of a dental issue. If that is not the problem, then it could be that the food is not agreeing with him and you should go back to the original diet.

If you think it is her teeth bothering her, she needs them examined by your veterinarian. The doctor will be able to assess the health of the gums and teeth and may suggest a dental cleaning / extractions. Most cats will require dental cleanings at some point in their life, and usually extractions. If she is refusing to eat, you obviously need to get her in to be seen sooner than later. Hope this makes sense.