The reasons for the behaviors are different for both of the situations that you have asked about.
Why does my cat paw at the floor.
Through the years i have watched my cats do it so now i know for sure what food to buy lol.
Kneading for possible mates.
The ability to bend and turn helps felines climb and hunt.
He may grab a stray towel or blanket and lay it on top of his food.
Cats are territorial creatures and one of the ways they safeguard their turf is to scent mark their belongings.
Our newish cat had him since mid november has just recently starting doing this very thing since we switched to giving him wet food in the morning instead of dry food.
When a cat paws at the ground she actually is kneading kneading is a term that describes a back and forth forward movement of the paws onto a surface typically which is soft.
This assumption is inaccurate.
You may think he s trying to protect it for later like wrapping up the leftovers and sticking them in the fridge.
This is not an unusual behavior.
Many cat owners assume this is a clear sign that the cat isn t interested in the food.
One of the reasons cats are so adept at climbing up trees is because their front paws are designed to.
Cat paws are incredibly flexible.
Before or after your kitten or cat eats or drinks it may paw scratch or knead the floor as if it is digging or burying something.
If your floor is covered by a smooth carpet your cat may be more likely to paw at it than onto other types of ground.
By kneading their paws on the surface of something yes including you they re activating the scent glands in their soft paw pads thereby marking that item as theirs.
So when my cat eats some of her food first then begins to paw around the dish she s following an instinct that doesn t make much sense for her circumstances she is after all a house cat with.
A common mistake cat owners make is that when their cat swipes their paw on the floor around their food dish they think that they are covering up the food like they would their poop in a litter box.
Your furry friend may not stop at just trying to dig on the floor.
However kitty doesn t think like that.
The wall and floor scratching behaviors you are describing are common cat behaviors.
