Mary Allen
Have you ever wondered why cats bury their poo? Whether in the litter box or out in nature – the hind legs scrape litter, grass, or earth on the remains. The most common explanation is that cats are very clean and tend to tidy up for reasons of cleanliness. But this is only half the truth. There are various theories as to why cats bury their poo.
One thing is certain: cats don’t bury their feces because that’s how they learned it or copied it from their mother cat. The velvet paws do this instinctively. They have internalized it from an early age to cover their little things.
Cats Bury Feces for Protection
Cats are predators, even your house cat still has the “wild genes” in it. But cats are basically not only hunters but also the hunted and are afraid of so-called hostile canids – meaning dog-like ones such as wolves or foxes. So when a cat has to go about its business in the wild, it instinctively knows that the smell of poop will attract the attention of potential predators and will bury it to avoid this. House cats have also internalized this instinct, which is why they bury their droppings, although there is practically no risk of predators going into the litter box fall. Also interesting: Cats always dig in such a way that they steer enemies down the wrong path – they usually never leave their dung heap directly, but rather accept detours.
Cats Bury Their Poo Out of Respect
Out of respect? Yes, indeed, velvet paws bury their droppings in the wild out of respect for higher-ranking cats. They cover their scent tracks so that only the stronger ones can be smelled, which in turn does not bury their scent marks. So burial also plays a role in the hierarchy of cat groups. Perhaps house cats cover their feces in the litter box because they respect you as a senior.