Why Cats Cover Their Poop: A Curious Behavior Explained
Every animal has its own distinct scent. Lions and tigers, the apex predators of the food chain, never deign to bury their waste. They use their scent to assert their territory with a sense of pride.
Cats, on the other hand, are smaller creatures, not at the top of the food chain, and they often live within the territories of larger carnivores, surviving by hunting smaller prey. To dare to leave their waste exposed in broad daylight would be a direct challenge to the dominion of big cats like tigers and leopards.
Thus, to show humility and respect to these dominant brothers, and to avoid unwanted confrontations, smaller feline species have gradually developed the habit of masking the scent of their waste and urine.
But why do our domestic feline companions still bury their waste?
Some animal behaviorists suggest that the reason pet cats continue to bury their waste is because they view the humans who provide them with food and shelter as the leaders of their "tribe." Burying their waste is their way of showing the utmost respect to their human caregivers (which is why they seem so concerned every time we scoop the litter box, isn't it?).
Excluding reasons related to mating or illness, if your cat refuses to bury its waste or does not use the litter box as expected, rest assured that it's simply not taking you seriously.
