As much as we might want to, we can never really know what our pets are thinking. They might try to tell us things with their own signals, like meowing or barking when they’re hungry or pawing at us when they want something, but they’re simply unable to communicate their thoughts and feelings properly.
This sometimes leads to pets developing small quirks in their personalities that we don’t fully understand. Perhaps your dog always fancies visiting a particular tree whenever you go for a walk, or you might have a cat that refuses to sleep anywhere but one very specific spot in your house.
But one man on Instagram reckons his two cats take the biscuit for the most bizarre habit – as they won’t touch their food until he’s performed a very peculiar ritual with them.
In a clip on the Instagram account of two moggies named Koka and Kakashi, their owner revealed that he has “oddly trained” his cats not to go near their food until he has picked them up and given them a gentle shake. He explained he didn’t mean to train them this way, but he lifted them up one day before feeding them, and now they anticipate it every time.
After placing two bowls of wet food on the floor for his felines, the bloke noticed that they stood gazing at the bowls but made no effort to tuck in.
He said: “It might look like they’re very educated, but I just got into the habit of doing this before I give them dinner.”
The owner then lifted both felines, gripping one in each palm, and tenderly gave them a gentle shake.
The cats appeared completely relaxed and made no effort to wriggle free from his hold.
However, when he placed them back onto the ground, they immediately rushed to their feeding bowls – indicating they refuse to dine without this peculiar routine being performed first.
In a follow-up clip, the owner pretended to be a cat-sitter reading a list of feeding instructions, after one viewer remarked that explaining this odd ritual to a stranger would be virtually impossible.
The man produced a sheet of paper containing three simple steps: “1) Put pyjamas on, 2) [give] half a can [of food] to each child, 3) shake them.”
The pyjamas mentioned were the cat-sized jumpers both pets were sporting in the original footage and this subsequent video.
In this second clip, the felines once again declined to eat until he had lifted and shaken them.
A third video even demonstrated that the cats needn’t be handled simultaneously.
He performed the ritual with each moggy individually, and despite the first cat already tucking into its meal, the second remained patiently seated, refusing to touch its food until receiving its turn.
Viewers were completely mystified by this extraordinary routine.
Many quipped that the movement resembled “starting the engine” for the cats, whilst others praised him for achieving a level of feline training most owners can only dream of.
One person commented: “You need to start the engine, of course.”
Another commented: “So they’re oddly trained.”
A third quipped: “Ah yes, the food ritual has commenced. Time to feast.”
As a general rule, it is safe to gently wiggle or shake a cat or kitten as long as you do not use excessive force.
Some cats may enjoy the sensation, but others will want to get away from you and may scratch or bite you to let you know they want you to stop. Always listen to your cat’s needs, and if they show signs that they are uncomfortable, stop what you’re doing immediately.
