Dear T. Abby,

Why does my cat scratch around his food bowl after eating?
                Sincerely, John





John,
Thanks for the question. You are the first to contribute to "Dear Tabby," a new feature here on shy dog.  Your cat is exhibiting an instinctive behavior - one that he did not learn from his mother or fellow cats. In the wild, cats will bury their feces and their food. This is a safety measure to help keep predators from tracking their location. It is also a way to bury some left overs! Congratulations - your kitty is as brilliant as his predecessors!
                  Yours truly, T.