Food is a very big topic for cats.

Today after several decades of cats, I have caved and now give our two a lunch snack. This consists of left over unseasoned chicken, canadian bacon, or salmon. The salmon is greatly consumed ( I just call out "tuna" which is their keyword for fish) and wherever they are during the day, they zoom in and gobble it up from their little snack dishes. We have pouched salmon Chicken of the Sea ( human food) here in US which is easy to handle and not expensive etc.

When Maya was new to us she would pick food bits out of her regular dish and carry it off. So we have a small rug for her to do that. It has become less lately which I appreciate. Weezie will use her paw to snag food bits (mostly chicken bits I cut up for her) and eat it off her paw.

Food is a huge issue.

This is a popular video my husband found the other day. he found an explanation that the man in the video is deaf, so the kitten learned the signs from him:


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I taught Maya a trick when she wants food ( or another favor).
I call it footy dooty up. She raises a paw up to reach for her treat. She seemed likely to do it sometimes so I used the phrase and asked her Footy Dooty UP and after she did that I'd give the treat. She has now generalized the action to asking for help, to open a door and to get our attention to something. But it is the only thing I've had success in teaching her!

I really love this little video of the signing kitten.
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