Hi, new here, have 3 cats - an older tortie, and 2 Bengals, brother and sister, who are 18 months

I have just spent 10 mins watching my female Bengal with her favourite "mousey". She took it over to her food bowl (dry food thankfully), put it in her dish, and ate. Then took it out, and gave it a good lick before putting it back in. Then over to her water, and dunks poor mousey in, bats it about a bit, then takes it back to the food. This carried on for about 5 - 10 mins.

Can anyone explain what she might be doing?

Here's some pics to be getting on with - this was just after we got them in August last year

Hi Bexj

A warm welcome to the forum, I'm not sure about the strange behaviour,maybe she just loves her mouse .
Stunning babies, fantastic markings, have you any updated pic's as i would
love to have a look.

regards
Nikki

Hi bexj! What beautiful furbabies! Such lovely markings!

Now, in regards to your problem, believe it or not, I have heard of this before! I read it in an old Cat Fancy issue, where someone was complaining about their Bengal doing the exact same thing as your cat is doing, although this cat was putting the toys in the canned food! Yuck! However, I don't remember why Bengals like to do this, but if I get a chance, I'll try to look it up. I guess your kitty's not alone in this behavior!

Now, Missy doesn't do this with her toys, although I have found mouse toys NEAR the food bowl. However, she does sometimes growl at her food while she's eating it. Aren't cats weird?

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In loving memory of Lucy, one of the sweetest cats ever.

Sorry, double post!

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In loving memory of Lucy, one of the sweetest cats ever.

I have a spotted snow and a spotted tabby, female sisters about 5 years old, and I am so glad someone else had this experience.

Each has her favorite stuffed mouse toy that inevitable ends up IN the shared food bowl or "drinking" from the water trough. It is usually when food gets below half-full, so I figured it was just a gentle reminder to fill-er-up.

Each mouse lasts about 3 months before it suffers a mouse-ectomy and I find a trail of stuffing on the stairs. But no matter what becomes the new favorite, the mysterious behavior continues.