No dog or cat would volunteer to answer this question, so we were forced to consult human experts. All agreed that the answer goes back to the ancestors of our pets, who lived in the wild. Our most interesting response came from Dr. James Vondruska, research veterinarian and senior developmental scientist for pet food giant Quaker Oats Company. Vondruska reminds us that dogs are by nature pack animals. In the wild, they hunted in packs. In homes, they adopt the household as their pack and their owners as dominant members. In the prehistoric years, dogs lived with others of their type, and hunted or scavenged for food together. Many of their type, such as the African Cape Hunting Dog and the hyenas, still do. Scavenging dogs must compete with the pack members for their food, which often leads to fighting. For this reason, dogs will eat standing up, so that they can better protect their food. Even though they usually don’t have to fight over the food anymore, the behavior persists in modern dogs. Vondruska contrasts the dog’s behavior in the wild with that of our house cat’s ancestors. Most cats, even in the wild, are solitary creatures, and are hunters rather than scavengers. Susie Page, of the American Cat Association, compares the eating posture of cats to that of other hunting predators who “hunch” over their prey while devouring it. With the exception of African lions, who live in prides, cats rarely had to contend with eating companions/rivals in the wild. This probably explains not only why cats today would feel secure eating in a more relaxed crouched or sitting position but also why cats eat languorously, while dogs eat at a pace that suggests that any meal might be their last. Of course, cats as well as dogs often eat standing up, even while eating in comfortable surroundings from a bowl. Vondruska points out one big advantage to eating in a crouched position for both dogs and cats: “This is the only way in which they can use their paws to hold their food, and this is sometimes necessary when chewing bones.” Submitted by Ray Briem, Los Angeles California |
