Tulip and The Case of the Food Thieves

At first glance, Tulip seemed like a typical cat—playful, social, and curious. But L had been struggling with some puzzling behavior: Tulip was aggressive toward her friends and partner, and her loud meowing in the early morning was waking up the whole household. Looking for answers, L reached out to me for help in solving this mystery. It wasn’t until I spent time observing Tulip’s reactions to her surroundings that the real issue became clear—her intense relationship with food.

When I first observed Tulip, I saw a social cat who liked being around people but wasn’t interested in play or petting from strangers. She showed clear affection toward L, and her shredded toys indicated that she enjoyed playing—just not when unfamiliar people were around. That was a good sign.

I walked around L's apartment and saw Tulip’s space in the bedroom: a cat tree, litter box, window perch, and bed. When I got close, Tulip became defensive, guarding her favorite spots. Then, as I passed her automatic feeder in the living room, she finally showed her aggressive side.

Sitting next to her food, I quickly realized that if I offered her kibble, she would approach me willingly. I spent time there, slowly earning her trust by giving her treats and using calming body language. In just a few minutes, Tulip climbed into my lap—something L had never seen her do with a stranger. Tulip was food-motivated but, more importantly, food-insecure. She felt threatened when people walked near her food because she thought they were food thieves who would take her food away.

Because she was on a restricted diet for weight control, Tulip had been on a strict feeding schedule, which led to this anxiety. My recommendation was to move her food bowl to a corner where no one would walk past, reducing her stress. I also advised L to try free-feeding with low-calorie food in a special bowl designed to slow Tulip down. Initially, Tulip might overeat, but once she realizes the food won’t disappear, her anxiety should subside.

Finally, we moved some of Tulip’s belongings from the bedroom to the living room, helping her feel like she belonged in the whole apartment, not just one room.

As for the early-morning meowing, the solution is simple but tough: you have to ignore it. Over time, this should reduce the behavior.

The last update I got was that Tulip had lost 2 pounds. She was good at the puzzle feeders and really loved them. She has stopped being aggressive, except for one incident with a housekeeper and vacuum cleaner. The meowing got better, but there had been a regression recently. We talked about strategies to get her back on track.

If you are dealing with cat aggression or food insecurity, try these steps to help your cat feel more at ease. Small changes in the environment and feeding habits can make a big difference!