Three cats I have had do this. My friend says it is strange. I have two cats that are brothers. I use to have another cat until he was ran off in a strange state(to him)by other cats.
He use to do the same thing that the two I have now do. They go up to their food bowl and scratch like they're at the litter box! Not in the food,but on the outside of the bowl.
Quivers,(the cat that ran away),did the same thing. I asked a friend that has had cats for years and she said none of her cats ever did that and said that was strange.
Why have I had cats at two separate times, from totally different places do this?
Another strange thing that only one of the cats I have now does is at night when I'm sleeping he will come up on the bed and get in my face and woller around.(Rub his whole body against my face)He purrs the whole time also.
If I put him down he comes right back and this is repeated several times until finally I get up and get my spray water bottle and spray him.