kitten pooped in front of food bowl

by LIsa
(Illinois)

My new 10 month old cat just pooped in front of her food bowl and I don't understand why. I just brought her home two weeks ago. I have another cat and they have been getting along fine. I leave out two bowls of food - one with the adult food and one with kitten food. She has eaten both but enjoys the adult food. Before she pooped in front of it, she pushed her food out of the bowl, then pooped. She has been using her litter box so I don't know why this would be? Maybe she wants me to remove her kitten food?
Thank you.
Lisa

Answer from Kate
Hi
A cats bowl is part of their territory and the fact that she has scented near the bowl is an indication that she wants to make sure the other cats knows this. Scent marking in this way is kown as middening. See this page for more on this

http://www.our-happy-cat.com/cat-poo.html

Hopefully on this occasion she will not feel the need to do it again.

best wishes kate