Cats, as lovable as they are, can often be the most baffling creatures. You may find yourself scratching your head in confusion as you observe your fluffy kitten growling to herself as she scarfs down her supper. However, as with most or all feline actions, growling while eating means something.
Annoyance
If your kitty has a tendency to growl during mealtime, it may simply mean she's annoyed. Perhaps the family dog is lurking in the vicinity as she eats and she's afraid he's going to try and steal her food. By growling, your kitten is sending a signal to all around her that she is in defensive mode. She essentially is subtly communicating, "Stay away from me -- and my food -- or watch your back."
Warning
The mealtime growling also may be a "gentle" warning signal to you. Maybe your little one is seriously enjoying her nosh time -- and wants to continue doing so in peace. If you approach her, she may be warning you against even thinking about trying to pet her. Stimulation is not what is on her agenda right now. The fluffball is reveling in her food -- solo -- and wants you to leave her be for the time being. Respect this hungry kitten's wishes and leave her alone.
Purring
Before you rashly jump to any conclusions about your kitten's current mood, consider the fact she might actually be purring rather than growling. Purring is a very low, deep and rumbling sound, not too unlike growling, and when coupled with loud and enthusiastic eating, could possibly lead to major kitty language confusion. Your kitten may actually be in a giddy state rather than an irritable and vexed one -- shocker.
Other Kittens
Growling amongst kittens while they are both or all engaged in eating is not very common. If all of the kittens' individual attentions are focused solely on their food bowls in front of them, they will very likely not view each other as threats. When all of the cats are off in their own food universes, they certainly won't be worried about growling. In fact, the yummy pastime may even contribute to the emergence of favorable associations -- nice. However, if not all of the kittens have their own specific food bowls, you might definitely notice some unnerving and competitive growling -- yikes.