He keeps eating absently, because if there's a bowl in front of him, he'll take what he can get. He's learned not to assume that there will always be food, which is why he's staring at Jake without flinching or blinking as they talk.

Cougar coaxes Jake towards him with his fingers and a nod, wanting to do a few quick tests to make sure the red salt didn't do something severe to his idiot friend, but he'll need hands on him to do it.