Humans are the only species that intentionally try to avoid eating when they're hungry. amirite?

You're basing this on pure assumption. Many animals leave food even though they may be hungry. Monkeys even leave fruit to rot/ferment on the jungle floor, then eat it to get drunk.

My stray cat would think otherwise. He checks his food spot and if it's regular meow mix he will go over and check to see if the other cats are eating the fancy tender select meow mix, which of course they don't have.