Remember Arthur the cat.?

(UK) many decades ago a cat food TV advert featured this cat because he dipped his paw in the food and ate off that. This I was told was very unusual behaviour.

Now cat sitting for my wife's niece one of her cats does likewise but with the water (don't know about the food). Anyone know if this is fairly normal behaviour or unusual. As I've never spent a lot of time amongst cats, I don't  know the answer.

And no I am not going to go round advertising agencies flogging the idea, just curiosity on my part. Plus being a retired old git with little to occupy my mind.