Abu is can pretty brazen about certain items in certain situations and others he is very polite ... he has learned that my plate is off limits, or anyting on a plate in general (unless he can time things perfectly, when there is no one paying attention). He is so cute because he knows better, and once he has the food, if being a ninja, he tries to slowly slink away instead of the fast get away that others would prefer. Other times he will most gently reach out slowly and tap with his paw what ever he may be intersted in. He has learned that if he is allowed to touch it with his paw, it is fair game (not sure why any one would want to eat anything after a kitty paw has been on it, gently or not). But his slow action is like asking "May I" ... if he gets a no, he withdraws his paw, and then will try again ... usually 3 nos is enough for him to say "ok, ok, i give up."
If I'm cutting Stella & Chewys up food for him, or breaking apart roasted chicken so that it can cool, he is very brazen. He eats directly out of my fingers. He has learned the difference between chicken and fingers, but still on occasion gets happy LOL
Its almost evil how easily these cats train us =) LOL