Why Is the Cats Hiding?

Why Do Cats Hide?

Cats enjoy being in enclosed spaces, like under furniture and in cardboard boxes, because they wish to feel safe and secure. Hiding may be a normal behavior for a cat to possess . It are often patterned, like hiding by the hot-water heater or clothes drier within the colder months. Concern arises when a cat starts hiding far more frequently. A normally social cat that suddenly hides more often could also be ill, stressed, afraid, or a mixture of the three1.

If your cat starts to cover more frequently, make sure that they're eating, drinking, and toileting normally. Cats may start hiding more if they do not feel well and any pain or discomfort your cat could also be feeling can also affect their dietary and toilet habits. Hiding more actually because of a medical ailment is taken into account to be a non-specific symptom in cats. this suggests that, if your cat is hiding due to a medical problem, it are often thanks to any number of disease processes. Your veterinarian could also be ready to hone in on a selected reason with the help of a radical physical exam also as tests like blood work and radiographs.

If your veterinarian cannot find anything wrong medically together with your cat, then your cat's sudden interest doggo all the time could be a real behavioral concern. Cats can easily become stressed from environmental changes. Things like moving to a replacement home, new people or pets within the home, or maybe just rearranging furniture can stress a cat out. In home with multiple cats, it's entirely possible that one cat is bullying another cat; therefore the bullied cat could also be hiding because they're nervous to be out and about where the bully cat may even see them. this is often actually a somewhat common problem in multi-cat homes and is termed intercat aggression. Cats also can have noise phobias like dogs sometimes do, so things like thunderstorms and fireworks may have your cat hiding simply out of fear.

If your cat is hiding more actually because of stress or fear, your vet may recommend anti-anxiety medications, like amitriptyline, clomipramine, or fluoxetine2. Medications like Gabapentin can help relieve stress during acutely stressful events, like for vet visits3, during thunderstorms, firework displays, or travel. like most behavior problems, though, medications aren't a permanent solution. Rather, they assist relieve stress in your cat while you both work to decrease the stressors. Adding pheromone diffusers, like Feliway, can help make your home 'smell' more cat friendly to your cat. don't be concerned , you will not be ready to smell the diffuser, but the pheromone it releases can have a relaxing effect in cats. Allow your cat to slowly warm up to new people in your home.4. A cat will warm up to someone who can respect their space, both living and private , much more quickly and that they are going to be far less stressed if they are not forced into unwanted snuggle sessions. Intercat aggression may be a more nuanced problem and your veterinarian can suggest changes in your home found out , like adding cat shelves in high traffic areas like hallways and increasing resources like food/water bowls and litter boxes.

How to Provide Safe Hiding Spaces for Your Cat

Since hiding may be a normal behavior in cats, rather than stopping your cat from hiding, it is best to supply safe spaces for your cat to cover . this manner they will not hide in unsafe spaces, like the washer and dryer or behind appliances. Most cats like being high off the ground . So providing cozy spaces, like a cat bed on a sturdy bookshelf or a cat tree with a inbuilt cube space, are often an alluring hiding spot.

Older cats are often arthritic, albeit they do not show it, so older cats may appreciate hiding spaces down low. this will include cardboard boxes, either homemade or commercially produced scratcher houses, but it also can include their carrier. In fact, leaving your cat's carrier out all the time with comfy bedding inside can make it easier for you when it is time to require your cat to the vet. If your cat sees their carrier as a secure hiding spot, it'll be easier to put them in it when it is time to travel somewhere.

Hiding may be a perfectly normal behavior for your cat to possess . you actually only got to worry if they're hiding more frequently or if they're hiding in unsafe areas. For more ideas on the way to create safe hiding spots for your cat, or for more information on once you should worry about your cat's hiding, speak to your veterinarian.