Why Does My Cat Hide All Day

Ensure Your Home Has Relaxing Vibes

If your cat likes to play hide and seek or you cant identify any changes to their environment or routine, consider how you can encourage your cat to be more confident in their environment. You could even consider giving your cat a private room, free from people and other pets. Make this their cat sanctuary, with everything they need to feel comfortable and secure dont forget blankets and their favourite toys.

You can also plug in a FELIWAY Diffuser in the room where your cat spends most of their time this releases happy messages and creates a comforting and reassuring environment for your cat. It helps them feel safe and confident and is clinically proven to help prevent signs of stress such as hiding. Feliway nurtures your relationship with your cat by creating a loving and relaxing environment at home.

How Do I Stop My Cat From Going Under My Bed

It is a good idea to stop your cat from going under the bed, which is often easily done by redirecting their attention.

Chances are, if your cat gets spooked, you wont be able to catch them unless you want to get sliced up by their nails. Once theyre under the bed, its nearly impossible to get them out unless they want to come out.

Here are some tips for stopping your cat from going under the bed:

• Make a space in your house where your cat can feel safe too.
• Add storage under your bed, so there is less room for your cat.
• Remove things that might cause anxiety around the house, especially if you know your cat is afraid of it.
• Buy a bed frame that doesnt have space beneath it.
• Buy a product designed to block the area beneath the bed.

Why Is Your Cat Hiding

When discussing cat hiding, Tracie relates it to a felines place in the animal food chain. Cats are fearful prey animals, she says. Almost any noise or new person or other animal or moving furniture can be stressful and drive them to hide.

Hotchners characterization rings true for me: Every time the apartment doorbell sounds for delivery, my cat, Mimosa, scurries along and hides under the bed like the end of the world has just been announced. Mimosa has never experienced any harm or distress as a direct consequence of the doorbell sounding but it seems that the newness of the noise, which she cannot pinpoint as originating inside the apartment, sparks some cat hiding instinct. The fear of the unknown can make us all act in strange ways.

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Monitor Your Cats Behavior Changes

Hiding behavior in cats could signal an illness or serious medical condition, and owners need to pay attention when this behavior emerges and is out of the ordinary.

Milani says if a cat begins hiding, its paramount that the owner monitors the cats eating, drinking, urinating, and defecating. She recommends blocking off the bathroom to the cat and marking his water dish with a marker so you know exactly how much water is being consumed every day.

Other easily observable signs of an illness or condition thats forcing hiding are discharge from the eyes or nose, limping, and non-specific diarrhea.

What Is Your Cat Saying When He Hisses

Hissing is simply an expression of emotion Im upset, I feel threatened, Im uncomfortable, or Im scared. Whether your cat is hissing at veterinary staff or a newcomer to the household, your cat is feeling vulnerable, threatened, or insecure. If you try to correct or punish your cat for hissing, you will only make a bad or scary situation worse, and make your cat more upset.

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It Could Signify Cognitive Dysfunction

If your cat is older, cognitive dysfunction could be behind all those cat yowling sounds. Your vet can examine your cat to determine if this might be the cause. They start to not really understand whats going on and then they start to vocalize, Dr. Karsten says. A lot of times, the yowling seems to happen at nighttime. Try feeding them a highly digestible meal before bed so theyre not hungry, create a relaxing area for them at night, and increase environmental enrichment throughout the day so theyre tired at night.

How To Make A Cat Hideaway

Cats love having small spaces to hide and get away from it all, as it helps them to feel calm and secure. If you have a slightly nervous cat, this could be the perfect refuge for them.

Watch our video to find out how you can make a hideaway for your cat using an old t-shirt and a box.

If you have more than one cat you will also need to make sure that there are enough options to prevent the more assertive cat from taking up all the locations and excluding the others. If you have young children, its also important to make sure your cat has places to go that arent accessible by them.

All cats, irrespective of their age, benefit from having somewhere safe and secure to go when they feel the need, and an elderly cat will be no exception. Older cats can suffer from stiff and painful joints and jumping up onto high places can become difficult or even impossible.

Make sure that several ground level places are available and if possible, provide some gradual steps up to their usual high place, just so that they have the choice.

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Your Cat May Be Afraid Of Another Kitty

If you have a family of kitties then be aware that any tension between your cats may be causing one of them to hide. Or perhaps a neighbourhood cat walking past the window might be upsetting them closing the curtains may help reduce any cause of fear outside the house. If your pet feels threatened then theyll want to find somewhere safe to hide away so make sure you provide them with access to a safe space as well as their own resources be especially aware that one of your cats could be blocking the others access to their food, water, and litter box.

Should You Force Feed A Cat That Wont Eat

You should never force feed your cat if she refuses to eat. And forcing her to eat using a syringe or a dropper is the last thing you should resort to!

If your cat does not eat anything even after 48 to 72 hours, you must plan a visit to your vet. Your cat might be suffering from some health issues, or dental issues, causing her pain while she tries to eat.

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Why Is My Cat Suddenly Hidingand How To Help

Is It Normal For Cats To Hide And Not Eat

It is normal for cats to hide and lose their appetite if there is a change in their environment. So, if you have adopted a new cat, you can expect it to hide for some time after it moves to your home.

Your furry friend can also hide if she has a history of being nervous or stressed out. With your cat being stressed and tensed, it will likely hide and not eat.

In such a case, you should proceed with utmost care and patience and provide your cat with comfort and confidence.

Spend ample time with your feline friend, provide her with new toys, treats that she likes, and gradually, your cat will start trusting you and stop hiding and will eat a healthy meal.

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Your Cat Is Undergoing Stress And Anxiety

Though cats might appear super-tough, they are really sensitive. Even a small unpleasant action can trigger stress and anxiety in your furry friend.

You might not even notice, but small actions will cause stress in your cat. For instance, just you being late from work due to some workload or inviting your friends over for a quick snack are enough to cause stress in your cat.

Sometimes, bringing a new pet home can also increase the anxiety level in your cat. In this case, your cat will go into hiding and avoid eating food.

So, if you see this behavior, look out for any reason that might have made your cat super anxious and try to comfort her and calm her down.

However, you should consider that hiding and not eating is a short-lived issue if it is caused due to stress. If your cat continues this behavior without any delay, you should consult a vet.

Scratching: Posts Or Cat Condos

• Cats and kittens need to scratch with their claws on something solid to sharpen them, and to stretch their muscles. Toes also have a scent gland that marks their territory.
• To keep Fluffy from scratching the furniture or carpet, give her something appropriate to scratch on: a cardboard horizontal scratching box a sisal or carpeting posts or a multi-level cat condo. A wide variety is available at pet stores.
• A condo or tree is an especially good choice, since it combines a place to scratch, climb, sleep and hide. Make sure the post is sturdy and stable, or she wont use it. If she wont use the one youve bought, return it and exchange for something else. Its essential that she knows where its OK to scratch.
• Training her to scratch appropriately is a combination of positive reinforcement and negative consequences.
• Positive: This is the most important approach. When she starts to scratch the wrong thing, say NO, gently remove her and place her on the right thing, moving her front paws in the scratching motion.
• Give her a treat, praise her profusely, pet her when she does the right thing.
• If she scratches the wrong thing, never scream, swat her or throw things it will only frighten and confuse her. Positive reinforcement is the key.
• Catnip is often provided with scratchers, but it doesnt affect kittens younger than about 5 months .

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Why Do Cats Run And Hide

Even though they are relatively sociable, all cats are sometimes hiding in search of peace and tranquility. That is why we always recommend that your cat has a safe area to go to when they need shelter, a private place where they won’t be disturbed.

However there are other reasons that can cause a cat to hide:

In order to know why your cat is hiding, you must observe what body language they are displaying at all times, even when there are no other people present. That will help us to really understand what our cat’s personality is like and what are those things that they like, dislike or fear. We may also notice a possible disease, the presence of parasites or discomfort, details that could make you hide. We might discover that our cat is afraid of rustling, a male voice or loud noises, for example. Discover sounds that cats hate on AnimalWised.

What You Should Do When Your Cat Hisses Or Hides

• Give him space. Do not try to hold your cat or comfort him.
• Let your cat feel secure. Do not stare at him. Let him hide.
• Give your cat time. Cats may take hours to calm down, not minutes.
• When he is calm, coax your cat out with food and/or catnip. Remember: do not look him directly in the eyes and approach from the side. You are less threatening this way.

Obviously, there are many things that your cat may be upset by or dislike. By being aware that when your kitty hisses, he is feeling afraid, threatened, or uncomfortable, you can change or modify the way you interpret your cats behavior or inter-feline dynamics.

Contributed by Dr. Evelyn Richer, DVM and Alana Stevenson, MS

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How To Stop Your Cat Sleeping Under Your Bed

If you want to stop your cat sleeping under your bed there are a few things you can do to try and change this behavior.

I have to point out first however, you should explore all the reasons above first. If you can figure out the reason why theyve started sleeping under your bed, its going to be a lot easier to resolve.

For example

If they sleep under your bed due to fear Its not nice to think your cat is scared enough in their own home to have to sleep under a bed. Find out whats scaring them and do something about it asap.

If its stress or anxiety related Same as the last point. Find out what is causing them to be stressed and find a solution. A happy kitty will be more social and spend less time under the bed.

If its due to a medical reason The trip to the vet will reveal if this is the most probable cause. Theyll also help you resolve the issue.

If its due to pain/injury You might have to wait it out until they are fully healed.

If you are as sure as you can be that your cat is sleeping under the bed for no other reason than its just what they want to do, and you want to change this habit, I suggest trying one or more of the following:

Spend more time playing with them Its likely they are in need of more mental stimulation and socialization. Just 30 mins or so with some interactive toys, or if youre feeling lazy you can use an automatic laser pointer.

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Step Two: Place Kitty In Safe Room

• Place the hard carrier inside the safe room. Prop the door open so she can come out when shes comfortable or retreat if she is spooked.
• Speak quietly in a happy tone of voice, encouraging her to come out.
• Fluffy may not hesitate to explore right away, or may not come out for hours. If she continues to hide, leave the room and come again in 30 minutes. Oftentimes, letting her adjust overnight will help her to get use to the sounds and smells in the new home.
• Sit in the room quietly several times a day, reading or talking quietly to her.
• If shes out of the box, but behind something, you can slowly reach in and pet her, but dont drag her out or force affection. Youre trying to build trust and make friends, so be patient!
• Instruct your children to be patient also using quiet voices and slow movements.
• At first, she may only come out when alone to eat and use the box.
• Do not let Fluffy out of the safe room until she comes to you voluntarily. If she is in the rest of the house before she trusts you, she may hide where you cant reach her or even find her.

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What Can I Do To Help My Cat

If you are unsure of the cause of your cat’s over-reliance on hiding, it is important to seek a vet’s advice. If your cat is hiding for natural reasons or simply because they have found a favorite new sport to chill, then no treatment may be necessary. Also, if your cat is calm and contented in a hiding spot, it’s important not to move them unless completely necessary. It’s important to respect our cat’s idiosyncratic personality as well as provide their essential freedoms for welfare.

If you do need your cat to come out of hiding, it is very important you shouldn’t yell at, scare or grab them. This exposes the cat to high risks of unnecessary stress and can encourage self-defensive behaviors which can make them difficult to live with. Acting serenely and trying to coax them out with toys or treats is a much healthier approach.

in the advent of a pathology or disease being diagnosed, the vet will advise you on the most appropriate course of treatment for your cat. Whether it is a psychological or emotional disorder, it’s important to consult a specialist whether it is a feline psychologist or cat ethologist. These professionals will be able to base this treatment on special guidelines which should benefit their self-confidence and bring balance to their life. If their hiding in dark places does come from an unhealthy place, then this can help change this behavior.

Is It Normal For A New Cat To Hide

It is absolutely normal for a cat to hide when it is being introduced to a new home. Finding a safe space to hide allows a cat to get used to unfamiliar smells, sounds, and sights. Some cats may not hide at allothers may hide for days. If your kitty is the latter, you will just have to wait it out. Some things that may help boost kitty confidence are providing food and water near the hiding spot, making a little box available close by, providing toys, and also spending some time sitting where your new cat can see and hear you. As trust develops, so will your cats comfort level.

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