Cats are animals that love to hide, although they don't always do it for fun or in search of tranquility. There are some situations that can make your feline uncomfortable, even cause stress, such as the arrival of unknown people at home.
Knowing why the cat hides when people come will not always be possible, especially if the feline has been adopted, but there are ways to help him manage fear, stress and even encourage him to meet people new ones, always respecting their emotional well-being and ensuring a positive presentation. In this article on our site we will explain why your cat hides when people come and we will offer you some guidelines that you can apply yourself. Keep reading!
Why do cats hide?
Although they are especially sociable, all cats hidesometimes in search of tranquility. That is why we always recommend that the feline has a safe areato go to when he needs refuge, a private place where he should not be disturbed
However, there are other causes that can make a cat hide:
- Socialization: when the cat is a puppy it goes through a critical period of socialization, which begins around one month of life and ends when turns three months old. At this stage, the kitten relates to its mother and siblings, learning to relate to other felines, but it must also learn how the relationship should be with humans, with other animals and ultimately with everything that the environment offers. If at this stage we have neglected to introduce him to people, we run the risk that with the appearance of fears the cat mistrusts and perceives humans as a danger.
- Traumas: a trauma can cause the cat to become afraid of people and can occur due to details that are almost imperceptible to us. The feline can also develop fear towards a single person, a group or towards all humans.
- Stress: a move, the arrival of a baby or the departure of a family member can cause our best friend to suffer from stress. If there has been a change in your cat's day-to-day life, observe her to see if she shows any of the signs of stress.
- Two cats: if you live with two felines, we recommend that you make sure that there is no coexistence problem between the two and that both they have their own resources (toys, feeder, drinker, sandbox…). You should also rule out one not daring to approach you when the other is present.
- Others: There are many other causes that can cause the cat to hide, illness or pain can be an example, but there are also mental or hormonal illnesses that could be the cause of strange behavior.
To know why your feline is hiding you should observe himand pay attention to what body language he shows at all times, even when no other people are present. This will help us to really understand what our cat's personality is like and what are those things that he likes, dislikes or fears. We will also be able to warn of a possible illness, the presence of parasites or discomfort, details that could make you hide. We could discover that our cat is afraid of plastic sounds, male voices or excessive noise, for example.
What to do if the cat hides and doesn't want to come out?
When our cat hides we must empathize with him and understand that we must not bother him, on the contrary, we will offer him a nest and catwalks (or shelves) so you can retreat, lowering your stress levels and feeling better. Of course, sometimes they will prefer to climb into the closet, get into a drawer or hide under the bed.
We will act normally trying not to make noises that could scare you or constantly calling you to come. The goal is for the cat to get out by itself, because he feels safe in his home
Guidelines for getting him to come out of hiding from him
Checking if we comply with the 5 freedoms of animal freedom will be essential before starting to work on socializing our cat with people. Remember that in some cases it can be long, you will have to be patient.
The objective will be to make our cat associate people with something good and for this we give you some tips:
- Whenever visitors come to your house, leave a bowl with a little pâté or homemade food in the room where your cat usually hides, something that is irresistible to him.
- If he comes out of hiding when you get close to his safety zone, you can reward him directly with a piece of cooked chicken, for example.
- Consult the option of purchasing synthetic pheromones for cats, a product that secretes calming substances, which will help you feel better. We recommend you look for those that have scientific studies that support their effectiveness.
- Improve your cat's well-being by taking care of its he alth, feeding, playing with it and making it not feel alone. This will help improve your bond, making him feel safe when you're around.
- Mentally stimulate your feline with intelligence toys or food vending toys, through these types of activities your feline is much more predisposed to doing new things and will be more adventurous.
By following these tips you will see your cat more active and curious, so it will be easier to reinforce positive behaviors that may occur: approach the room, sniff one of the guests or let yourself be caressed by you in the presence of others.
We can reward behavior that we like in many ways, it's not just about offering a tasty reward: a caress or a high-pitched word can satisfy him and make him feel loved.
At the beginning of this process we will be able to reinforce few things, because it will be inhibited, but as the days go by it will be easier to observe the appearance of new behaviors. As we've explained, it's a long process, but if you don't force your best friend and get him to gain confidence, there's a good chance that one day he won't hide when people come to visit you at home.
In the most serious cases, for example when the cat suffers from a phobia or a sensory deprivation syndrome, it will be indicated to go to an ethologist, a specialist in feline psychology.
