Here’s Why Cats Hide?
Cats have a natural inclination to hide, especially when they’re stressed or find themselves in a new environment.
They’re timid creatures, and it may take time for a cat to feel comfortable in a new home. Or to feel that it’s safe to emerge from under a bed or sofa.
If your cat is a new addition to your home, allowing it the time and space to hide is a gift you’re going to your family’s newest member.
Four reasons why cats hide…
1. Safety and Security
In the wild, a cat is both predator and prey. Finding a secure hiding spot allows it to retreat from potential danger. Hiding provides a cat with a secluded space from which it can feel protected while it observes its surroundings.
2. Territorial Behavior
Hiding serves as a way for a cat to establish and maintain its territory. By hiding under furniture or in elevated spaces like shelves or cat trees, a cat claims these locations as its own and marks them with its scent.
3. Distress
Cats are sensitive to their environment and experience stress when faced with unfamiliar people, loud noises, or a chaotic environment. Hiding allows a cat to withdraw from stimuli and destress by gaining a sense of control.
4. Illness or Pain
When cats are feeling unwell, or in pain, they may choose to hide as a way to minimize vulnerability. In the wild, this tactic avoids drawing attention to potential weaknesses.
Why do some cats hide more than others?
Hiding behavior varies among individual cats and is influenced by a number of factors, such as…
- Their personality.
- A propensity to experience stress.
- Their previous experiences.
- The specific circumstances they find themselves in.
If your cat is hiding excessively, and/or displaying other signs of distress, this may be a sign of illness, and you should discuss this with your cat’s vet.
