Why does my cat hide when people come?

Cats are animals that love to hide, although they do not always do it for fun or in search of tranquility. There are some situations that can bother your cat, even cause stress, such as the arrival of Unknown people to home.

Knowing why the cat hides when people come is not always possible, especially if the cat has been adopted, but there are ways to help him manage fear, stress and even encourage him to meet new people, always respecting their emotional well-being and ensuring a positive presentation. In this article 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 hide sometime in search of tranquility. That is why we always recommend that the cat has a safe area to go to when you need to take refuge, a private place where you 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 starts around the month of life and ends when it reaches three months. In this stage the kitten is related to his mother and siblings, learning to relate to other felines, but he must also learn how it should be the relationship with humans, with other animals and ultimately with everything that the environment offers. If at this stage we have neglected to introduce people, we run the risk that with the appearance of fears the cat distrusts and perceives humans as a danger.
• Traumas: a trauma can cause the cat to become afraid of people and it can happen due to details that are almost imperceptible to us. The feline can also develop fear towards a single person, a collective or all humans.
• Stress: a move, the arrival of a baby or the departure of a family member can make our best friend suffer stress. If there has been a change in your cat’s daily life, look to see if it shows any signs of stress.
• Two cats: if you live with two cats we recommend you to make sure that there is no problem of coexistence between both and that both have their own resources (toys, feeding trough, drinker, sandpit.). You should also rule out that one does not dare to approach you when the other is present.
• Other: 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 diseases that could be the cause of a strange behavior.

To know why your cat is hiding you must observe him and look at what body language it shows at all times, even when there are no other people present. This will help us to really understand what our cat’s personality is like and what those things he likes, dislike or fear. We can also notice a possible disease, the presence of parasites or discomfort, details that could make you hide. We could discover that our cat is afraid of plastic sound, male voice or excessive noise, for example.

What to do if the cat hides and does not want to leave?

When our cat is hiding we must empathize with him and understand that we should not bother you, on the contrary, we will offer you a nest and walkways (or shelves) so you can take refuge, lowering your stress levels and feeling better. Of course, sometimes prefer to climb the closet, get into a drawer or hide under the bed.

We will act normally trying not to make noises that may scare you or constantly calling you to come. The goal is for the cat to come out on its own, because it feels safe at home.

Guidelines to get him out of hiding

Checking whether we comply with the 5 liberties of animal freedom will be fundamental before we begin to work on the socialization of our cat with people. Remember that in some cases it can be long, you must have patience.

The goal will be to get our cat associate people with something good and for this we give you some tips:

• Whenever visitors arrive home leaves in the room that your cat usually hide a feeder with a little pâté or homemade food, something that is irresistible to him.
• If you leave your hiding place when you approach your security zone you can reward it directly with a piece of cooked chicken, for example.
• Check the option of acquiring synthetic pheromones for cats, a product that secretes soothing substances, which will help you feel better. We recommend you look for those that have scientific studies that support their effectiveness.
• Improve the well-being of your cat taking care of its health, feeding, playing with it and making it not feel alone. This will help improve your bond, making you feel safe when you are present.
• Mentally stimulate your feline with intelligence toys or food vending toys, through this type of activities your feline is much more predisposed to do new things and will be more adventurous.

Following these tips you will observe your cat more active and curious, so it will be easier to reinforce the positive behaviors that may occur: approaching the room, sniffing one of the guests or allowing yourself to be caressed by you in the presence of others.

We can reward in many ways a behavior that we like, it is not just about offering a tasty prize: a caress or a word in a high tone can satisfy you and make you feel loved.

At the beginning of this process we will be able to reinforce few things, because it will be inhibited, but with the passing of the days it will be easier to observe the appearance of new behaviors. As we have explained, it is about a long process, but if you do not force your best friend and you achieve gain confidence, there are many chances that one day you will not hide when people come to visit you at home.

In the most serious cases, for example when the cat suffers from a phobia or sensory deprivation syndrome, it will be indicated to go to an ethologist, a specialist in feline psychology.

If you want to read more articles similar to Why does my cat hide when people come?, we recommend that you enter in our behavior problems section.