Cat owners out there probably won’t be surprised if they can’t find their pet Cat when they arrive home. Their cat is probably hiding somewhere and the owner will just call the cat’s name and the cat will be there. But sometimes they might not answer. Cats have reasons why they Hide. It may be part of their behavior but sometimes you might need to pay more attention to it for they may have a problem with something.

So why do cats hide? One of the main reason why they hide is for their nap time. They usually sneak somewhere around some quiet place and have a peaceful nap. However, there are other reasons why they hide and that is what we are going to talk to.

1. Shyness

If you have just adopted a new cat, then it is one of the reason why your new friend is probably hiding. Your furry little friend is shy and is still not yet comfortable with you and the new home he got into. It will just take time and patience for your cat to open up to their new family. Give it more time and your little friend won’t be hiding somewhere around your house anymore.

2. Nap Time

Sneaking into some corner or some warm and comfortable place and taking a nap is one of the reasons why cats hide. Hiding in a safe place before going for a quick nap or a long sleep is one of the cat’s instinct of keeping himself safe from predators or some other dangerous things that may happen if they are in the wild. And another important thing why they hide and sleep is that they don’t want to be disturbed, just like us humans who don’t want to be disturbed when we are sleeping. No need to be alarmed if you see your cat sleeping somewhere where you don’t usually look around.

3. Playtime

Your playful little cat might be hiding because he wants to play with you. They carefully sneak around and jump out to you or to any other pets you have in your house aside from your cat. It is one of their ways to play with somebody. They sometimes hide at some boxes or any other places that they can fit themselves into. So the next time your cat hides and tries to sneak up on you, no need to cause for an alarm. Play with them some more.

4. Separation Anxiety

Yes, cats also suffer from separation anxiety. As a result of this, they hide until they see their owner gets back to them. Cats who have bonded with their owners a lot usually suffer this separation anxiety. Cat sitters encounter this problem most of the time especially if the cat owners is going on a vacation or will be gone for a few days and the cat goes on hiding and will not show up even to the cat sitters. You think this may cause a problem to the cat sitter but usually the cats will eventually open up to their caretakers after a day or so.

5. Neglect

Neglected cats will get easily bored and will go to hiding. If the cat does not get any more attention that he needs from his owner then it will think that he is not needed anymore by his owner and will go to hiding. Pet owners must be responsible of their pet’s needs, especially for cats. A cat needs daily interaction with its owner to relieve the cat’s stress and for their well being as well. Daily interaction will also carve a deep bond between the pet owner and the cat. The best solution for this is to never ever neglect your cat. Your cat is your responsibility and you better pay attention to them or they will hide from you or sometimes worst, they will hate you and might even run away. Your cat has feelings too.

6. Stalking or Hunting

In the wild, your cat is a predator to small animals. Thus, they hide and wait to ambush their prey. It is their natural instinct to hide and ambush preys for their food. This is very common especially if you got a stray cat as a new pet and is not used to their new home yet. If you got other cats in your house, they will also try to hide and stalk your other cats as their way of playing with them. Stalking and ambushing another cat is a normal behavior. Pet owners will only need to intervene if the cats start to fight with each other which might result to hurting both cats if not intervened.

And these are the reasons why cats usually hide. The next time you come home and you can’t find your cat somewhere, just check them in their cat beds, call them by their names, give them some treats and eventually they will show up. Just be patient until they show up. In case they don’t show up, then that’s the time to be alarmed. Be sure to check the windows if they are open for your cat might be outside and not hiding inside your house.

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