Watch the video here… https://youtu.be/6CeDSlZCigo
Why do cats hide?
Cats are very defensive in their aggression and usually prefer to run away from something scary than attack it. We've all seen the videos of cats being spooked by cucumbers and they mostly all choose to run away and hide rather than attack them. But why?!
Cats are species that are naturally both predators and prey. This shapes the way they think in two different ways. Firstly, they need to escape from predators, they in this respect, hiding will be much m ore successful than fighting to keep themselves safe (and alive). Secondly, because they are predators, if they get injured, they won't be able to hunt. If they can't hunt, they will feel as though their survival is at risk - evolutionarily speaking, food isn't usually provided for them, it's up to them to find their own food. Fighting is risky, even if it's against another cat or an animal they probably could handle, they might still get themselves injured and be unable to hunt as effectively.
This mindset of flight over fight is difficult to shift (although many learn to use aggression instead - but thats a video for another time!) and it extends to most things they find threatening. Your parents bringing their dog round, the plumber bounding in to fix the leaky sink, the saucepan you accidentally dropped emptying the dishwasher - are all enough to send your cat flying to the back of the wardrobe or deep under the bed.
This is a coping mechanism for most cats and it's super important they have these hiding places to retreat to when necessary. If they don't have any hidnig places available, they are more likey to panic and feel they have no other choice than to attack. I have seen this so many times. Give your cat places to hide, and then we can work on helping them feel happier around things they find scary when the threat isn't so imminent.
When they're hiding, leave them to it. Let the threat pass, let them calm down and let them find the confidence to come back out in their own time. When the coast is clear, you can encourage them out with toys and treats, but don't force it and never try to pull them out - they won't thank you for it.
Once they're out, if they're confident and happy, hopefully things are back to normal and you can carry on as usual when you interact with your cat. But if she skults out with her tummy low to the ground, treat her like an invisible cat and let her get her confidence back in her own time, so she doesn't feel like a cat caught in the headlights.
Tell me about your lovely cats! What is your cat scared of? Is your cat prone to hiding? Where does your cat hide? Take care, Lucy xx
