If your cat is hiding or running away, it means she is not herself. She is afraid that she may be harmed or that her life is in danger. If your cat's behavior suddenly changes, there is likely a fear-based explanation.
If your cat is suddenly scared, consider whether anything has recently changed in her environment. Disruptions to the cat's daily routine can make a cat skittish, such as moving furniture and new people. Your cat may have encountered a predator near her home and no longer feels safe. Unexpected loud noises (thunder, construction and screaming) as well as illness and injury make cats feel vulnerable.
It takes a calm, relaxed owner to cope with the needs of a frightened cat. In fact, the owner's anxiety will make the cat even more nervous. You need to calm your cat, but how you approach this depends on the reason.
Cat room
Sometimes a big house is too much for a cat.
Therefore, you may need to temporarily narrow the scope of her research. Remember that cats are territorial, so having a lot of space to “observe” may not be good for them.
Creating a room just for your cat may be a good approach. He creates a house within a house.
There should be all the amenities a kitten needs, including food, bedding, bed and toys. The room can become a safe haven. This should be a room that is not heavily used.
You can keep the door closed at first until your pet adjusts to its surroundings. After a while, open the door and allow the animal to explore the rest of the house at its own pace.
This could be at night when everyone is sleeping, and that's okay. You can also leave a bowl of treats in another room to encourage your cat to explore more often.
Signs of stress
Cats are secretive animals; they really don’t like to show their weakness. Recognizing that an animal is under stress is not easy. Very often the clinical picture is blurry. But it is necessary to know the symptoms, because the sooner stress is identified and measures taken, the better for the animal.
Acute stress condition
When a cat is affected by negative factors, most often external, a stress hormone is released in the body. This is manifested by some physiological reactions.
Among them:
- shallow breathing with shorter phases;
- increased heart rate;
- tremor of the limbs, head, whole body;
- excessive salivation;
- various sounds (the range is wide: in case of pain - a guttural meow or howl, in case of fear - a hissing or growl, just constant meowing as a way to “tell” about the problem);
- involuntary emptying of the bladder or bowel;
- external signs: dilated pupils, ears pressed to the head, tail twitching, frightening grin (showing teeth), raised fur, arched back, head lowered below body level.
When a cat is stressed, it may attack, bite and scratch if it feels its life is in danger. In such situations, the symptoms go away on their own once the provoking factor is eliminated.
It is quite simple to recognize signs of fear, excessive anxiety, and extreme dissatisfaction with what is happening based on such signs. It is more difficult if the cat is in a state of permanent stress.
Chronic stress
Being in a state of chronic stress manifests itself more in changes in behavior patterns and disruption of established rituals. Symptoms of a prolonged depressed or tense emotional state include:
- tendency to hide in secluded, inaccessible places;
- changes in eating behavior: lack of appetite or uncontrolled gluttony followed by vomiting;
- fanatical licking or loss of interest in self-care;
- performing natural needs in inappropriate places, ignoring the cat litter box (sometimes cats defiantly sit down to do their business directly next to the litter box);
- digestive disorders: vomiting, lack of bowel movements, change in the nature of bowel movements;
- lethargy, lack of desire to play, run, constantly staying in some place, prolonged sleep (you must understand that most cats, even in a healthy state, sleep most of the day);
- even with a slight change in noise level, lighting, or sudden sharp sounds, it can react extremely inadequately;
- leaving marks, splashing urine;
- nervous reactions in the form of scratching the skin until it bleeds, hair loss, the appearance of bald spots and scratches on the body;
- contradictory behavior: the cat cannot calm down, then lies down, then sits down, suddenly changes direction when moving, and the like.
Patience and more patience
Getting fearful cats to stop being afraid takes time. Be patient and don't force your cat to do anything. This means that you should not wear it or place it anywhere in the house against your will. This will only increase the fearful behavior.
Let the cat come on its own. You can encourage interaction by speaking softly and offering a positive experience, but don't push it.
If there is a person in the house whom the cat is afraid of, let him feed the cat. Over time, she will understand that people are not a threat.
What makes cats afraid?
Cats have many fears and phobias based on their instincts. Most of them are rational, but not all. Common things that cats are afraid of include:
- Loud noises
- Changes in daily routine or schedule
- Unfamiliar people or pets in the house
- Wide open spaces
- Predatory animals
- Visit to the veterinarian
- Separation from owner
Any of these problems can make your cat scared. Anxiety takes its toll on cats. According to applied animal behavior science, stressed cats live with persistently elevated cortisol levels. Cortisol is colloquially referred to as the “stress hormone.” This explains why your cat is afraid.
We provide a positive experience
Cats feel better when they have positive experiences. Offer your pet treats and toys to alleviate fear.
Encourage interaction with toys. A long feather wand is ideal because your cat can play with you while maintaining a safe distance.
If your cat is very timid, place a treat near your cat and move away. Over time, slowly move closer or stay longer each time you do this and speak in a soft, encouraging tone.
If you are patient, you can get your pet to take the treat from your hand.
Some cats may only show fear in certain situations, such as when a stranger appears in the house. Whenever someone comes over, give your cat a treat.
These situations will require more time. You can enlist the help of friends or family members who come regularly.
Possible reasons
When a cat is afraid of people, and even more so of its own owners, it is advisable to immediately understand the reasons for such fears. A cowardly pet is unlikely to bring joy, peace and tranquility to the home. Moreover, these reasons can range from banal temperament to various complexes.
Negative experience
If you adopted a cat from the street or from a shelter at any age, he may be carrying a heavy burden of the past. Unfortunately, there are many people in the world who, to put it mildly, do not have a humane attitude towards animals. Street purrs adapt rather slowly to home conditions. They are often frightened by open doors, loud noises behind the wall or outside the window. That is why their breeders should be patient, not put pressure on the psyche of the new pet and try to earn his trust.
Scared cat
Punishment as a method of education
Under no circumstances should you hit, spank, swing, or shout at your furry pets.
Remember, if you have tamed a cat, you automatically become responsible for it. Under natural conditions, these animals undergo natural selection, so any manifestation of aggression causes a response. It can be expressed either in the manifestation of cowardice or aggression. To prevent this, do not hit, but stroke the purr, take care of it.
Feeling insecure
Fear of a cat often indicates his lack of self-confidence. To correct this situation and give him a feeling of confidence, you should try:
- make the tallest objects in the premises accessible; kitchen set, wardrobe, etc.;
- place a bowl of food and water higher from the floor so that the furry one feels a sense of superiority over the residents of the house or apartment and their guests;
- install a structure that will look like a tree so that your mustachioed pet friend can climb freely on it.
Pet house
Lack of personal territory
Cats are animals that in any case need their own territorial space. In houses and apartments, they always choose the safest place for rest - a closet, a box, a drawer with clothes, etc. It is for this reason that, having decided to get a cat, it is advisable to think through a house for it in advance and install it so that it is inaccessible to strangers , children and other pets. If you do not do this, along with cowardly behavior, he will eventually begin to show aggression, throwing himself at his owners and their guests. Of course, it is advisable to let cats outside, since they walk on their own, but doing this in a city environment is at least not safe.
Complexes
Most often, animals that have found a family at a very early age experience complexes towards unfamiliar guests. Kittens that have been in a family for a long time, which has not been visited by strangers, begin to hide or scratch at the first visit of a stranger. This reaction is especially evident if he takes the kitten in his arms to cuddle or stroke it. In such situations, when some celebration with an abundance of guests is expected, it is advisable to close the cat in a separate room, not forgetting to provide him with bowls of water and food.
Cats love to play
Fearful cat problems
A cat hiding may not bother you, but constant worrying increases its stress, which can make the cat sick.
For example, stress can worsen bladder inflammation (cystitis), which in turn promotes negative toileting behavior.
Even when there is no bladder pain, anxious cats may start scratching to calm themselves down.
For these reasons, you may need to seek help from a veterinarian or cat behaviorist if you have already tried other methods.
There are medications your veterinarian can prescribe, but they are not magical and will not transform your scared pet into a brave hero.
However, they can help put your cat in the right state of mind by helping to normalize brain chemistry that has gotten out of control.
Most medications can be mixed into a tasty treat or made into an ointment that can be applied to your cat's ear to be absorbed through the skin.
Some medications may take several days or weeks to work to improve, so be patient.
Drug therapy is not usually used regularly and may have side effects. These solutions work best in combination with behavior modification techniques that teach your cat to better cope with his fears. This is where a veterinarian can be of great help.
The most important thing to remember is not to put your fearful cat in situations that make her uncomfortable. Allowing your cat to be cautious and overcome his fears on his own is the best way.
Consult your veterinarian
Your first step should be to schedule a visit to your veterinarian for a check-up. Sometimes aggressive behavior can indicate a cat's health condition, even if she doesn't appear sick.
This can be especially true when the cat exhibits a sudden change in behavior. If your pet has not yet been spayed or neutered, then you can consider this option.
The physical change may affect their behavior (becoming less aggressive) but should be discussed with your veterinarian before any decisions are made.
Respect your cat's space
While this may make you feel better, resist the urge to pick up or cuddle a scared cat.
“Forcing interaction with a nervous cat is never a good idea,” continues Vyacheslav Kolokolnikov. "The best thing you can do is give your cat space - never underestimate the power of space."
Be aware of your cat's need for space to prevent incidents. Many cats are initially intimidated by forced interaction—unlike your dumb Labrador, your cat may not feel the need to become best friends with everyone who walks through the door.
If you have guests and your cat doesn't interact with them, ignoring her in return is the best idea—don't force your cat to come say hello. Make sure your cat has a safe place to escape to - set up a room with food, water, a comfortable place to rest and a litter box.
Likewise, forced interaction with other cats can cause your cat to become fearful. If you're bringing a new kitten into your home, don't expect everyone to become fast friends right away.
Instead, give each of them space, space, and more space.
Cats are territorial creatures that do not tolerate strangers well. The new cat needs to be separated from everything from the cat into whose territory he is being brought. It should be assumed that cats will willingly share their resources.
This means that each cat should have its own room, water, food, litter box, and toys until they tell you otherwise.
