My cat has been acting sort of antisocial lately and hiding under the bed a lot lately which is out of character for him since hes usually active and social. He usually sleeps against me on the bed and the Last couple of nights he’s been sleeping at the foot of the bed which is odd. During the day he hides and sleeps under the bed instead of sleeping on his chair on tree bed where he usually does which is unusual. Nothing has changed in his diet or anything different in terms of that, the only changes lately are the weather has been hot but i have the AC running and my schedule has changed so im away from home at different unusual times. Should i be concerned?
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Hiding under bed and acting antisocial
- Thread starter Drewster
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Sounds like it’s time for a vet visit.
It could be a response to your schedule change, and most cats do change up their “favorite spot” routine regularly, but cats are very adept at hiding pain. Even slight changes in behavior - and especially hiding - can be a prominent indication that kitty doesn’t feel well and needs a check up.
35 Signs That Your Cat May Be In Pain
So ruling out a medical cause would be a good initial course of action - especially if your kitty is older.
If your vet determines all seems well health-wise, you can try to address it behaviorally, especially if the behavioral changes coincided with your schedule change.
Try increasing interactive play with kitty, like with a wand toy (Da bird, Da mouse, the Cat Dancer, and the Cat charmer are among some universally loved toys) to help stimulate him and reinforce the bond between you too.
You can also try calming aids like Composure treats/liquid max, Feliway diffusers, Zyklene, etc.
Also try increasing environmental enrichment. More trees or cat shelves, scratchers, beds, etc, and toys he can safely play with by himself when you’re away, like circuit tracks/towers, kickers (the Yeowww! Catnip banana is really popular), toys that automatically turn on/off throughout the day, collapsible cat tunnels, etc.
Adding a bird feeder outside a window he has access to, or playing “cat music” (solo harp, classical, David Teie’s Music for Cats, etc) will also help engage him and calm him. If you have Amazon Prime, they have a “cat TV” option available for free too.
But I would definitely rule out a medical cause first in case something else is going on. He could be in pain or feeling very ill. Sudden hiding behaviors in particular are often strongly indicative of that.
Be sure to take note of any other behavioral changes, and close pay attention to his eating, drinking, and bathroom habits in particular so that your vet can better evaluate what might be going on.
It could be a response to your schedule change, and most cats do change up their “favorite spot” routine regularly, but cats are very adept at hiding pain. Even slight changes in behavior - and especially hiding - can be a prominent indication that kitty doesn’t feel well and needs a check up.
35 Signs That Your Cat May Be In Pain
So ruling out a medical cause would be a good initial course of action - especially if your kitty is older.
If your vet determines all seems well health-wise, you can try to address it behaviorally, especially if the behavioral changes coincided with your schedule change.
Try increasing interactive play with kitty, like with a wand toy (Da bird, Da mouse, the Cat Dancer, and the Cat charmer are among some universally loved toys) to help stimulate him and reinforce the bond between you too.
You can also try calming aids like Composure treats/liquid max, Feliway diffusers, Zyklene, etc.
Also try increasing environmental enrichment. More trees or cat shelves, scratchers, beds, etc, and toys he can safely play with by himself when you’re away, like circuit tracks/towers, kickers (the Yeowww! Catnip banana is really popular), toys that automatically turn on/off throughout the day, collapsible cat tunnels, etc.
Adding a bird feeder outside a window he has access to, or playing “cat music” (solo harp, classical, David Teie’s Music for Cats, etc) will also help engage him and calm him. If you have Amazon Prime, they have a “cat TV” option available for free too.
But I would definitely rule out a medical cause first in case something else is going on. He could be in pain or feeling very ill. Sudden hiding behaviors in particular are often strongly indicative of that.
Be sure to take note of any other behavioral changes, and close pay attention to his eating, drinking, and bathroom habits in particular so that your vet can better evaluate what might be going on.
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I completely agree!
Just out of curiosity, how old is your cat? If he is a senior this Article may have some helpful information for you:
Health Concerns In Aging Cats
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #4
Hes 3 years old, so he’s pretty young, as i wrote this he came downstairs and wanted to play and cuddle, he doesnt hide all day im just not used to him hiding under the bed and acting sort of lethargic as much as he is so it concerns me
