My Cat Hiding From Me. Why?

[Mama to the crew]

Hi guy here my problem my youngest cat Sierra has started hiding from me for the last 6wk-2 months. The weather here been crazy up down with temps and rain so 7 of my crew tend to disappear around the house but they pop up here and there depending on moods. However Sierra won't come out around me she comes out with in minutes of me leaving the room. Just the other night she came out realized i was there and took off. As a kitten and until recently she loved to get attention from me. The only thing thats changed is my dog now has free rain over the house except the cats room. All the cats have been around him as they often jumped the gate to him so i don't think she afraid of him or anything like that. She comes out to see my dad and cuddle him and he says she acts like normal eats drinks and looks healthy. So i don't know what i could've have done or if its become a game like she knows it bugs me that she won't come out for me. Because when i say she comes out as soon as i leave the area i mean with out fail each time i leave she comes out causeing my dad to laugh. Granted i did buy her for him but she always been a woman cat so she took to me but she was always friendly with him. I just don't know if i should worry or just wait for her to come around.

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi!
Maybe just wait, or you could try a calming product spray for your clothing - that might help.

 

[Mama to the crew]

I don't think any calming sprays will work as she hangs out in the front room basically my dads side of the home. She come out at night and when i leave the living room. I think im just going to have to wait her out unless i go hunt her down. Which i don't want to because she is coming out to eat and so on just avoiding me for some reason

 

[danteshuman]

Does the dog follow you everywhere? Also could you ‘exile’ The dog to a room or outside for 4-6 hours a day? The same hours (without daylight savings) every day. That way your cats get to rule the roost a certain time every day. Them having to jump over a baby gate to escape the dog does NOT mean the cats are OK with the dogs. It just means they have figured out how fast the dog can run and that the cat room is safe. * the cats could be put in their room for a few hours each day to, if need be.

I strongly suggest LOTS of cat trees and cat shelves. I also suggest obedience training for your dog. I would teach the dog ‘stay’, ‘place’, ‘drop it’ & to never ever go into the cat room ..... even without a baby gate being there. I would also walk the dog on a leash inside the house until I was sure I could trust her to never chase a cat. If you can I would also teach your dog to sleep inside a crate by your bed at night (you can close the crate) then your feline friends can resume their sleeping with you. In time
The dog can learn to sleep in the crate, with the crate door being removed. The crate provides security for the dog and is their safe cave/home.

* I think researching cat body language and the discover channels ‘cat versus dog’ show with a dog trainer and cat trainer (with Jackson Galaxy) would be a great start. They resolve issues in multi pet households.

 

[Mama to the crew]

Does the dog follow you everywhere? Also could you ‘exile’ The dog to a room or outside for 4-6 hours a day? The same hours (without daylight savings) every day. That way your cats get to rule the roost a certain time every day. Them having to jump over a baby gate to escape the dog does NOT mean the cats are OK with the dogs. It just means they have figured out how fast the dog can run and that the cat room is safe. * the cats could be put in their room for a few hours each day to, if need be.

I strongly suggest LOTS of cat trees and cat shelves. I also suggest obedience training for your dog. I would teach the dog ‘stay’, ‘place’, ‘drop it’ & to never ever go into the cat room ..... even without a baby gate being there. I would also walk the dog on a leash inside the house until I was sure I could trust her to never chase a cat. If you can I would also teach your dog to sleep inside a crate by your bed at night (you can close the crate) then your feline friends can resume their sleeping with you. In time
The dog can learn to sleep in the crate, with the crate door being removed. The crate provides security for the dog and is their safe cave/home.

* I think researching cat body language and the discover channels ‘cat versus dog’ show with a dog trainer and cat trainer (with Jackson Galaxy) would be a great start. They resolve issues in multi pet households.

First the gate has never been at the cats room its been at the living room/kitchen area. The cat room down the hall. After the first month for the girls and 2 months for the boys the cats have free run of the home. The gate was to give the dogs a space and to not have them running with kittens. Yes my dog does follow me around and he already knows place stay lay all the basics. Drop it or leave it is something i teach both the dogs and cats because you just never know what they can find. The cats do get long periods of space away from Brady because he stays in the back of the house. They have lots to climb but we do plan to add more highways for them. I don't use crate unless i can watch them because my oldest male will escape it at any cost so the have rooms instead of crates. Ryder is a lot calmer then Brady is so the cats are more torrent of him cause he happy to just lay around. Brady more hyper he will forget himself once in a while and give chase but returns on command and dosen't try to pin or jump. Funny enough he a very dominate dog but is very submissive to cats he honestly justs wants to sniff and follow them. I love jackson and Ryder loves to watch my cat from hell. Brady not a tv watcher or he'd like it

 

[terestrife]

Has she been to a vet lately? Not suggesting anything is wrong, but any change in behavior I tend to keep an eye on the cats, if things don't go back to normal I go to the vet. My cat Elsa used to run and hide a lot. We didn't realize she had rotten teeth. Cats hide pain very well.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Have you had a medical issue/medicine change or soap/lotion change that would coincide around the time she started hiding from you?

Or, is there an incident that occurred at that time, directly involving you that might explain her harboring a fear of you?

There is some kind of change that occurred right before she started hiding. If at all possible, see if you can go back in your mind to that time and analyze all events. Some of the things we consider to be no big deal turn out to be a big deal to some cats.

 

[Mama to the crew]

No she hasn't to the vet lately and like i said she only hiding from me. She comes and goes like normal otherwise.

As for me there nothing new wrong or changed that she not been around before and was fine. Aside from Brady being loose and in the living room more often i can't really think of anything. Even with Brady she been around him since day one we just had him block off because while 50ish pounds vs 2-3 pounds kittens not a good mix. (He'd never hurt them on purpose but he a big guy) Sierra always jumps the gate to visit him.

I guess it could be im not out there as much as i was when i worked and i only noticed she wasn't coming out because i had to get weights on them and she wouldn't come out. Usually if you call her she come but that time she wouldn't and maybe i'm trying to hard now?

 

[di and bob]

I would ignore her. She somehow feels a threat from you and is avoiding you. It may be the dog following you around, or some new smell you carried in. When you look at a cat overlong, try to get their attention, or in some way send vibes their way that they are the center of your attention, they perceive this as a threat. I would just ignore her, leave maybe a few treats when you leave the room, and talk softly. But don't hunt her down, don't come towards her, just leave her alone and see how she reacts. It should work in a bout a week.

 

[Mama to the crew]

Oh i don't chase her or look for her mainly because of what you said and because she comes visits my dad so i know she ok.
I think i'm going to stop making a big deal out of her coming out to see me and just focus on the 5 who do demand attention from me and let that kinda lure her out.

 

[di and bob]

Yes, taht would probably work. I had a little wild male here that would not let me get within feet of him for over a year. Then a little tamer female showed up. He watched me petting, stroking her and now I can pet him!

 

[Mama to the crew]

Oh i know that feeling when the original 6 came here only Ally and Talia wanted human attention. Ally kittens Sami took to being held quickly Ami has never been a cuddler she loved being chased thoug, at about 9 months she decided petting was cool. Harley would allow anything with food so it didn't take that long for him to come around. Ace however took a 1 1/2 year to allow any contact. Roughly 4 months later then when the others came we got Andi and Sierra. Andi is actually from the same colony as the other 6 we joke she ace sister and ally & harley daughter. She still won't let us pet her but we think its her personality she a loner or not a cuddler but love to be talked to. Sierra the only one not part of the original group but fitted in right away she just a few weeks younger then the twins. She been a lover from the get go but she also a go go cat. You know the type pet me ok enough im off to play only to come back and repeat.

 

[Furballsmom]

LOL I love your description of a go go cat

I think that ignoring her might be just the thing to do. Hang in there and let us know how things go

 

[Mama to the crew]

Lol its the best way to discribe her. she very friendly and love attention but is only good for at max 3 minutes of cuddling or petting then she off to do something else for a bit but comes back for quick pets. She right between the twins Sami absolutely love to be cuddle and loved on will stay and nap on you even. Ami on the other hand only wants attention once every few days or when she wants something otherwise she happy to know where your at but wants nothing to do with you.

 

[Furballsmom]

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[Mama to the crew]

She came out tonight for me. I had just completely ignored her for a day or two didn't call for her or nothing. Just played with those who wanted to cuddle mainly Talia Ally Harley and Sami, talked to Andi & Ace (who on a don't touch me kick) and sneaked some pets in with Ami. I was heating up some chicken about the only thing not makeing me sick right now and talking with my Dad looked up and noticed Sierra and the hallway. She was laying there watching me. I didn't expect her to come any closer so i just talked to her and about her for a few minutes then ingored her. I started calling some of the other cats who all decide to ignore me lol. She laid there a good ten mins before just getting up and comeing out to see me. Of course she dose so right after i said she wouldn't rolls eyes. I got to hold and cuddle for 3 minutes before she was done which is normal. But man she looked so good.