How Long Will A Cat Hide If Scared? (4 Reasons)

Cats are sensitive creatures and will often take notice of the smallest of changes within their environment.

Sometimes they need some space after a change, like a new baby coming into the home or bringing a new pet into their territory.

They may also feel a need to hide if their territory has been violated by someone or something new.

It might take an extended period for them to warm up again.

Do you ever worry when your cat hides and ask yourself, “how long will a cat hide when scared?” We will answer that question in great detail!

How Long Will A Cat Hide If Scared?

Although the length of time a cat will stay hidden depends on its personality, veterinarians generally agree that cats between 7 and 12 weeks old might hide for up to 5 hours.

The younger they are, the longer they will take to come out of hiding. Also, if you have a new cat, it might hide for 1-2 days when scared.

4 Reasons Why Your Cat Hide?

1. A New Person or Cat Enters Your Home

When a visitor or a new animal enters your home, your cat might hide. Also, visiting a hospital or doctor’s office can make cats feel insecure, as well as strangers walking by your home.

The presence of another cat in the household can make one cat feel like they are being challenged or replaced.

Cats also hide when they need private space for their litter pan, especially if a sibling watches them use it.

2. Upset Stomach or illnesses

Cats can be very sensitive and will often hide from a sick tummy. They may even choose to stay away from you when trying to feed them.

That is not to say that your cat will always know if he has a stomachache, but sometimes they will know rather quickly.

To help him feel better, try giving him a nice warm bath and putting some pumpkin or other digestive aids in his food!

If you notice your cat going into a hiding place often or your cat looks tired and anxious, you may be suffering from allergies.

Further, cat allergies are prevalent and cause them to hide in dark locations, often causing them anxiety!

Hiding is one way they express themselves in such situations, as it allows them some time alone when they most need it.

3. Hormonal Changes

Typically male cats are sensitive to the female hormone estrogen, which causes them to become aggressive and irritable.

A condition commonly called “cat-rage” or “catfight syndrome.” Females may also hide during their heat cycle when they are looking for male cats.

Understandably, neutered or spayed cats are less likely to be aggressive on the exposure odor of a female cat in heat.

4. Constant Chirping or Noise From Birds or Other Animals

Cats may seem like the most independent animals, but they rely on their hearing to know if there is danger nearby and need quiet time to recalibrate themselves.

That can cause them stress, making them look for a dark nook where they feel more comfortable.

You can prevent that behavior by wrapping pieces of tin foil around windows and screens. That will prevent your cat from being able to hear outside noises.

How Do I Get My Scared Cat Out Of Hiding?

If your cat is afraid and hiding away from you, there are several things you can do to try and get them to come out.

Firstly, if the hiding is a short-term response or the result of an incident that happened recently, then you could try leaving food for your cat in different places around the house so that it does not feel threatened.

That will encourage your pet to come back on its own accord.

You should also give yourself some time out of the room where you are trying to coax your pet out by leaving it as dark as possible, playing soothing music, and taking deep breaths slowly – anything that will help calm yourself down before approaching.

You should then slowly walk towards the hiding place of your pet, call out your cat’s name and show it a piece of food. Some cats will even follow their owners into the dark and come out if shown a piece of food.

If your cat is not coming out on its own, you should consider using one of the following tricks:

1) Get Rid of Cat

– One way you can get rid of your scared cat is for you to pretend to be another cat by making kitty sounds or trying to sound like a young kitten yourself by purring or meowing.

You can Easily Trick cats by this and will often come out of hiding to check what noise came from the other cat.

2) Fool Your Cat

– Another way to fool your cat into thinking it is another cat is to get a young kitten toy and place it on the spot where you have heard your pet is hiding.

Make sure you do this with a different voice so that your cat will not get suspicious of it. If you feel confident about this act, you can even train your young kitten to move around the house in various places to mimic the noises you make.

3) Deter Cat with Toys

– You can also try to use a toy snake or a fake mouse placed on the spot where you think your cat is hiding.

The reason being is that these toys are very easily manipulated and have a short and sharp smell to them, so they will often attract any cat that is lurking about.

When the cat sees the toy moving around, it will often come out of hiding to check what this strange thing is doing.

4) Use mothballs or Smoke

– If you are desperate, you can even try using some mothballs to cover up the smell of food, beer, or even cigarette smoke that your pet may be able to smell from its hiding place.

You can also try to use some of your scents if you want to.

The same would go for thunderstorms, as cats are terrified of loud noises, so you may have to make sure that the windows are shut tight and that the curtains are shut, or cover them in cling film. You could also keep your pets indoors for a few days in case of a thunderstorm.

If none of these tricks work, you can try getting a cat flap installed outside so that your pet can enter and leave the house as it pleases without you having to leave it locked up all day while you are at work.

Conclusion

How long will a cat hide if scared? Research indicates that when cats are scared, they might hide for up to five hours. Admittedly, cats are naturally elusive creatures, and when they want to hide from the world, it is often difficult to know why.

However, if you monitor your cat’s behavior, you may be able to identify some of the reasons they may be hiding. Do not be alarmed if you notice any of the behavior mentioned above in your pet. It is okay for cats to hide sometimes, and most of the time it is harmless.

The worst step you can take is to punish your cat for something that you think should not happen. Cats do not understand punishment and will most likely continue to hide. Therefore, you should that you are the caretaker of your pet.