Why Does My Cat Hide When I Get Visitors?

Although with you he is the most sociable and affectionate animal in the world, perhaps your cat hides when people come. Want to know how to help you overcome this fear?

Domestic cats, like any other animal, need a place to hide if they sense the danger around them. But what if the cat hides when we receive visitors? This is worrying?

The answers to these questions can be many, but in the following lines you will find some general guidelines to identify the problem and understand what you should do as a tutor to find a solution. Don’t miss it!

Why does my cat hide when I receive visitors?

It can happen that a cat hides when visitors arrive and still be a sociable and affectionate animal. There are several factors that can cause this behavior, and not all are bad. However, if you suspect that this behavior might be due to a specific issue, here are some of the most common reasons that might explain it:

• Socialization Problems: If the cat could not learn to socialize properly when it was young, it may have problems when it comes to meeting other humans.

• Trauma: If you are dealing with an animal that has been abused or neglected, consider that there may have been a traumatic episode in your cat’s life. If the cause is a phobia towards humans or strangers in general, the problem should be dealt with very patiently and with the help of a professional.
• Stress: Cats are prone to stress when there are sudden changes in the environment or for other reasons, such as the loss of a loved one or the birth of a human being in the family.
• Living with other cats: If living with other individuals of the same species is stressful or problematic, it can lead to socialization problems with humans. An example would be not wanting to approach when other cats are present.
• Physical causes: some illness or pain can make the cat want to stay hidden, as it feels discomfort and tends to hide the symptoms.

Recommendations for encouraging your cat to go out

The first and most important recommendation is not to force the situation. If your cat is hiding, you shouldn’t drag him out of the shelter or disturb him, as this will only reinforce his desire to stay out of sight.

The key is to identify the reason the animal is hiding and correct it efficiently and patiently. Once the stressor has been eliminated, the next step is to associate the visits and being in sight with something positive. Knowing the feline and observing it is essential throughout the entire process so as not to lose your confidence.

Steps to link humans to something positive

This is a process that can be frustrating for you as a tutor, but you must be patient and adapt to the pace dictated by the cat. Otherwise, you can lose the animal’s trust and, consequently, getting back to the methodology will be more difficult. Here are some tips for the cat to learn to associate humans with something positive:

• Start by leaving snacks or foods in your hiding place that the cat loves whenever you visit.
• If he comes out of hiding as you approach, start with positive reinforcement : reward him. If every time he makes an advance you offer a reinforcement, little by little the animal will establish the connection between the positive and the people.
• Consult a veterinarian or ethologist about the possibility of using synthetic pheromones for cats. These scents can make the cat feel like it’s in a more familiar and therefore safer area.
• Take care of the animal’s welfare and the bond you have with it: if the bond of bonding is solid, it will be easier for the cat to trust you in a situation he finds dangerous.
• Promote environmental enrichment: Neophobia – or fear of new things – is more frequent in animals that do not experience change or face mental challenges. If you keep your cat mentally active, it will be easier for her to associate the new with the possibility of something positive happening.

One last recommendation if your cat is hiding

The responsibility when taking a non-human animal into the home is a current issue. The most important thing is not whether the cat hides or not when we receive visitors, but the conclusion that this is causing discomfort that must be mitigated.

Taking care of your feline’s mental health, especially if it has been through some serious life situation, is just as important as getting vaccinated or curing a physical illness. When you get your cat to leave without fear in the presence of visitors, you will have gained another positive point for humanity.