Hidey holes

THERE are lots of reasons why a cat might hide. Cats hide to feel safe, and in order to protect themselves from things they perceive as dangerous or stressful so it’s important to find out the reasons why your cat is hiding.

Cats as a species are self­reliant, so when faced with a difficult situation your cat would naturally prefer to avoid it rather than charge in and fight. Your cat will hide when there is something, or someone, nearby that is

Emergency

causing them concern. They may be frightened or just wary about something unfamiliar and might want to keep out of the way, just in case.

If you leave them to it you will usually find that they will come out of hiding once they have realised that whatever it was they were frightened of isn’t actually scary at all.

Hiding places are one of your cat’s basic needs. Providing a selection of possible options, such as some open cupboard doors, areas under beds, cardboard boxes and gaps behind sofas will give your cat a choice of places to go when they feel like hiding.