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Hiding is a sound and acceptable response for a feline in a strange or new setting. Your new cat was already home when you first met them at the shelter. They most likely shared a family with other kittens at the shelter and were accustomed to the faces of the staff members who gave them food and care.
It was their “home.” They were aware of their safety and were mindful of numerous places they could hide if they felt endangered. You need to give your cat time to think about its new home.
My new cat is hiding, but I can’t find her: what should you do?
1. Remain calm
It can be stressful to lose track of your cat. Maintaining your composure will enable you to think effectively and maximize your search. To improve your chances of finding your cat, be cool and search as methodically as possible.
- To aid you in your quest, get a flashlight.
- Consider where you last saw your cat, then focus your search there.
- Remain concentrated. Look wherever you can think of.
- Conduct a thorough search. Before entering the next room, search all potential hiding places in the previous one.
2. Search inside your home
Start looking around and inside your home as soon as you realize that you haven’t seen your cat yet. You might be able to locate your cat fast by looking inside your home first, saving you the trouble of looking elsewhere.
- Observe everything, including behind and beneath the furniture.
- Try utilizing a dryer to blow warm air into spaces complex for you to access or see. Your cat might chase them away if it’s present.
- Find out whether your family has seen your cat by asking them.
- Try shaking a bag of treats to get your cat out of hiding.
- Say your cat’s name aloud.
- Keep an ear out for your cat’s voice to help you find it as you look.
3. Search in dark
Cats are nocturnal, so the night is more likely to see them out and about. Try shutting off all the lights in your home and sitting still while listening for any movement sounds. You might want to try looking again at night if you can’t find your cat during the day.
4. Use a treat to lure your cat
You may try shaking a bag of candy, but it’s possible that they won’t hear you or be unable to resist the urge. Try looking for something such as spicy seafood or stinky cheese. Carry it about the house, wafting the smell with your hand while you search, and warm it in the microwave or oven to make the scent more overpowering. Your cat might be unable to object.
5. Give your cat some time
You might want to wait if you have been searching and have looked in all possible places. Your cat can be sleeping there because it is in a hiding place you missed.
- Try waiting an hour before broadening your search if you’ve been looking for your indoor cat for a while and still can’t find it.
- If your cat is hiding because they are bothered by anything, your search can be why they stay hidden.
6. Expand your search to the neighborhood
It’s time to broaden your search region if you can’t discover your cat inside or close to your home. You should start looking around your neighborhood and contacting your neighbors to see if they have spotted your cat.
- By foot, begin your search. This will enable you to conduct more thorough local area searches.
- Request information from your neighbors regarding any sightings of your cat.
- You might wish to drive gently across your area as you widen your search.
- Keep yelling at your cat because they might come running when they hear you.
- Trespass not. Ask for permission before searching a neighbor’s property for your cat.
7. Call the animal search team
Check with nearby animal shelters if you can’t find your cat and nobody has come forward in response to your search. If someone finds your cat occasionally and doesn’t know where you or your cat live, they might decide to take it to a shelter.
- Check with both privately managed and municipally-owned animal shelters.
- To aid the staff in recognizing your cat, should it be brought in, come in person with information and a photo of your kitty.
- Once every two to three days, check in with your shelter.
How long does it take for a new cat to stop hiding?
Talk to it while sitting close to where it is hidden. You should accustom your new cat to your presence while settling into its new home. Sit close to where it is hiding and speak quietly to it if it is hiding. This will aid in acclimating it to your smell and sounds. Try sitting with it many times daily for around 20 minutes.
With your fingertip, stroke its nose. Hold your hand with an extended fingertip in case it emerges from hiding. Leave it alone when it approaches you and smells you. When it does, say hello by softly touching your fingertip to its nose. You may mimic the nose-to-nose greeting that cats have by using your fingertip. Encourage your cat and try to make it comfortable in your home. Give her time to get accustomed.
How do I get my new cat out of hiding?
Here are some ways by which you can get your cat out of hiding.
- Time out for your pet.
- Consider concealing triggers, then get rid of them.
- Check to see whether your cat feels confined.
- Incentivize good behavior.
- Think of resource accessibility.
- Consult a vet first.
- Make your home the best and most suitable place to live.
Where do cats hide when you can’t find them?
A hidden cat is most likely to be found in your closet, dresser, or under any furniture in your house. It might also run away to a nearby neighborhood where it feels comfortable or finds a new companion. The new cat is simply seeking warmth and comfort. If it is not comfortable in its new assigned place, then it might take off in search of one such place nearby.
Conclusion
Although not all felines conform to the image of being distant or reserved, they are unquestionably more autonomous than their canine cousins.
Thus, you might not always be aware of the location of your cat. Presumably, they are alright and are only passing the time in a relaxing spot away from the bustle of your home. To know better where to look, simply lure your cat and observe its behavior closely.
Becca The Crazy Cats Lady is an experienced and knoweldgeable cat owner with years of experience caring for a multi-cat household. She curates, writes and shares cat content at https://CrazyCatsLady.com.
