My cat is 6 yrs old and up till a few weeks ago he was still like a kitten he tore through the house and jumps half way up the wall and would always be with me on my lap and anywhere I went he followed.
The past few weeks he has been hiding under the bed and only comes out for food and litter box I am not sure what is going on with him any suggestions
Hi Alexa,
Provided any medical conditions have been ruled out, this sudden change in his behaviour is likely the result of a traumatic experience. Something has happened that has resulted with him being fearful and scared. This could be many things. Perhaps a visitor in the home started him? Or a loud noise outside took him by surprise? Did he accidentally knock over a lamp off a side table?
Whatever the trauma stems from - you will need to reassure him and bring him back out of his shell, so to speak. Slow eye blinking and physical movements around him is a great start. Allow him some one-on-one playtime therapy with a wand toy. Provide plenty of verbal encouragement and keep his daily routine regular and consistent. It will take a bit of time and patience but will be worth it.
Yes, it is a cause for concern if your cat suddenly started hiding and only comes out for food. This change in behavior may indicate that your cat is experiencing some kind of physical or emotional discomfort.
There could be several reasons for this behavior, such as illness, pain, stress, anxiety, or a change in the cat's environment or routine. It's best to take your cat to the vet for a check-up to rule out any underlying medical conditions.
If the vet rules out any medical issues, you may want to consider if any changes have been made to your cat's environment or routine that could be causing stress or anxiety. It's important to provide your cat with a safe and comfortable environment and to keep their routine as consistent as possible.
In any case, it's essential to address the change in behavior as soon as possible, as cats are often very good at hiding signs of illness or distress, and delaying treatment could result in more severe health issues.
How have you go ton with this?
My cat is 6 and over night she changed. Literally over night. She is scared of everything, moves around at a snails pace, hides uner my bed. Won't go outside anymore when she was a big hunter before.
Vets checked and no injuries or illness. We have been on medication and so far no big changes. she is so unhappy and I dont know how to help her anymore.
This literally just started with my cat too. He has been with me for 16 years and we have a very regular routine, he pals around with me everywhere I go and snuggles with me every single night. All of a sudden, literally overnight, he's moving incredibly slow, still eating, but not when I'm around and then sneaking and dashing away from me to go hide under the bed for the entire day and night. When he comes out to try and sneak some food he does so as if he's sneaking away from me, a monster. Prior to this he would meow and run up to me and be by my side every second of the day purring and loving and talking to me. I've taken him to the vet and so far they can't figure anything out. He's very slow and sad and scared and lethargic and it's as if he just had a lobotomy overnight. It's incredibly depressing and I'm waiting on some more blood work from another vet. I can't stand it. I don't want him in pain if he is, and it's incredibly heartbreaking having this overnight transition for him and in our relationship.
@Rachel did you ever find a solution? I am going through the same thing with my kitty. I brought him to the vet and they think it was a behavioral issue and gave him gabapentin. I have not seen a difference since he started taking the med.
