enticing a cat... out from under the bed!

shambelle · Dec 1, 2006

I'm not sure this goes here... but it's worth a shot.

PJ gets eye infections at regular intervals, and normally, she's been okay about being treated - after about 3-4 days of torment, when she starts to get better, she realizes what we're doing. It's still a fight to burrito her in the towel, and she screams like crazy, but eventually, lets us get ointment into her eye.

However, PJ is getting older, and is a bit more crotchety with time. She's got an infection right now, and has actually taken to hiding under the bed whenever either of us comes after her - even if we just want to give her pets or treats. She'll pop out, but knows when we're coming after her!

We've tried a variety of things to get her out from under the bed - treats, food, laser play (her favorite), to no avail. We'd close off the bedroom, but that's not fair, since our other cat goes in and out of there all the time.

Besides the old standards, do any of you have good strategies for getting a cat out from under a bed - especially when they know something unpleasant is going to happen to them? We'll manage somehow - I never miss a dose when she's got an infection - but I'd love to make it easier.

Thanks!

kittenkiya · Dec 1, 2006

I know you have probably thought of this, but the magic of a can opener works better than any genie bottle or lamp I ever saw.

You don't see the cat? Try opening a can of Tuna......Oh yes, do we have cats.

If that doesn't work, to you have treats that are not messy? Make a line of treats out from the bedroom, you know one here, a couple of feet away, another one and all the better if the second cat helps her/him self, because cat eyes under the bed will be watching and a nose under the bed will be twitching.

zissou'smom · Dec 1, 2006

The best thing to do is leave her be. She feels horribly insecure as well as helpless and sick... so leaving her alone is the best thing you can do for your relationship.

I know you have to get her out to give her the medicine... maybe you can block off the areas where you absatively can't get her out, and make sure she has plenty of dark, small spaces where she won't be disturbed unless you have to give her her medicine?

Once she realizes that you're not trying to force her into anything, she may start coming out on her own. And once you're done with the meds, it'll be a matter of patience and humility and she'll be back on your lap soon enough.

It's the same principle as trying to force a cat to be a lap cat. The more you pick him up and hold him hostage on your lap, the less he wants to be there. The more you leave him alone, the more he'll follow you.

meow meow · Dec 2, 2006

I have had people ask to see my cat and I would say - sorry, he is under my bed right now. My six year old daughter goes upstairs and comes down holding the cat. Finally, I say -- how do you the cat out from under the bed? She tells me she slides under the bed (she can fit, I can't) and nudges him with her shoulder!

One time when I wanted him to come out I just pulled him gently by the two back feet (now I wouldn't do this if he were scared -- he actually came out purring).

I would suggest you shut the door if you don't want her running under there. I am sure the other kitties can find another comfy place to hang out.

persi & alley · Dec 3, 2006

Originally Posted by shambelle

I'm not sure this goes here... but it's worth a shot.

PJ gets eye infections at regular intervals, and normally, she's been okay about being treated - after about 3-4 days of torment, when she starts to get better, she realizes what we're doing. It's still a fight to burrito her in the towel, and she screams like crazy, but eventually, lets us get ointment into her eye.

However, PJ is getting older, and is a bit more crotchety with time. She's got an infection right now, and has actually taken to hiding under the bed whenever either of us comes after her - even if we just want to give her pets or treats. She'll pop out, but knows when we're coming after her!

We've tried a variety of things to get her out from under the bed - treats, food, laser play (her favorite), to no avail. We'd close off the bedroom, but that's not fair, since our other cat goes in and out of there all the time.

Besides the old standards, do any of you have good strategies for getting a cat out from under a bed - especially when they know something unpleasant is going to happen to them? We'll manage somehow - I never miss a dose when she's got an infection - but I'd love to make it easier.

Thanks!

I certainly realize that every cat is different but I can tell you how I get my cat out from under the bed and that is to stick my head under the bed and HISS! Hissing is how a kitten's mother trains their kittens to do certain things and in this case although I doubt the cat thinks I am his mother, he skedaddles out from under the bed with one or more hisses of increasing volume.

shambelle · Dec 8, 2006

It's always good to see what other people do.

PJ is so dumb at some points... and so smart at others. After about 2 days of hiding and us grabbing her when she came out, she realized what we were doing was making her feel better, and she kept hiding - but in more accessible places, so it was easy to grab her or coax her out. We do prefer to leave her alone when she hides if at all possible - but being an older cat with repeated eye infections... I'm hell-bent on getting the medicine in her eye!

She does learn without the course of the week that we medicate her. Of course, she really needs to remember this in about 6 months when she's due for another infection!

cheylink · Dec 8, 2006

If you are doing whatever, laundry, something not focused on her, does she come out? I find that allowing them to think you're not interested in them often gets thier curiosity beyond resistance! Maybe she will come out to watch, see what you are doing, and talking to her, even and more so when you're not trying to catch her..................

katkisses · Dec 8, 2006

Another idea...

Next time you go to get her and he darts under the bed... Just shut the door. And leave him in there for a good 30 mins. While he's in there open up a nice, mouthwatering can of tuna and sit it outside of your bedroom door. After the time is up, move the foodto the next room, call your cat the way you do when it's food time then open the door, don't go in the room, stand next to the door and look straight ahead, do NOT look at your cat. If you engauge in eye contact, he will know you want him. When he walks out of the room to get the food, **** the bedroom door. Then go get him =)

I know it sounds complicated, but after a couple times of doing it it will be easier.

jenny82 · Dec 11, 2006

I've had to move the entire bed to get Emily out to give her medicine (luckily she was under a twin bed and not our queen bed because I can't move that)!

shambelle · Dec 11, 2006

Originally Posted by Jenny82

I've had to move the entire bed to get Emily out to give her medicine (luckily she was under a twin bed and not our queen bed because I can't move that)!

When we first adopted PJ, and when we took her for her first vet visit, she hid under the couch and we could not get her out - so we had to cancel the appointment and ended up rescheduling 2 more times before we got her in! I think she knew we couldn't move that couch...

decfds · Jun 11, 2012

Ran into this every night while driving from DC to LA with two cats who hated hated being put in their carrier each morning in the hotel room. Pack a Dustbuster in the car and use it to chase cat out the far side of the bed; using the hotel ironing board under the bed also chivvies the cat out the other side. (This requires two humans--one to expel the cat from under the bed, the other to scoop her up.)

Not very nice, but for their own good and your sanity, you just need to get the cats in the carriers and get back on the road in the morning...

txcatmom · Jun 12, 2012

I know this isn't what you are asking about but when you mentioned repeated eye infections I thought of the l-lysine supplement. Sometimes repeated infections mean a cat is battling the herpes virus and l-lysine sprinkled on their food can really help fight the virus. (My vet recommended it.) I only learned about it recently and have been using it for my cat who seems to battle the herpes virus (not officially diagnosed, but has had eye infections and kitty colds.) I thought I'd mention it in case you hadn't heard of it. Maybe it would help reduce the frequency of the infections. Good luck....I know how hard it can be to get a cat out from under the bed. I just went through that last night when my black cat, Eko, didn't want to leave my children's room so I could close their door for the night.

I tempted him out with treats, but hate to do that too often. I don't want him to learn that hiding under a bed can get him treats!

graceanna · Apr 4, 2015

I tried hissing. She just gave me a look like she was bored and totally unaffected and I started laughing.

graceanna · Apr 4, 2015

I had to get out the vacuum and turn it on. Made her run into the next room where I was able to catch her. It was my last resort and made me feel bad

enticing a cat... out from under the bed!

shambelle

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kittenkiya

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zissou'smom

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meow meow

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persi & alley

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shambelle

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cheylink

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katkisses

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jenny82

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shambelle

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decfds

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txcatmom

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graceanna

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graceanna

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