Cat keeps hiding?

ashleysue22

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Hello! I hope someone has some insight for my issues!

My cat has been hiding and acting a little strange, and I'm worried. I can't tell if he's sick or just scared or something.

He keeps wanting to hide under my bed or in the bathroom in my room. I know hiding can be a sign of sickness, but th thing is other that hiding and being timid, he's acting normal. He's eating and drinking the food I bring him. He purrs when I pet him. He's grooming himself, and has used the liter box (I've had to taken him to it). So basically he won't leave my room. He's just laying around in my bathroom or under my bed. If I bring treats into my room and shake them, he will come out from the bed to get them, but won't come out of I shake them in the living room.

Now for the strange part. Everyone I've tried to take him out of my room and into ou living room he completely freaks out. He gets scared and timid. Won't let me hold hold him. Crouches low to the ground, puffs out his tail and runs to hide. He usually runs back to my room.

So he really don't showing signs of sickness, but I'm still worried because I don't really know. He's also been scared before (from the vaccuum, when kids come over and want to play with him, etc) and has ran under my bed, but comes out later when the event is over. He's pretty friendly and likes people (not kids). Let's everyone pet him and hangs out with everyone around the house. So it's just very strange.

Also the night before he started scaring strange, we put in a new ceiling fan, and new lighting in the main area of the house (where he seems scared of). I don't know if that has to do with his behavior. The first night he was hiding, he seemed super timid in my room when my ceiling fan was on, now he's okay. But that makes me wonder. We do have another cat, and he usually always wants to play with and chase her around, and he hasn't wanted to.

I've considered taking him the the vet to make sure everything is fine, but I've held back because I'm more thinking he's just scared than sick. Any one have any opinions??
 

mammacat9404

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Do you know if anything has happened to him while you were away, something that could of scared him to this point? I get what you mean about the vet thing, even for just a visit it can be expensive.. but from some of the signs, like taking him to the litter box, he could be having some bowl problems. that could cause him discomfort, and not really want to do much, basically the same as humans if they were having bowl movement issues. I've had many pets, and one in particular.. was not as social like he usually was.. hiding a lot, still friendly and loving, but just didn't want to be anywhere but one place. taking your cat to the vet would most likely be the better option! you'll never know whats going on inside if you don't take him to checked up on. I hope everything goes well for you and you furry friend. I would love to hear how things work out!!


-MammaCat9404 
 

mrsgreenjeens

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It really sounds to me like he's afraid of the new ceiling fan and light fixture you put in.  Perhaps somehow it hurt himself during the installation or something? 

I know my own cat yesterday was acting really strange, and I finally figured out that someone had been in our backyard while we were gone (doing some predesignated work
) and that's why Tinky was so afraid to be in the living room.  He kept hiding.  Once we got home though, he finally settled back down.  This same cat got got up in some exercise equipment once, and now is petrified everytime we work out. He won't even come upstairs where the workout room is.  He'll only get to the top of the stairs and peek at us when the the equipment is  in action. So....what you are describing sounds exactly like how my scaredy cat acts.

Have you tried turning off that fan and lights and turning on some other lights and seeing what happens.  Just have it nice and quiet out there and see if he'll gradually work his way out there?  I'm not quite sure how to get him over the phobia without knowing just what might have happened to him..  Seriously, could he have hurt himself a little during the installation?  You might want to pose your question over in the Behavior Forum just to see if any of the experts over there have any advise. 
 
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