Cat Hiding From Me (At Times)

vertigho

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Hey guys, I need some advice on how I can get my kitty to revert back to his normal self. I'm incredibly paranoid and for the longest time I spent too much time with this kitty-boy. I was constantly around him, poking and prodding him, feeling his kidneys, and I was actually giving him homeopathic pills (which I have since stopped doing). Around this time I noticed that he has started to run under my desk and hide from me at times. If I leave the room, he'll immediately come out. If I get food, or a toy, he'll immediately come out. If I open my door, he'll come out and run downstairs with me.

He only seems to hide from me when we're in my room together. He seems very cautious, and if I'm in there for a prolonged period of time, he'll generally hide. Again, I used to "hover" over him way too much. I'd constantly stare at him, poke and prod him, and give him pills. I have stopped doing that, and he appears to be improving to a degree in terms of less fear, but he's still not where he was before.

He's acting perfectly healthy. He's eating, drinking, he's hydrated. He's running around, running up and down the stairs, and he's chasing his laser-pointer and playing with him toy mice. He's peeing and pooping in the box, and he's peeing and pooping well. He's still waking me up in the morning by meowing and scratching at the door. In other words, he's acting completely like himself, aside from this "hiding" from me. I had him in to the vet recently due to some panting after heavy exertion and he had the whole array of tests. Chest x-ray, echocardiogram, blood-work, etc. Everything pointed to him being completely healthy, and the panting has since stopped. His blood work was perfect, and he's 1-year old. With that said, it's next to impossible that anything is wrong with him health wise, but what am I doing to cause him to have an aversion to me? How can I fix this issue and turn him back into the cat I know?

It should be noted that he is still affectionate at times. He will occasionally come over and lick my hand, and today he jumped on my shoulders and started licking my ear. With that said, he does appear to be somewhat scared of me.

Any ideas on how I can re-form my bond with him?
 

rad65

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He's still a little kitten, so normal interaction should be enough, and to stop overreacting at things. Your kitten is wary because he doesn't feel sick or bad, but your constant worrying is upsetting him because cats can tell when you aren't acting right. This is a very impressionable time for the kitten, so you can still get him back to his old self, but you should try sooner rather than later so this doesn't become his new normal behavior.
 
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vertigho

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Originally Posted by rad65

He's still a little kitten, so normal interaction should be enough, and to stop overreacting at things. Your kitten is wary because he doesn't feel sick or bad, but your constant worrying is upsetting him because cats can tell when you aren't acting right. This is a very impressionable time for the kitten, so you can still get him back to his old self, but you should try sooner rather than later so this doesn't become his new normal behavior.
So I should essentially back-off, allow him to live his life, and let myself live my life without stress? Play with him and be affectionate, but only on his own terms, and simply back-off and don't bug him and hover around him?

In essence, just live my life as normal and things should slowly go back to normal?
 

bellaandme

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Originally Posted by vertigho

So I should essentially back-off, allow him to live his life, and let myself live my life without stress? Play with him and be affectionate, but only on his own terms, and simply back-off and don't bug him and hover around him?

In essence, just live my life as normal and things should slowly go back to normal?
Yes, he'll come back around. Just be relaxed around him and let him call the shots. I know it can be upsetting when our babies turn a little cold on us--but he'll get back to his old self--in his own time.
 
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vertigho

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Originally Posted by Bellaandme

Yes, he'll come back around. Just be relaxed around him and let him call the shots. I know it can be upsetting when our babies turn a little cold on us--but he'll get back to his old self--in his own time.
Thank you for the advice. It'll be difficult to get used to, but I'm sure I'll be able to do it and have it pay-off. Thanks again.
 
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vertigho

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I actually did an experiment today. I went up in my room and waited for him to go under the desk. I then set up a small video camera pointing under the desk and started to record. I left and came back 5 minutes later, and sure enough, he was out from his spot and the camera was still running. I stopped the recording and re-watched the video. Sure enough, within 5 seconds of me leaving the room he came out from under the desk.

I'm going to do another test today too. I'll have someone else go in there (who he likes, as far as I know) and see if he goes under the desk. If he doesn't, I've answered an important question. If he just doesn't like me, I can live with that. That's repairable.
 

otto

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What the others have already said. Force yourself to quit fussing at him and let him come to you when he wants to. He'll forget about your earlier behaviors after a while when he realizes you are no longer poking and prodding and pilling him.

Stop messing with cameras and watching him so much. He knows you are doing it and it bothers him. Just let the relationship between you and him develop naturally, in it's own time.

All will be well....with time. Patience is the key when dealing with cats. Nothing happens in a day, or a week, with them.
 
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