To find out more about this weird feline urge to hide and how our beloved furballs navigate in the world around them, we spoke with Oleh Boiko, an expert in pet health, nutrition, and behavior from Online Vet by Petcube. Online Vet offers peace of mind for pet parents with 24/7 vet help on any question concerning pet’s health, nutrition, behavior, and more. 

“How cats navigate their surroundings and perceive the world through their senses is a fascinating subject and a highly complex one. In order to better understand how they perceive the world, we first have to take a look at cats’ unique sense of hearing, olfaction, and vision and how these are linked to one another. Generally, cats possess a well-developed sense of smell, acute hearing, and precise vision, which helps them navigate through familiar surroundings,” Oleh explained.

Cats move around in their environment using their well-developed senses of smell, hearing, and vision. “As for the smell, cats have over 200 million scent receptors. In comparison, humans have just 5 million receptors, so you can imagine how different our species are in regards to smell. When it comes to hearing, cats possess something that’s sometimes referred to as a biological marvel. While the hearing range is similar among cats and humans, felines have a longer ear canal, allowing them to hear sounds at longer distances,” Oleh told us.

“Finally, the cat’s vision is also unique in how these animals navigate. Even though felines are nearsighted, they have three cones, allowing them to see a broad color spectrum,” he added.

“The reasons behind cat hiding are many, ranging from being frightened to being wary about unfamiliar objects or guests. Usually, such behavior is normal and shouldn’t concern pet owners. The situation is different when your cat is hiding for a prolonged time. It might also be an indication that a feline is living in a stressful or enrichment-free environment. Still, remember that each cat has individual traits, with some felines being more self-reliant than others.”

Cats' urge to hide can be linked to their instincts and the fact that they feel safe and secure when hidden. “Their instincts as prey animals dictate such behavior in most instances. A cat often needs more time to get acquainted with a new animal in the house. Or, when it comes to dogs, felines choose to hide as the coping mechanism to work with being anxious or afraid,” Oleh explained.

Another reason for why your cat may have an urge to hide is that it might have experienced the trauma of getting into a fight with other animals, Oleh argues. “So if your cat has a traumatic experience of fighting with other animals, it’s no surprise that hiding is a behavior used to cope with the acquired anxiety,” he added.