Cat hiding under the bed? How to help

Short answer: Hiding is normal cat behaviour, especially after a move, around visitors or noise, or with a new cat. Let your cat hide, don't drag them out, keep food, water and a litter tray close to where they hide, and offer a covered spot of their own in a quiet room. If hiding is new and comes with eating less, litter changes or other signs of being unwell, see your vet, because cats often hide when they're ill or in pain.

This guide covers why cats hide, how to help, how hiding spots compare, and a worked example with the covered beds we sell.

Silver tabby cat looking out of the round opening of a grey felt cat cave, one paw over the rim

Why cats hide

Change. A new home, new furniture, a house move or a new routine.
People and noise. Visitors, parties, building work, fireworks or thunderstorms.
Other animals. A new cat or dog, or tension with a cat already in the house.
Temperament. Some cats are simply more reserved and like a tucked-away resting spot.
Feeling unwell. Cats often withdraw when they're ill or in pain. Sudden hiding is a reason to check in with your vet.

When to call the vet

Book a vet visit if hiding is new or unusual for your cat and comes with any of these: eating or drinking less, changes in the litter tray, vomiting, limping, hiding for most of the day, or hissing when touched. Everything below is for a healthy cat who's hiding because of what's going on around them.

Step-by-step: how to help a hiding cat

Let them hide. Pulling a cat out from under the bed usually makes things worse.
Bring the basics close. Put water, food and a litter tray in the same room, a little way from the hiding spot and from each other.
Offer a hiding spot you can reach. A covered bed or cave in a quiet corner is easier for you to check on than the back of the wardrobe.
Make it smell familiar. Add a blanket or T-shirt that smells of home.
Keep things quiet and predictable. Same feeding times, low noise, and visitors asked to leave the cat alone.
Let them come to you. Sit nearby, talk softly, offer treats or a gentle play session with a toy, and let your cat choose when to come out.
After a move, start your cat in one room with everything they need, then open up more of the home gradually.

Hiding spots compared

Spot	Good for	Trade-offs
Under the bed or sofa	Free and already chosen	Hard to reach your cat or check on them
Cardboard box on its side	A quick, cheap test	Wears out; not very comfortable
Covered cave bed	A cosy, reachable spot of their own	Bulkier than an open bed
Sleeping sack or pocket bed	Cats who burrow under blankets	Some cats lie on top rather than inside
High shelf or perch	Cats who prefer height to cover	Needs safe access and space

How to choose a covered spot

Watch where your cat hides. Dark and enclosed suggests a cave; under the duvet suggests a sack or pocket bed.
Size: they should be able to turn round and lie curled up inside.
Placement: a quiet corner of a room your cat already uses, not in a busy hallway.
Washability: check the care details, as hiding spots collect hair.

Our covered beds are in The Den and ship to the United States only. For more on bed types, see how to choose a cat bed by the way your cat sleeps.

Felt Cat Cave & Tunnel

The Felt Cat Cave & Tunnel is made of grey felt panels that button together, lined in blue or white plush. Approx. 16.1 × 15 × 11 in (41 × 38 × 28 cm), as given on the size option. The maker shows it as a closed cave with a round front opening, opened out like a shell, or stood up as a ring that's open at both sides.

Ragdoll cat inside a grey felt cave opened out to show a blue lining, with four small views of other ways to set it up

Plush Cat Sleeping Sack

The Plush Cat Sleeping Sack is tan ribbed plush with a thick white fluffy cuff around the opening: 21.26 in long and 15.75 in across the opening (54 × 40 cm), the maker's figures.

Pocket Cat Sleeping Bag

The Pocket Cat Sleeping Bag is a printed pocket closed at one end, with a cream fluffy cuff: M 13.8 × 17.7 in (35 × 45 cm) in a teal fish print (M, 35 × 45 cm, is currently sold out; L is available), L 17.7 × 21.7 in (45 × 55 cm) in a yellow bear print (approx., as given on each size option).

Ragdoll-type cat sitting in the white fluffy cuff opening of a tan ribbed plush sleeping sack, next to roses and a painting

Yellow cat sleeping bag printed with brown bear faces and small pink and white motifs, with a cream fluffy cuff and a loop tab, on white

Worked example: hiding after a house move

Say you've just moved, and your cat has spent two days under the spare-room bed but is eating, drinking and using the tray.

Keep them in the spare room for now, with water, food and a litter tray placed apart.
Set up the Felt Cat Cave as a closed cave in a quiet corner, opening facing the room, with a T-shirt you've worn inside.
Visit a few times a day. Sit on the floor, talk quietly, roll a treat towards the cave, and leave without reaching in.
When they're using the cave and coming out to eat, open the door to the next room and let them explore at their own pace.
Later, open the cave into a shell or ring if your cat seems to like a more open spot.

We can't promise your cat will stop hiding under the bed. A covered spot gives them somewhere of their own to try, where you can check on them more easily.

Who this isn't for

A cat who is hiding and unwell: see your vet first.
Cats who prefer height: a shelf or window perch may suit them better than a cave.
Anyone expecting a bed to change behaviour: it won't on its own; time and a quiet routine matter more.
Shoppers outside the United States: these ship to the US only.

FAQ

Why is my cat hiding under the bed?

Often because of change, visitors, noise or other animals. Cats also hide when they're unwell, so new hiding that comes with other changes needs a vet check.

Should I pull my cat out from hiding?

No. Let them come out in their own time. Keep food, water and a litter tray nearby and sit quietly with them.

How long will a cat hide after moving house?

It varies from a few hours to several days or more. Starting them in one quiet room with everything they need often helps.

When is hiding a sign of illness?

When it's new and comes with eating or drinking less, litter changes, vomiting, limping, or hissing when touched. See your vet.

What kind of bed suits a cat who hides?

A covered cave for cats who like dark, enclosed spots; a sack or pocket bed for cats who burrow under blankets.

Can the felt cave be used open?

Yes. The maker shows it as a closed cave, an open shell, or a ring open at both sides.

What size is the felt cave?

Approx. 16.1 × 15 × 11 in (41 × 38 × 28 cm), as given on the size option.

Will a cave stop my cat hiding under the bed?

We can't promise that. It's a covered spot to try where your cat already goes, and one you can check on more easily.

Do you ship outside the US?

No. These beds ship to the United States only.

Related guides

Notes

Sizes and features are taken from each product page, credited to the maker where they're the maker's figures. This guide is general information, not veterinary or behaviour advice.

Browse The Den →