Hi, I’m Christopher! Read my introduction to learn more about me and my silly Russian Blue cat, Olga.
When your cat knows that a trip to the vet’s office is coming up, you may have a hard time finding them. I put Olga’s carrier in the living room for a few days before her vet appointments to confuse her, but it didn’t help. He knows when I take him to the vet because his appointments are always early in the morning, and I don’t feed him breakfast.
If I go to the bathroom to take a shower instead of feeding him, he will find a place to hide. I didn’t have a grand estate, and it didn’t take long to find him, but he was smart and on the move as I searched. His dark gray fur blends into the dark space under the furniture, and I have to turn on all the lights when I look under chairs, couches, and beds.
Hiding and Resting
Olga has various places for relaxation and hiding. He sleeps under the bed in the spare bedroom in the morning while I work, and if I have to pick him up, it’s not difficult. When Olga is content, it’s easier to hold her, even when she’s sleeping.
It’s harder to pick him up and coax him into the carrier when he’s hiding in fear. He finds a spot under the couch or bed that is hard to reach, and when I crawl under it to reach him, he pulls away and avoids my grasp. After 20 minutes of chasing him, I finally catch him with a towel and wedge him in the carrier.
Creative Hiding Spots
A few years ago, he made new hiding places by tearing holes in the lining under my bed and couch. I’m not sure when he did that, but it was probably the night he first heard the fireworks. I’m impressed that he found another way to make it harder to get him. When he crawls through the hole in the bottom of the mattress box, I can see the fabric sag under his weight.
I try to push him towards the hole so I can get him out, but he screams and kicks me into the cloth. He doesn’t do it very often now, but I have to wear gloves to protect my hands when he does it. Hiding is natural for cats, and while it can be frustrating for owners who struggle to find their pets, it’s better than the alternative.
Respecting Their Restraint
Cats can teach us a lot about the “fight or flight” response because they are usually more inclined to flee than to fight, even when they live indoors with people. Cat haters’ greatest fears will come true if they favor fighting. Instead of hiding from their owners when scared or stressed, they will attack.
Although cats are skilled predators, they don’t leap into the air and slap our faces when we get mad at them. Lacerated eyeballs and severed arteries are not common injuries from cats, but they can happen if they are not restrained enough.
