How to get a cat to come out from hiding under the bed
Cats hide under furniture like beds when startled, such as during grooming, and often completely ignore calls or treats. This leaves owners unable to retrieve them or coax them back out into the open.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
Found another way around this?
Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.
How to get a cat to come out from hiding under the bed
- 1Leaving the cat alone until it decides to come out on its ownDid this help you?
- 2Using high-value treats or food like Churus or bonito flakesDid this help you?
- 3Shaking treats or food bagsDid this help you?
- 4Using a favorite toy on a string to lure them outDid this help you?
- 5Leaving the room to trigger the cat's FOMODid this help you?
- 6Having an able-bodied person retrieve the catDid this help you?
- 7calling their nameDid this help you?
- 8shaking their treatsDid this help you?
- 9chasing the cat and trying to coax it out of hidingDid this help you?
- 10setting up a cat trapDid this help you?
- 11putting the cat's litter box outsideDid this help you?
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“My cat loves hiding under the bed, and sometimes it feels impossible to get them back out”source ↗
“I usually try calling their name or shaking some treats, but sometimes they just ignore me and stay there.”source ↗
“Couldn't find him at all and won't come out even after calling his name and shaking their treats.”source ↗
“Mine literally just went there a few mins ago when I tried to brush her coat 😆 She's wise to being baited by treats so that doesn't work anymore.”source ↗
“My cat got out about four days ago and I had not seen her until last night... I chased her around and tried to coax her out of wherever she was hiding for probably about four hours and could not get her to come out.”source ↗
“I also bought a cat trap and set that up, which she does not seem interested in at all.”source ↗
“I’ve put her litter box outside of our patio, but that just seems to attract other cats.”source ↗