How to Get a Cat Out From Under a Bed: 5 Effective Methods

Cats may hide underneath a bed for all sorts of reasons. As smaller predators, hiding is what cats do! Therefore, you shouldn’t be surprised if your cat hides underneath the bed at least some of the time. In many cases, it isn’t a sign that anything is wrong.

However, there may be situations when you need to get your cat out from underneath the bed. In these cases, there are several ways to get your cat out. If your cat has recently been scared, getting them out from underneath the bed may be particularly difficult.

With that said, here are some ways you may be able to get your cat out from underneath the bed:

The 5 Methods for Getting Your Cat From Under the Bed

1. Stay Calm

First, don’t do anything rash that will scare your cat more. Instead, you should speak quietly and calmly to your feline to coax them out from under the bed. Often, this is enough to encourage some cats to come out. However, if something has scared your feline, this may not be enough.

However, it is best to give it a try before trying something else, as using a harsh voice may make your cat feel threatened. Instead, repeat the cat’s name or use a soothing phrase.

If at all possible, you shouldn’t force your cat to come out from under the bed, as this may only make them more fearful and anxious. If your cat doesn’t come out when you ask, then the odds of them coming out on their own accord are low. Therefore, we don’t recommend forcing it further unless you need the cat to come out.

2. Use Treats

Many cats will come when treats are involved. While some cats are more motivated by food than others, practically all felines like treats. If you feed your cat treats regularly, they probably know what the bag or container sounds like. Therefore, a quick shake may be enough to entice the cat to come out from under the bed.

You’ll want to be extremely cautious if the cat does start to stick its head out. If you lunge to grab them or make sudden movements, they’ll probably retreat under the bed and may not be able to get lured out again.

If your cat doesn’t come to the first treat you offer, you may want to try something yummier that your cat usually doesn’t get. A cat-safe piece of meat or cheese may do the trick. If you have a can of wet cat food, you may want to try it, as well.

Sometimes, you may entice your cat by placing a few treats around the outside of the bed and then backing away. If your cat is new, they may not feel comfortable coming out with you right there. However, just because they come out to grab the treats doesn’t mean they’re going to stay out.

3. Use Toys

Not all cats are food-motivated. If using treats doesn’t work, you may want to give toys a try, instead. Kittens and younger cats are particularly playful (most of the time), so this method often works best for them. Most cats enjoy playing even into adulthood, though, so there is little reason not to try toys if treats don’t work.

You’ll want to choose an interactive toy (like a cat wand) so that you can move it around near the edge of the bed. If you already know what your cat likes, then you’ll have a better idea of what to use. If not, bring several toys with you to try out. Depending on where the cat is, you may want to use something that makes noise. If the cat can’t see the toy well from where they are, then one with noise may be necessary.

You need to be extremely patient for this to work. Most cats won’t investigate the toy the first time you jingle it around; it’ll probably take a few minutes at the very least. You may want to try the toy, leave for a few minutes, and then come back again.

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4. Provide a Comfortable Hiding Spot

Cats instinctually hide. It’s actually one of the ways they play, so you shouldn’t look at all hiding as a bad thing. If you don’t want your cat hiding under the best, specifically, then you should provide your cat with another comfortable hiding place. You can purchase many cat towers and hiding places from most pet stores. You should place the hiding spot in a quiet area. The corner of a room or even in a closet is a solid option.

The hiding spot should be comfortable. However, some cats may find blankets and cushions too hot. If they lay in the middle of the floor under the bed, then you may not want to add that many blankets to their new hiding spot.

Make sure your cat can easily access the hiding spot. You don’t want the spot to be too far out of the way, as your cat may not use it when they become fearful. Some cats like to have multiple entrances and exits, as it allows them to “escape” if they need to.

5. Block off the Space

If your cat is hiding under your bed regularly and you don’t want them to, you may want to block it off as an easy hiding place. However, if you do this, ensure that you provide your cat with alternatives. Otherwise, they may just become more fearful and anxious. Ensure that this new hiding place is accessible and welcoming. You may even want to place a few treats in it to encourage your cat to discover it.

You can use a temporary barrier, like cardboard or even pillows. Make sure the barrier is solid and stable—your cat may try to tear it down to get to their usual hiding place.

Conclusion

Getting a cat out from underneath a bed isn’t always easy. For the most part, you can try to coax your cat out by using a calm voice, treats, or toys. However, most cats who don’t want to come out aren’t going to. It doesn’t really matter what you do in cases where your cat is just hiding.

However, you don’t necessarily need to do much. Your cat’s natural instinct is to hide when something scares them. Hiding is how your cat deals with stress and unwinds. Therefore, if your cat is hiding, you typically should just let them hide.

Featured Image Credit: Robert Way, Shutterstock