My cat hides when I leave. Is she stressed or just seeking solitude?

He is probably just really stressed. It is best if you leave him alone, don't force him to interact or you may traumatize him more. Be sure he has access to food, water and litter box that is close to him. Be sure the house is as quiet as possible. Get him some Feliway diffusers for the new house and a calming supplement called Zylkene. Both of those things should de-stress him. https://worldtails.securevetsource.com/itemView/view/198944_HomeDelivery.pml?productId=117324 https://worldtails.securevetsource.com/itemView/view/198944_HomeDelivery.pml?productId=115875

Stress can cause cats to hide or act abnormally. For example if you had house guests or got a new pet this could stress your cat out. However medical issues can also cause cats to hide. Cats may hide if they are feeling bad. I would keep a very close eye on your cats appetite, water intake, BMs, and urine if your cat is hiding. If you notice anything that is not normal I would take your cat in for a thorough exam and some basic bloodwork. Older cats can be prone to things like diabetes, renal disease, and hyperthyriodism. These can be fairly well managed with meds once daignosed. If your cat is a male, keep a very close eye on the litter box and be sure he is urinating ok. Male cats can get thier urethra blocked and become unable to urinate. This is an emergency and can be fatal very quickly if left untreated. If it turns out to be just stress I reccomend trying a product called Feliway. Feliway mimcks the phermone produced by mother cats and has a calming effect on cats. Feliway should be available over the counter at your local vet. hope this helps

It sounds like Garfunkle is a cat who may be a bit wary of people or be more of a loner. This is not uncommon in cats, and I know many cat owners who say their family/friends don't believe they have a cat because the cat is always hiding. Some cats just have a personality where they do not enjoy interacting with lots of people! Just like human introverts! You can, however, try some anxiety relieving products just to see if there is a difference in your cat's behavior. I would consider getting an Adaptil diffuser (this is a pheremone producing plug-in) which you can get at many vet offices or online. I would also consider the supplement Zylkene or Composure. These are also available online.

True separation anxiety is not horribly common in cats. But the signs would that your cat shows distress when left alone or separated from you (or other people she's attached to). You might be self-inflicted trauma, excessive vocalization, urinated or defecating inappropriate places, lack of appetite, withdraw, over grooming or (less commonly) destructive behaviors. She might be hyper focused on you when you are around or vocalize/follow you when you prepare to go. It's important to check for a medical reason for any of the symptoms you're seeing (for example, if there are litter box issues, it could be separation anxiety, or could be related to illness or cystitis or many other causes). Generally, videotaping what she does when you're not home is helpful in diagnosis, and then a full blood panel (CBC, blood chemistry, urinalysis, fecal test) and exam to check for medical issues. I hope that gives you some idea about if your kitty is effected and how to proceed! Good luck!

That's my isolate themselves if sick, anxious or stressed, or do to aggression or bad interactions with the other pets. If stress or inter-cat relationships are to cause having food and litter boxes in multiple rooms may help. Feliway pheromone diffusers can also help. If unsure it may be helpful to isolate her yourself in another room to see if dynamics change and also to check her eating, drinking and litter box habits of you are unsure if that is all normal. And/or possibly a vet visit for Jelly Bean to ensure she is not ill. Good luck. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

That can be normal, but can also be a sign of separation anxiety! Cats, just like dogs, can become very anxious when away from their favorite people. I'm including an article about separation anxiety that may help! https://www.petcoach.co/cat/condition/separation-anxiety-1/

It's possible Spirit may feel a bit anxious when you're gone. Cats can become clingy and exhibit the behaviors listed when they are feeling anxious. A good first step is always to schedule a vet checkup and rule out any possibility of illness that may be causing these behaviors as well. That said, if Spirit checks out healthy, there are a few things you can do to help. When you leave the house, playing a soothing talk show on TV or on the radio can help, as well as placing pheromone diffusers/calming collars on spirit to help her relax. You can also get her more used to you leaving by only leaving for a few minutes, then coming back. Make sure to not make a big deal out of the event when leaving, so she doesn't anticipate it and start to become anxious. A good play session to get her tired out before you leave can also help reduce anxiety as she'll likely just want to sleep while you're away. If the issue continues, or worsens, talking with a veterinary behaviorist may help as they can create a more tailored plan and see what's going on in-person.