Desperate cat mom asks for help as kitty keeps hiding in the fridge

• Grayson Martin noticed that her cat Trevor keeps hopping into the fridge every time she opens it.
• She was so desperate to stop him from doing it that he sought the help of netizens.
• Thousands offered their advice, including finding another hiding spot for the sneaky cat.

Trevor the cat got into a “fridge war” with his mom, law student Grayson Martin, after he wouldn’t stop hopping into the fridge every time she opens it.

Grayson was so desperate to stop him from doing it that he sought the help of netizens on the r/cats subReddit.

She wrote on April 3, “Any advice on how to stop my cat from hopping in the fridge every time I open it?? He does this every time.” 

Her question earned 35,000 upvotes, with over a thousand comments from cat parents who suggested ways to help.

Some suggestions include picking up Trevor before she opens the fridge, introducing him to a new hiding spot, or simply waiting for him to grow bored of it.

Grayson shared, “I decided to take the advice to let him explore the fridge so he becomes uninterested. But so far, he still very much loves to fridge.”

She added that her other cat doesn’t show any interest in the fridge at all, except when he sees Trevor climb into the fridge.

Grayson was planning to wait if Trevor’s behavior toward the fridge will change, when he suddenly found another hiding spot: the laundry basket. He has to knock them over first, obviously.

It’s unusually uncommon for cats to hide in refrigerators, since they tend to prefer warmer environments, such as a dryer, said Dr. Emily Wilson, a doctor of veterinary Medicine at Fuzzy – The Pet Parent Company.

Cats may feel more drawn to fridges if they live in a warm climate and want to cool off, or if they’re “food motivated.” Cats also prefer high, vertical spaces as their hiding spots.

For “food motivated” cats, Wilson suggests minimizing open containers of food in the fridge — store them in airtight containers instead. They can also be redirected with food or a treat in a different location from where the fridge is.

While some would suggest using deterrents such as squirt bottles and electric mats, there are several non-contact ways to adjust cats’ behavior.

Chief veterinary officer Dr. Tom Edling of American Humane suggested, “You can use high, cat-friendly shelves built for the cat attached to walls, tubes large enough for the cat to crawl through, or cardboard boxes. Use your imagination and knowledge of the cat to change his or her behavior without resorting to adverse techniques.”

Source: New York Post