Short answer: hiding after an obvious change (a move, visitors, a new pet) is often stress. Sudden hiding with no clear reason, especially with skipped meals, a hunched posture or litter box changes, is a same-day call to your vet. Cats are good at hiding pain.

Call the vet today if hiding comes with

• Not eating for about 24 hours (see cat not eating: why 24 hours matters)

• Straining in the litter box, or little or no urine (an emergency in male cats)

• Vomiting more than once, or diarrhea

• Breathing with an open mouth, or fast breathing at rest

• Crying when picked up, limping, or a hunched posture

• Hiding in unusual places, like a closet they never use

Likely stress if

• It started right after a clear change: moving, renovation, guests, a new baby or pet, fireworks

• They still eat, drink and use the litter box normally

• They come out at quiet times (night, when the house is empty)

Helping a stressed cat

1. Give them a safe room with food, water, a litter box and a hiding spot they choose

2. Don't pull them out. Let them come to you

3. Keep a routine: same feeding times, same quiet spots

4. Watch the litter box. Stress often shows up there first: peeing outside the box, or going much more or less

Keep a short log

Write down when the hiding started, what changed, how much they eat and drink, and litter box habits. It helps your vet a lot.

Free tool

If the litter box has changed too, the free 3-minute Litter Box Check-Up screens for urgent signs first, then sorts what you've seen into medical, stress or setup: https://claude.ai/code/artifact/605e8a2d-9101-4a51-8d05-7b87f9e7bc9c

Related: Cat peeing on the bed: stress or medical? · How often to clean the litter box

Educational only. Not veterinary advice and not a diagnosis.

Short answer: when base salary is capped, the rest of the offer often isn't. Pick one or two items that matter most to you, explain why, and ask for them specifically.

What's often still on the table

1. Signing bonus. Frequently comes from a different budget than base pay. Ask how it's paid and whether you'd have to repay it if you leave early (a "clawback").

2. Start date. A week or two between jobs costs the company little and can matter a lot to you.

3. Extra PTO. Some companies can add days at hire even if the standard policy is fixed.

4. Remote or hybrid days. Get the agreed arrangement in writing.

5. An early salary review. For example at 6 months instead of 12, with the criteria written down.

6. Title, equipment, or learning budget. Smaller asks that can still be worth real money or career value.

How to ask

• Be specific: "Could we do a $5,000 signing bonus and a 6-month salary review?"

• Give one reason per ask (what you're giving up, market data, your experience).

• Keep it to one or two asks. A list of eight reads like a haggle.

• End with a clear yes: "If we can do that, I'm ready to sign this week."

Before you sign

• Get every change in the written offer, not just an email thread.

• Read the repayment terms on any bonus or relocation money.

• Check vesting schedules and cliffs if equity is involved.

Free tools

• Counter-Offer Builder (free 2-minute brief): see your negotiating position and one tailored tip: https://claude.ai/code/artifact/82ad3adb-9b9f-4506-968e-81271dde425f

• Two offers on the table? Free comparison that counts salary, bonus, equity, PTO and cost of living: https://claude.ai/artifact/Wuo4kXFZhNUsjEHzqT8Kmb

The full negotiation script ($9.99) turns your inputs into an opening line, a specific counter number and responses to common pushback.

Want it written for you? We write your counter-offer email, target and walk-away numbers and replies to pushback within 24 hours for $39, with a 7-day money-back guarantee: https://whop.com/checkpoint-labs/counter-offer-written-for-you

Related: How to counter a job offer · Job offer rescinded? The first 24 hours · Reply templates

Not legal or financial advice.

Short answer: scoop every day, top up litter every week, and fully empty and wash the box every 2-4 weeks (clumping litter). A dirty box is one of the most common, and most fixable, reasons cats go elsewhere.

The schedule

Non-clumping litter usually needs a full change more often, often weekly.

How many boxes

A common rule: one box per cat, plus one, in different spots (not side by side). Multi-level home? One per floor.

Cleaning products

• Mild, unscented soap and water is enough

• Avoid ammonia-based and strongly scented cleaners. To a cat, ammonia can smell like urine, and strong scents can put them off the box

• For accidents outside the box, use an enzyme cleaner made for pet urine

Use scooping as a health check

Scooping daily is also the easiest way to notice changes early:

• Bigger or more clumps for a week: your cat may be peeing more. Worth a vet visit (kidney disease, diabetes, hyperthyroidism and urinary problems are common causes vets check for)

• Many tiny clumps, or straining: call your vet the same day. In a male cat with little or no urine, it's an emergency: see male cat straining in the litter box

Still having accidents?

If the box is clean and your cat still goes elsewhere, it's usually medical, stress, or setup (size, location, litter type, a lid). The free 3-minute Litter Box Check-Up screens for urgent signs first, then sorts what you've seen: https://claude.ai/code/artifact/605e8a2d-9101-4a51-8d05-7b87f9e7bc9c

Related: Cat peeing on the bed: stress or medical? · Senior cat not using the litter box

Educational only. Not veterinary advice.

Short answer: if your cat has eaten nothing for about 24 hours, call your vet. Don't wait it out. Cats are different from dogs here: a cat that stops eating for a few days can develop fatty liver disease (hepatic lipidosis), which is serious, especially in overweight cats.

Call the vet now if

• No food at all for ~24 hours (sooner for kittens or cats with known health problems)

• Vomiting more than once, or diarrhea

• Hiding, low energy, or breathing with an open mouth

• Straining in the litter box, or little or no urine (in male cats this is an emergency: see male cat straining in the litter box)

• Drooling, pawing at the mouth (possible dental pain)

Common reasons cats eat less

• Dental pain

• Nausea or stomach upset

• Kidney disease, hyperthyroidism, diabetes (especially in older cats)

• Stress: a move, a new pet, a new baby, a change in routine

• A sudden food change

What helps while you wait for the appointment

• Offer the usual food, slightly warmed, in a quiet spot

• A familiar, strong-smelling wet food can tempt a cat who is only picky

• Write down: when they last ate, how much, water intake, litter box changes, any vomiting. Your vet will ask.

What not to do

• Don't force-feed without vet advice

• Don't give human medicines: several are toxic to cats

• Don't switch foods repeatedly to "find one they like" if they're refusing everything: that delays the real answer

Related

Litter box changes often show up alongside appetite changes. The free 3-minute Litter Box Check-Up screens for urgent signs first, then sorts what you've seen into medical, stress, or box setup: https://claude.ai/code/artifact/605e8a2d-9101-4a51-8d05-7b87f9e7bc9c

More: Senior cat not using the litter box · Cat peeing on the bed: stress or medical?

Educational only. Not veterinary advice and not a diagnosis.

Short answer: give your child one "pass" per night that buys one short, free trip out of bed. Once it's used, every return is calm, quick and boring. Keep it up for about two weeks. The Bedtime Pass Program was tested in a randomized trial published in the Journal of Pediatric Psychology, where it reduced crying and curtain calls in young children.

Why it works

Curtain calls ("one more hug!", "I need water!") get rewarded with attention. The pass keeps a little of that attention available, on your terms, and makes the rest predictable.

Step by step

1. Make the pass. An index card your child decorates works well.

2. Explain it in daylight. "This pass buys one trip out of bed: a hug, a drink, or one question. Then it's sleep time."

3. At bedtime, after the usual routine, hand over the pass.

4. First trip out: they give you the pass, you meet the need briefly (a minute or two), and walk them back.

5. Any trip after that: walk them back with as few words as possible. No new stories, no negotiations.

6. Morning: if the pass is still unused, a small reward (a sticker, choosing breakfast). Keep it small.

7. Stay consistent for about 2 weeks. It often gets worse for a night or two before it gets better.

Make it easier

• Move predictable needs before lights out: water, potty, the extra hug. See Toddler bedtime stalling: what to try tonight.

• Check the timing: an overtired child fights harder. AAP guidance for ages 3-5 is 10-13 hours of sleep per 24 hours, naps included.

• Both adults use the same script.

When it's not the right tool

If your child snores loudly most nights, gasps or pauses breathing, or seems very sleepy during the day, talk to your pediatrician first. If they come out because they're scared, see Toddler scared of the dark at bedtime.

Free tool

Not sure if it's curtain calls, stalling, fear or an overtired kid? The free 3-4 minute Bedtime Battle Decoder starts with a quick health screen and then finds the likely pattern: https://claude.ai/code/artifact/91d225ab-295b-44b6-b2d0-88115b44c7f2

The Full Reset Plan ($9.99) includes a night-by-night 2-week plan and word-for-word scripts for curtain calls and stalling.

Educational, not medical advice.

Short answer: in older cats, litter box problems are often about pain, mobility or a medical change, not behavior. Book a vet check, and make the box easier to use in the meantime.

1. A vet check first

Common conditions in older cats can change litter box habits: arthritis, kidney disease, hyperthyroidism, diabetes, urinary infections, constipation, and cognitive changes. Signs to mention to your vet:

• Drinking or peeing much more than before

• Weight loss, vomiting, or appetite changes

• Straining, crying, or blood in the urine (straining with little or no urine is an emergency, especially in male cats)

2. Box height

Stiff joints make high sides hard. Try a low-entry box (or a large storage bin with a low doorway cut into one side).

3. Distance

If the box is on another floor or at the far end of the house, add one where your cat spends the day. Stairs get harder with age.

4. Lighting at night

Older cats may see less well in the dark. A small night light near the box can help with night-time accidents.

5. Litter and cleaning

Soft, unscented, fine litter is easier on sensitive paws. Scoop at least daily; older cats can be pickier.

What not to do

• Don't punish accidents: it adds stress and doesn't fix pain

• Don't assume "old age" and wait: many causes are treatable or manageable

Free tool

The free 3-minute Litter Box Check-Up screens for urgent signs first, then sorts what you've seen into medical, stress, or box setup: https://claude.ai/code/artifact/605e8a2d-9101-4a51-8d05-7b87f9e7bc9c

The full report ($9.99) adds a printable summary and questions for your vet. Related: Cat peeing on the bed: stress or medical?

Educational only. Not veterinary advice and not a diagnosis.