My cat loves visitors, but hides for hours after they leave. Is he getting overwhelmed?

My cat is 4 years old and has always been extremely social. Whenever someone comes over, he runs to the door, sniffs their shoes, brings toys into the living room, and eventually climbs onto the couch beside them.

He isn’t just tolerating guests either. He actively asks for attention, rubs against their legs, and will happily play with anyone willing to wave his wand toy around. Friends regularly comment that he’s the friendliest cat they’ve ever met.

He also never hides while people are here, even when there are four or five visitors talking, laughing, and moving around the apartment.

The strange part starts almost immediately after everyone leaves.

Once the door closes, he walks around the apartment meowing for a minute or two. Then he disappears under my bed or behind the couch for anywhere from two to six hours.

During that time, he won’t come out for treats, food, or toys. If I look under the bed, he’s usually lying there with wide eyes and his paws tucked underneath him. He doesn’t hiss or act aggressive, but he watches me like he’s waiting for something else to happen.

Eventually, he comes out, drinks a lot of water, eats, and becomes completely normal again. By the next morning, he’s affectionate and relaxed like nothing happened.

At first, I assumed he was looking for the guests because he missed the attention. But hiding for hours and refusing treats makes me wonder whether he’s actually stressed or overstimulated the entire time and only reacts once the apartment becomes quiet.

He seems happy while people are here, but maybe I’m interpreting excitement as enjoyment when it’s really anxiety.

I’ve started keeping one room closed and quiet so he has somewhere to retreat, but he never chooses to use it while guests are present. He stays in the middle of everything until the visit is over, then suddenly disappears.

Should I encourage people to interact with him less, keep visits shorter, or simply leave him alone afterward and let him decompress?

I don’t want to stop him from socializing if he genuinely enjoys it, but I also don’t want every visit to secretly be exhausting for him.