What does it mean if a cat hisses at a person

What if there is simply no apparent reason – no suspicious sounds, no smells, no strangers? But the cat still hisses at the owner when he tries to touch? The cause of such behavior may be pain, ill health. In this case, you should visit the veterinarian, who can help the pet and restore peace in the house.

Why do cats hiss?

Cats make many funny sounds. They purr, meow, and sometimes even hiss. This may surprise you and make you wonder – what’s wrong with my cat? There are several reasons why cats hiss. You might be surprised to find out what those reasons are!

It is a common misconception that hissing is a way for a cat to show aggression. In fact, it’s quite the opposite.

Cats hiss when they feel afraid or threatened. It is a cat’s response to anxiety. When we feel fear or anxiety, we need to take a big breath to calm down. When the cat feels the same way, it exhales a deep stream of air, which causes a hissing sound.

The hissing does not occur on its own. You may notice how your cat’s entire body language changes when they hiss. Their ears flatten, their body becomes stiffer, and goosebumps run down their skin. Yes, cats do get goosebumps! You’ll notice it by their fur, which stands up on end.

Why do cats hiss at people?

It all has to do with the safety of the cat. Cats hiss at people when they feel unsafe and threatened in some way. This can happen when they are held in an uncomfortable manner or restrained in any way. Cats, as we know, are born hunters – they absolutely do not like to have their mobility disrupted. They always need a way to escape.

It’s important to know that if your cat hisses at you or someone else, you should leave it alone. The cat’s next move after hissing may be to attack defensively. Thus, hissing is a warning sign that the cat wants to be left alone. Just as we humans can be very emotional when we are overwhelmed and frightened, so can cats. Except that cats are more likely to use claws rather than words.

Protects kittens

Mothers of all species are fiercely protective of their cubs. Although domestic cats depend on humans for many of their needs, they behave the same way. While some mother cats will happily share the care of their kittens with humans, others are less friendly.

A mother cat who hisses at a human if he approaches her bed does not show his hatred. It also doesn’t mean that the person can never say hello to the kittens; it’s just her instinct to protect her cubs.
Always leave the cat to care for the kittens on her own for a few weeks before trying to meet them.

Severe fright

Sometimes a cat hisses as a reflex reaction if it is suddenly frightened. Although it is almost impossible to sneak up on cats unnoticed, there are times when they get distracted and you can catch them off guard.

If a cat is distracted by something when a person approaches it, is not used to being near it, cannot see or hear well, or is nervous in general, it is likely to flinch when it is touched.

Make sure the cat knows its owner is around before petting it.

Preparedness to attack.

Sizzling is a cat’s tool for alerting a rival to the possibility of attacking him. Therefore, it is strongly recommended not to try to pet such an animal, to take it in your arms, to block the animal’s way to retreat, to try to get the cat out of hiding.

The cause of hissing can also be pain and physical discomfort. Survival instinct makes a sick animal crouch in the den and quiet down. This can be assumed if the pet refuses to eat along with hissing, has heavy breathing, lack of coordination, and so on. In this case, hissing is a request to be left alone.

Breed trait.

Hissing can also be a manifestation of the breed’s temperament. Animals characterized by quick and vivid reactions to what is happening are prone to such a reaction: Siamese, Egyptian Mau, Abyssinians and others. They do not benefit from lack of exercise: pets become grumpy. And Persian and Siberian cats are jealous of the cleanliness of their coats and can get angry if they touch them often.

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How to behave if the cat hisses

We have already found out that cats do not hiss without reason, so if you want to calm your pet, eliminate the irritant that provokes the animal to aggression. Have you noticed that the cat is disgruntled by the attention of guests? Warn acquaintances not to touch the animal, or, better yet, take the fluffy grumpy cat to another room. Do not leave an annoyed cat alone with small children, otherwise tantrums, cat howls and scratched palms are guaranteed.

• Don’t pick up a hissing cat and don’t try to pet it. Allow the cat to calm down on its own.
• Try to divert the cat’s attention to another activity or object: work with noise effects, flash a flashlight, but don’t shine the light in the cat’s eyes. Distracting with treats is undesirable so as not to create a mistaken stereotype in the cat: hissing = treat.
• Don’t scold or spank a cat that hisses, even the best-trained cat cannot control his instincts in extreme situations.
• If the hissing is caused by pain, help the cat to adopt a comfortable posture to minimize discomfort.

Sometimes the negative emotions caused by the owner are dictated by necessity. For example, the cat needs to be put in a carrier to be transported to the vet clinic. In such cases treat the pet with the utmost care. And for the pet to be less afraid, cover the carrier with thick cloths that do not let in light and muffle surrounding sounds.

Important: Feline hissing can be associated with a dangerous infectious disease like rabies. This is especially true for individuals whose owners view walking alone as normal for a pet. So if an unvaccinated cat is being aggressive and going outside all day long, keep tactile contact to a minimum and call your vet immediately.

For special situations and restless “hissers” there are sedatives such as “Stop-Stress”, “Relaxivet”, “Cot Baiyun”. Sedatives should be given on the eve of a visit to the veterinarian, so that an irritable animal does not interfere with the examination.

Love and fights

All animals establish boundaries of their territory through body language, sounds, and tags. Cats hiss and growl before rushing into a fight, showing that they are ready for a fight. Squealing and hissing sounds are an indispensable element of mating games. The cat shows the cat that it will not give up so easily, and that it is obliged to take care of it properly.

In the cat world there is a certain hierarchy, the rules of which must be obeyed. When two animals are fighting, they also hiss at each other. This is how they determine who is “cooler”, the older and stronger animal dominates, and the weaker or younger is obliged to obey.

6 reasons why a cat hisses at its owner. How to teach a cat to hiss

When communicating with humans, a cat uses “body language,” which includes certain postures, sounds, and body movements. A cat’s good attitude toward humans is always nice, but if your cat hisses at you? Why can a cat be aggressive toward its owner, such as hissing at him? And how to wean a cat from hissing?

A hissing is a very specific sound, eloquently indicating a strong negative reaction. The outburst of irritation and negative emotion confirms the whole appearance of the animal:

Associated reactions. Depending on the level of threat and personal temperament, the severity of the defensive reaction is not always the same, so a hissed cat can:

• In the ensuing moment, however, quickly retreat, fleeing.
• Adopt a characteristic pose with arched back and fluffed up tail, which means a more serious attitude and an attempt to intimidate the enemy.
• To deliver several blows with its clawed paw, while grouping itself together and pressing against the ground with its belly, which symbolizes its intention to take the fight. The tail twitches nervously or whips from side to side.

Who’s to blame. Displeasure and fright, encoded in hissing, can be directed both at a specific living object (a rival cat, a dog, a stranger) and “into space,” being initiated by a sudden loud sound or a flashed shadow.

Regardless of the source, the cat’s expression of frustration, if further provoked, can escalate into an attempt at fierce self-defense and end in a violent aggressive lunge.

How do I teach my pet to growl and hiss for no reason?

If your pet displays aggression for no apparent reason, you should observe his behavior. It is advisable to take him to a veterinarian for a consultation to rule out the possibility of a dangerous disease. You shouldn’t make a problem out of sporadic bursts of growling and hissing that go out on their own. If the kitten constantly shows aggression, it should be weaned from it, following these tips:

• Do not take the animal in your arms when it hisses. Let him show his emotions.
• If the growling is a manifestation of dissatisfaction with some actions of the owner, you need to stop doing things that irritate or scare the animal. People often provoke their pets themselves with dangerous games and then resent their aggression.
• Surround the pet with affection and attention. Reassure him that he doesn’t need to be afraid of people. Be gentle and patient in doing so.
• If the cat reacts by hissing to a new pet, you should give it time. Gradually she will get used to it and calm down.

Mechanism of cat hissing

A hiss is a vocal vibration emitted by the muscles located in the lower part of the larynx. The hissing sound is born at the moment of forced exhalation. The cat extends its lower jaw, slightly sticking out its tongue. Hissing is characteristic of all breeds.

Naturally, hissing is the first reaction to discomfort, fright or misunderstanding. It is a demonstration of aggression towards an object whose presence causes the cat’s discomfort. A hiss is usually accompanied by several additional signs of aggression:

Important: hissing is a warning that the animal is concerned. If the cat assumes a threatening posture, crouching to the ground and with its ears pressed against its head, it means it may attack.

When the cat hisses at the owner, the task of the latter is to learn to read the signals the pet gives and to be able to calm it down in a moment before the fear turns into aggression.

Why the cat hisses at the man

It often happens that a cat hisses even at its beloved owner or a family child. What to say about guests at home, when the cat hisses at a certain person who, for one reason or another, did not like the animal.

• Fear. The reason for a scare can be not only the behavior of the person, but also a change in circumstances. For example, the owner returns from the garage smelling of gasoline and motor oil. For an animal, such smells are too pungent. A change of perfume can also cause the cat’s negative attitude. Here it is important to find out exactly under what circumstances the cat becomes uncomfortable. The goal is to correct the situation, to provide the cat with psychological comfort. The cause can be, for example, combing out lint or washing in the bathtub. If the cat is an adult, the negative behavior and hissing can be caused by the cat’s previous experience with humans. Here, of course, patience and love of the family will be needed. In some cases, it is important to connect a zoopsychologist;
• psychological projection. This means that the cause of mental discomfort is some other point. But the cat takes out its irritation on the person who is near it at this moment;
• Protecting the territory or the babies is an instinct inherent in mother cats during pregnancy or immediately after birth;
• The desire for more attention from their owner. Although some cats are such that hissing may be a reaction to human sluggishness – the litter box not being put away, food not being served within a minute of a loud demand, back not being petted and so on.

Important: Don’t try to pet him, take him out of his hiding place or punish him. Give him some time to calm down. If you know the reason for the discontent, try to remove it.

The age of the cat and hissing

Note that the age of the animal explains hissing in different ways. Small kittens, who are just beginning to comprehend the big world, may hiss at the simplest things. Simply because they are seeing or hearing them for the first time. Whereas adults will simply not pay any attention to the same things.

The hissing of a cat defending its territory

Cats are by nature solitary animals that value their independence. In the house where he grew up, the cat feels like a master. When another animal, especially a dog or kitten, enters the house, the animal jealously defends its place in the house. This continues until a hierarchy is established. It is not uncommon for a four-legged animal to vent its irritation at its owner rather than at a competitor. The animal in this situation is aggressive, as evidenced by hissing, often and beating of the tail.

Aggression in a cat may be caused by the smell of another animal brought in from the street. A change of home may also cause aggression, since it breaks its habitual pattern. It is also possible that a cat might identify itself as the dominant in the house and jealously defends its position with aggression. He hisses and displays aggression in all possible forms at any touching of objects that he considers his own or decides that there is an intrusion on his territory. In these situations, the cat will often attack people.

How to calm an irritated cat

Leave the cat to come to its senses. If another animal appeared in the house, keep an eye on them, do not allow contact, let it get used to the new situation. If the four-legged cat hisses at a stranger, allow him to smell his thing, familiarize him with his scent.

Best of all, ignore the hissing, this will be more effective than stroking your pet or yelling. Give the cat time and it will gradually calm down on its own.

The behavioral habits of pets depend on their upbringing, on the attitude of their owners. If it was given enough attention and care from childhood, it will grow up to be kind and affectionate. Cats never show aggression, do not hiss without the presence of irritants.