Why do kittens hiss

A cat might also hiss when denied a treat he wants. Giving the cat some space and respect will go far to reduce hissing if this is the case. Home Slideshows. Written by: PetMD Editorial. Published: August 30, Previous Next. Protectiveness of Kittens Do you have a mother cat at home? Fear of the Unfamiliar One thing that can sometimes put kitties off balance is the new or unfamiliar—people, objects, or changes in environment.

Stress This brings us to a related issue: stress. Physical Pain As mentioned previously, cats will sometimes hiss when being approached or handled by humans. Hissing could help warn away the frightening party or new person or new item until the cat is comfortable again.

If your cat is a timid one, anything new could trigger this hissing. One way to help alleviate this behavior is to use small treats, gentle affection, and playtime to help distract your cat and teach it that not everything is a threat. If you have small children, you might need to supervise their time together to ensure your children treat your cat well.

If it happens often, your cat may just preemptively hiss the moment your child walks into the room. If you have a new cat, she might hiss when you approach because she feels threatened. Cat hissing may not be a big deal. Remove any issues or problems that might be causing discomfort. It could be a simple matter of putting the toy back. Your vet might find a source of pain, such as an infection or arthritis, that has developed without your knowing, especially if you have a senior cat who has different health needs.

Treating the pain should make your cat comfortable again, and the unusual hissing behavior should stop. Why do cats hiss? Here are six common reasons why your cat is hissing.

A sign of pain Animals in the wild try to prevent being taken advantage of by hiding any vulnerability. Protecting kittens and other precious things If a cat has recently given birth, this could be a time of hissing all around. Have some treats handy so they can have a pleasant experience together right away. As long as they appear to be relaxed, allow them both out. Some light swatting is also common. Try again when the cats seem to be calm. If it takes more than seven days for the hissing to stop, things need to go more gradually.

Allow the cats to see each other while maintaining a physical barrier, such as stacking baby gates in the doorway, opening the door an inch or two and using a door stop to keep the door open, or putting in a screen door. Continue to feed treats to the cats on opposite sides of the door. Praise them for being calm when they see each other. Continue this until the cats have shown no tension around each other for a couple of days, then open the door and proceed as above.

Note: The initial introduction should take place during a time when the cats are calm - perhaps shortly after a meal or play time. You need to be calm, as well. Cats can sense tension; your nervousness could translate to anxiety for them, causing a rocky meeting. Gradually increase the amount of time the cats spend around each other while you are home and supervising. Once they are routinely spending 4 or 5 hours together without incident, you should be able to give both cats free run of the home overnight and then when you are away.

Cats may hiss if they are sick, especially with chronic illnesses, too. Once again, if you think this could potentially be the cause, you should take your cat to the vet immediately. Another common cause of hissing in cats is anxiety or fear. If your cat is afraid of something, she may start hissing often. Cats who are hissing out of fear may press their ears flat back against their heads, puff up their tails, and keep their eyes extra-wide.

Anxiety is similar. If your cat is suddenly put into a new situation that makes her uncomfortable or anxious, she may start hissing and showing similar body language. Both redirected aggression and petting aggression are common behavior issues seen in cats. They can also become a more chronic and severe issue that can affect the human animal bond. If your cat is experiencing this, you should schedule an appointment with your veterinarian as soon as possible. Your cat hisses to communicate that they do not want to be bothered.

Some cats may simply hiss because they want you or another human member of the family to leave them alone and let them have their space, and they may also hiss at other pets in a similar way. If your cat is not very friendly toward humans or other animals, she may hiss often to tell intruders to leave her alone.