Why do cats make hissing noises? The origin of the hissing sound of cats

2022-07-08



The cat was quietly playing by itself, then the family dog suddenly ran to the cat and sniffed at the cat, the cat turned and ran in fear, ears to the head body bowed up hair exploded, and then the mouth opened to issue a snake-like hissing sound?

The pro heart has no doubt why the cat will make such a hissing sound? Where does the hissing sound of a cat come from? What should we do when a cat hisses at you? Today LovePets will take you to understand those things about cat hissing.

I. The origin of hissing cats


Some foreign feline behaviorists believe that cats learned how to hiss by imitating the sound of snakes. Imitating the sounds of other species is a necessary survival skill for many animals living in the wild, and many will use a variety of distinct hissing sounds to convey a warning.

What is going on in a cat's head when it hisses?
Cats generally have a mix of fear, confusion, unhappiness, and surprise in their minds when they hiss. Because fear and terror make the cat's adrenaline flow quickly, and hissing is purely an instinctive reaction for the cat to brace itself and send a warning. Related reading: Cat stuff, a few little secrets about cat's nose

Why do cats hiss?
There are many reasons why cats hiss, and the following are a few common ones.

To express a warning: Cats hiss as a warning when protecting their kittens from intruders, and two cats that don't know each other may hiss when they first meet, as if to say, "Go away and stay away from me!" At such times the cat's hissing becomes a way of bluffing to warn other animals or cats to avoid escalating the conflict into a real fight thus injuring both parties.

The desire for both parties to keep their distance: When a stranger comes to the pro's home that the cat is unfamiliar with, the cat may also hiss at the stranger because the cat does not know him or the person has the scent of another pet on him. The hissing sound made by the cat at this time means that it wants to keep a distance from the stranger and warns the stranger not to come near it

Expression of pain: Cats will also hiss when a painful area on their body is touched. Sometimes, cats will even hiss at the vet because they do not like to be touched or do not want to be injected by the vet, especially when the touch or injection makes them feel painful.

Non-recognition aggression hissing: If you have multiple cats in your home and take one of them to the vet, the other cats in your home may hiss at this cat when you get home because the cat smells like the smell of the vet hospital, and that is a smell that cats dislike. This is part of a phenomenon called "non-recognition aggression" because the cat's smell is not familiar to them and they think the cat is a stranger. This will not end until the cat smells like home again.

Hissing during play: Hissing during play usually lasts shorter than defensive hissing and is more common in kittens. Sometimes kittens will suddenly hear a louder sound and jump up with their fur standing up and hissing. If the cat is playing with other partners and the other partners are too rude to make the cat feel the pain they will also hiss.


What should I do if my cat hisses at its owner?
First, the owner should know that this is a warning that the cat may feel danger, fear, or pain. Before you approach your cat for the second time, it is recommended to give your cat some time to calm down. Give the cat some privacy, don't chase it, and possibly leave the room where it is staying and let it spend some time by itself so it can regain its composure without fear of being disturbed by other people or pets.

What if the cat is hissing while petting? This may be because the cat is overstimulated, do not pet the cat, let go of the cat, if the cat wants to leave, let the cat leave. If you find that your cat's tail is twitching or your cat is staring at your hand or biting your hand when you pet your cat in the future, then stop petting and let your cat go.

If parents have children at home, then tell them to let the cat go if they hear it hissing and not to mess with it, which will save the children from some potential scratches or bites. You can also consider adding a bit of vertical space to the cat's activity area, such as setting up a cat climbing frame cat climbing tree or multi-level cat litter in your home, so the cat can enjoy the high places without worrying about being chased by children or dogs in the home.


Other situations: Some injured or sick cats will also hiss because they know they cannot fight, and they hope they can warn other predators or humans by hissing. However, at this time we have to approach the injured or sick cat so that we can take it to the vet for treatment, and you need to protect yourself because moving or moving the cat may cause it pain and the pain may cause it to scratch or bite you. Some other day Love Pets will share with you how to safely rescue an injured cat.

What does a cat's hissing sound tell us?
Cats hiss to keep people and other animals away from themselves. As long as parents respect the boundaries of cats and know the threshold of petting that cats can tolerate, they will not encounter too many cat hisses in their lives with cats in the future.

Why do cats make hissing noises? The origin of the hissing sound of cats



II. Communication and body language of cats



I'm sure many of you don't quite understand the concept that animals communicate with each other in different ways. We communicate with them and expect them to understand us as well as we speak. While meowing is an important part of cat communication, it is only a little bit. But their body language is also important. For example, when cats are happy, their bodies will relax, their eyes will half-close, and they may purr contentedly.

When a cat hisses, we can hear a different sound, which is usually accompanied by a growl. In terms of body language, their backs are usually arched and some breeds of cats have their fur raised. Their heads are turned down, their eyes are wide open, and their ears are pressed against their heads. Usually, this is the kind of situation that we pooper scoopers should be aware of ~

Hissing in this body position is common among cats in the wild. This is more out of self-protection than anything else! If they get into trouble, hissing can be used to deter an attacker. However, domestic cats generally do not experience this.

We need to understand the environment in which the cat lives, try to understand what is causing the hissing, and then evaluate it. Often, this helps us to identify the cause.

A stray cat is hissing at me

One of the important factors we need to consider is our relationship with the hissing cat. When we see a cat on the street, we may want to get closer to observe it. However, not all cats want to interact with us. That's what pooper scoopers need to remember, no matter how much you like cats!


When we encounter a stray cat, their hissing sound is usually a warning to stay away. Many people think this is a signal from the cat that it is ready to attack, but this is not the case. The opposite is true. Cats are guarding their territory, and cats are naturally territorial animals, whether they are in captivity or not.

Stray cats often have no one to provide them with food and are often in real danger in their environment. As a result, some cats will hiss out of fear and insecurity. We should not approach stray cats and try to pet them, especially when they hiss and arch their backs.

Newly arrived kitten hisses at me
When we adopt a new cat, we may reassure them not to be afraid. We will provide them with everything they need, but we need to see things from the cat's point of view.
If the cat was adopted by you from a rescue shelter, there is a risk of abandonment or even abuse. This can lead to injury and distrust of us. In these cases, it takes a little time for the pooper scooper to earn the cat owner's trust. Transferring to a completely different environment is a process that takes some getting used to for them.
If a newly adopted cat hisses at you, respect their territorial boundaries. Do not try to impose interaction. Instead, provide them with all their basic care needs and let them learn how to stay by your side. Let them take the first brave step and don't let them fear you. If they think you are trying to hurt them, then he probably won't play with you.

1, They warn you
Cats will hiss before they try to bite or scratch you, which is considered a warning sign. They may have provided many warning signals through their body language, but we may not understand them very well. If cats hiss at us, it is usually because we ignore them.
Cats are warning you because they feel violated. Although cats may be aggressive, there is some reason behind it. If they are not given the right toys to play with and interact with, then it is understandable that they would scratch and bite you.
If they are defensive, it is because something has happened that makes them feel unsafe. This often happens when playing with cats. Even though we may think they like us, if we are too rough with the cat, they may become fearful and hiss, using this language to get us to stop.

2, Reinforce territorial awareness
If we see cats scratching on the couch, it's not just because they're grinding their nails. They are releasing pheromones through the glands of their paws. When we see a cat rubbing its head on an object, the situation is the same.
They need to mark their territory regularly to replenish their scent to warn of possible intruders. If your cat suddenly hisses at you, chances are it is not just directed at you.
When we bring a stranger into our home, this can be uncomfortable for the cat. Whether it's a new pet or a strange friend, cats can feel threatened. Some cats may be fine with other cats, but not with dogs.

3, They are in pain
Cats have a high pain threshold. Although they are sensitive animals, they may not show obvious signs of pain. They may only reveal themselves when the pain intensifies. When a cat suddenly hisses, we need to consider whether physical causes are a factor.

If we pick them up or touch a part of their body, we may see them hissing. We may have touched the area where they are in pain and reacted accordingly.
In this case, we need to take them to the hospital immediately for an examination. Look for other causes of injury or disease, such as checking their bowel movements and diet.

4, Touching the wrong place
Even if our cats are not injured, they may hiss if they are touched in a place that the cat is not allowed to touch. They are not necessarily in pain, they just don't want you to touch the area at all. That's all.

Please do not touch your cat's abdominal belly unless you are sure the cat likes it. Most cats do not like to have their bellies touched because their lower flanks are very delicate. Once you touch this area, they will hiss very angrily and may even bite you.
Cats generally do not hiss at you for no reason, once the hissing sound means that some stability factors are destroyed.
  • Category:Cats feeding
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  • Release Date:2022-07-08 10:00:05
  • Link to this article:https://en.petzuo.com/Cats-feeding/Why-do-cats-make-hissing-noises-The-origin-of-the-hissing-sound-of-cats
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