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It’s their way of telling them to back off or they’ll be forced to attack – cats characteristically want to avoid confrontation at all costs, so think of this as a warning shot. Warning shotsįirst and foremost, cat hissing is usually a warning to another person or animal. A few of the most common reasons behind cat hissing are as follows: 1. Where humans can use speech to communicate, cats must rely on their body language to tell both us and other animals how they’re feeling.
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What does it mean when a cat hisses? 6 Reasons why cats hissĬat hissing can mean anything from a warning shot for other cats to a sign of pain, stress, anxiety or just plain annoyance. When considering why cats hiss, it’s important to understand that hissing is a completely normal behaviour which helps your cat express themselves. This sound will usually be paired with other cat body language signs such as bared teeth, flattened ears, an arched back and their fur will also stand on end (also known as piloerection). When a cat feels threatened, they’ll release a burst of air through their mouth, and it’s this burst of air that makes a hissing sound. If you have a cat who keeps making these snake-like noises, you may be wondering why do cats hiss and what can you do about it? We’ve put together this guide to help you discover all the secrets behind cat hissing. As humans, we’ve learned to identify this as a sign that our cats are truly ticked off and not in the mood to be messed with, but there are other reasons why your kitty may be hissing. We’ve all seen our cats hiss, whether it’s at an intruder in the garden or when we’ve tried to pick them up when they’re not in the mood. We’ve come to associate this with them being extremely annoyed, but did you know there are numerous reasons why cats hiss? Cat hissing is a common behaviour which sort of resembles the sound a snake makes.
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