What is Hissing?
Hissing is a sound that cats make when they feel threatened, scared or angry. It is one of the most common vocalizations used by cats to communicate with other animals and humans. The noise is created by forcing air through their mouth in short bursts and often accompanied by an open-mouth expression that shows their teeth. This display of aggression can be perceived as intimidating and unpleasant for both cats and people alike, but it’s important to understand why cats hiss so we can better help them cope with potentially stressful situations.
The Reasons Cats Hiss
Cats typically hiss when they are feeling uncomfortable or threatened in some way, usually due to being around unfamiliar people or animals. If a cat’s environment becomes too overwhelming for them, they may also produce this sound out of fear or anxiety. Additionally, cats may also hiss if they are not getting enough physical attention from you on a regular basis – this could be a sign that your cat wants more time spent playing together! It’s also possible for kittens to start hissing at each other while playing if one gets too rough – this helps teach the kitten boundaries within playtime activities such as swatting at each other’s faces.
In some cases, aggressive behavior such as biting or scratching may follow after prolonged periods of continuous hissing from either the same individual animal or multiple individuals within close proximity towards each other (such as two rival cats). For example: if two unfamiliar cats were placed into the same room then chances are good that there will probably be some initial tension between them which could lead up to an altercation where one might try defending itself through growling/hissing at the potential threat before taking any further action like attacking first .
How To Respond When Your Cat Hisses?
When your cat begins to hiss, it’s best not to respond aggressively yourself – instead slowly back away while using calming words like “it’s okay” until your pet has calmed down again on its own accord without any further intervention needed from you (this could take anywhere between 10 minutes up to an hour depending on how stressed outyour feline friend currently feels).
If possible try providing something like food/treats/toys they enjoy playing with which should distract them enough so later on you can properly assess what exactly triggered their reaction in order for us all learn how best handle similar situations going forward (i.e don’t leave new objects nearby unattended around anxious felines!) Allowing our pets access only certain areas inside home during times when there isn’t much stimulation present outside helps reduce potential stressors significantly thus making sure everyone involved remains safe throughout entire process!
