Cat Training and Behavior (Domestic and Feral)/Why is my cat hissing at me?

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Expert: Dear Tabbi - 10/5/2009


Question
My boyfriend and I adopted an 8 month old cat 4 months ago.  She is a rescued feral.  She is the friendliest cat ever, except that she hisses at us occassionally for what seems like no reason.  It usually is when we are petting her or playing with her.  Why is she hissing at us?  She loves playing and loves attention and the hissing seems so out of the blue.  What should I do?

Answer
Christine,

Usually with a feral that is their way of telling you that the cat has had enough petting. Sometimes though, a cat is the only one who knows why they do something odd.

For some additional information on feral behavior here is a link that has a GOOD 4-part article on ferals that should be of help to you.
(copy and paste, or type, the whole link into your address bar)

http://petplacestation.com/articles/?tag=carol-jacobi&paged=2

Tabbi

Cat Training and Behavior (Domestic and Feral)

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Dear Tabbi

Expertise

My expertise is in helping people understand their cat (or cats) and their behavior. Questions are welcome even if you don't have a cat....just a question about them. Hopefully my experience, suggestions, and comments will be of help to you...and your cat (or cats). Looking through my past responses to questions will give you additional information and/or answers too. Domestic Cats = cats (no matter what breed) who are tame or not wild, or abandoned cats who were pets that became wild, but can be tamed again. Ferals = cats who are born with one or more parents who were wild stray cats. They usually have had no interactions with people. They have an inbred distrust of humans and are difficult to socialize. They are skittish, hide, and are afraid of people. They take a lot of time and patience to work with them. A lot of kittens from shelters had a feral parent.

Experience

Since I was a child, over 45 years, I have been owned by a LOT of cats and kittens of almost every temperament, behavior, and personality. I have had experience with neurotic, disabled (including blind), stray, and 'problem child' cats and kittens. (A few normal cats too!) Plus all the things a lifetime of owning cats and research has taught me. I also have experience in feral cat behavior (which is different from domestic cats), and some experience with feral colonies that includes colony feeding and feral cat TNR (trap/neuter/release).

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