help!!! new cat..

toshascrazy · Oct 19, 2008

Originally Posted by Trillcat

Your girlfriend wrote: Alright heres the deal: we just got a cat and the cats a little weird. you can be petting her and she will be loving all on you then the next thing you know she starts hissing. then we can go to bring our hand toward her and she will hiss. the person we got her from could only keep her in one room. therefore she never got to really meet anyone new. i figured it might be because she has been out alot. i need to know how to make her stop hissing. she also skittish. when she hears a new sound sometimes she goes and hides or starts shaking. can someone please help me????

That is completly different from what you just wrote. I am confused, and yes, I have read through this thread.

Your getting mad at people who are trying to help, please dont take advice as personal attacks. We read, we respond. If we hear someone is doing something wrong, we try to help that by telling how to do it right, its not meant as an attack.
If you got advice to scruff the cat, or hiss back, Im sure whoever wrote that was talking about a cat already established in a houshold, not a new one. I hiss at my cat, but she has been with me for a while and is not in any sort of transition process. When I first got her (she was in a very bad situation) I did not do this, and she hissed all the time, bit me, scratched, you name it. I got most of my injuries from trying to push her to hard, not reading her when to leave her alone. It does take a lot, and I mean a LOT of patience, but it is worth it. We want to pour on the love but sometimes they just want to be left alone.
About her hissing after being petted for a while, this is very normal. Some cats get overstimulated very easy, and they react like you described. You can definatly tell her "NO" but let that be the extent of it, just the "NO" and stop petting, do not try to reach out to her. Ignore her after that. Hissing does not mean anything bad, as pointed out is a warning to you she has had enough, and will defend herself if need be. Would you reach out to a rattle snake who is rattling at you?

ETA: If this is a sudden personality change for no reason that you can see, I would take her to a vet. Could be she is in pain from something and is reacting to that. Is there a particular spot that if you touch she reacts badly to when she did not before?

No theres nothing diferent about it at all, both posts are true. Please let me know what is confusing you and Ill try to clear it up a bit... Also, I said nothing about personal attacks. I have also thanked everyone that helped, and we are happily accepting advice. But calling me an abuser and say I flip her over and yell at her is not advice. We have said nothing or done nothing other than what we actually posted...

I should also clear up what she says about what the cat does. The cat can come up to us, love on us, pur, get pet, then out of no where start hissing, and in almost the same instant continue purring... Does that not sound a bit strange?

Ive also thought the same about her being hurt, but when she does it, (while Im petting her) Im not touching any other place different than before she hissed.

It must be that or the new place. But even then I thought it was still a bit strange to act like that when shes always been so sweet. The only thing thats really changed is a new place and the absence of my brother.

othie · Oct 19, 2008

Originally Posted by toshascrazy

I should also clear up what she says about what the cat does. The cat can come up to us, love on us, pur, get pet, then out of no where start hissing, and in almost the same instant continue purring... Does that not sound a bit strange?]

hmm...Did she do that in the old place? (purr then out of the blue, hiss while still purring?) If so i would say she sounds like oliver, my old tabby. We used to call him our bipolar cat, but after reading more about it I found out in truth he was being overstimulate. There is a sticky in this part of the forum called "ouch!!! how to stop cat aggression" and a part on overstimulate. I know he isn't biting, but perhaps its the same cause?

mrblanche · Oct 19, 2008

Gee...I wonder if there is some new odor either on you or in the new place that is setting her off? Remember, cats are very sensitive to smells, and they can often trigger instinctive behavior that won't make any sense to us.

I HAVE seen the hissing/growling/purring all at the same time, before. We had a cat (Truman) who we used to tempt out with a treat before giving him medicine. Eventually, it got so he would growl or hiss AND purr when we gave him the treat, since he wanted the treat but he did NOT want the medicine.

journey · Oct 19, 2008

Honestly? I think it's the dogs that are setting her off.

The cat that I used to have had a total personality change when other dogs/cats were introduced into the environment.

For example, with me, I never EVER EVER heard her hiss. Not once. In fact, I was thinking that perhaps she didn't even have the ability.

Then the original owner took her back and every time she was exposed to other cats/dogs she would hiss, and even at people.

So, in essence, what I'm trying to say is that her personality would TOTALLY CHANGE when she was introduced to new things, new environments, etc. And she was an adult!

So..you've had this kitten for not too long now. She obviously likes you guys -- she lets you pet her, etc. She doesn't like the dogs RIGHT NOW. I stress RIGHT NOW because that doesn't mean she won't ever like the dogs in the future.

BUT - you have to know this.

I have a feeling if you do what the others have suggested in this thread (patience, love, stop petting at certain points, etc) and give her a chance to get used to the dogs, she will start to show her true personality.

Please tell me if this makes sense to you.

toshascrazy · Oct 19, 2008

Well her attitude around the dogs is obvious. There is no change, just instant and steady defensive. 99% of the time shes in the room and the dogs are in the living room. But the advice everyone is giving seems to already be working, but...

I didnt know about the sensitivity to smell issue?! That could really be the problem! We have moth balls and I hate to say, rat poison! Dont worry though, shes safe from getting to it. But I can smell the stuff myself.

Like I said though, she already seems to be taming back up abit. Seems that time will tell.

yosemite · Oct 20, 2008

I don't know why you need moth balls and rat poison, but be very careful. We had a beautiful collie dog when I was a kid that got into some rat poison and died what I can only assume was a horrible death.

journey · Oct 20, 2008

Originally Posted by toshascrazy

99% of the time shes in the room and the dogs are in the living room.

I knew you would say that. What I'm saying is that even if she can't see the dogs, they are there. She knows they are there. They don't have to be in her line of sight. Therefore, change in personality OVERALL. Not just when dogs are around.

toshascrazy · Oct 21, 2008

Well now she will let the dogs get a little close to her. which i know she may one day get close to them or that may never happen. either way for now she is getting a tad bit better.

GoldyCat · Oct 21, 2008

Originally Posted by toshascrazy

Well her attitude around the dogs is obvious. There is no change, just instant and steady defensive. 99% of the time shes in the room and the dogs are in the living room. But the advice everyone is giving seems to already be working, but...

I didnt know about the sensitivity to smell issue?! That could really be the problem! We have moth balls and I hate to say, rat poison! Dont worry though, shes safe from getting to it. But I can smell the stuff myself.

Like I said though, she already seems to be taming back up abit. Seems that time will tell.

Get rid of the mothballs. Even the fumes are toxic to cats. If you can smell them, so can she.

Do a search for "cats and mothballs" you will come up with thousands of sites. Here's a quote, similar to many others, that I found on thepetplace.com.

"In addition to gastrointestinal irritation and lethargy, mothballs containing naphthalene have the potential to cause serious effects such as liver, kidney and blood cell damage, cerebral edema (swelling of the brain), coma and even death. Depending on the route of exposure, clinical signs can develop within minutes (such as with inhalation) to hours or even several days (typically with long-term low dose exposures). "

toshascrazy · Oct 28, 2008

well the cat is adjusting better now. she does once in awhile does a warning meow rather than hissing. we have learned thats her warning that she doesnt want to be messed with at the moment.

othie · Oct 28, 2008

Originally Posted by toshascrazy

well the cat is adjusting better now. she does once in awhile does a warning meow rather than hissing. we have learned thats her warning that she doesnt want to be messed with at the moment.

thats wonderful!

wyatturpsmom · Oct 28, 2008

I've been reading through the threads and am glad to see your kitty is getting better. As everyone has said, she does need time. I've introduced many cats/kittens into my home, either as keepers or fosters. Each one is different. Somewhere you mentioned your brother. She is probably missing him. Right now I am taking care of Cally for a friend of mine. She's been here 5-6 months. She was an only and had spent time in boarding before coming here. At first there was a lot of hissing and hiding. She would wait until the rest of us were in bed before exploring. Now, she's part of the family. Time and patience.

fifi1puss · Oct 29, 2008

I'm really glad she is doing better and you are able to see some improvement.

It should keep getting better and better as time goes by.

stephanietx · Oct 29, 2008

So glad your little one is doing better! As many others have said, time and patience will bring her around to a loving kitty.

toshascrazy · Oct 29, 2008

i also have another question. when she uses the litterbox, she tend to take like 10 minutes trying to cover it up. what can i do to help with that? would it be more helpful to get a different cat litter?

skimble · Oct 29, 2008

Is there enough litter in the pan? She is trying to cover what she smells. If there is not enough litter in the pan she may be having to work harder to cover things.

Add more litter and see what she does. Hope things continue to improve. Give her time.

mrblanche · Oct 30, 2008

However, some cats just seem to like to play in the litter box.

Mothballs no longer have naphthalene, by the way. Still nasty stuff, but not flammable any more.

fifi1puss · Oct 30, 2008

I am glad my cats not the only one with a litter fetish.

ReeRee takes FOREVER in the box....and he is loud. We can hear him two rooms away banging the sides of the box as he furiously tries and cover and recover the debris. I think it's funny. It's his little quirk, they all have them. I'm just called he cleans after himself! Some cats don't and it is stinky gross.

howtoholdacat · Oct 30, 2008

One of mine "digs to China" in the litter box. It makes her happy so I don't sweat it.

Actually, your cat purring and hissing doesn't sound strange to me at all. Many cats do that. She might not ever be the easiest cat to love on but once you all learn the boundaries you probably won't notice anymore.

If she were living with me, I'd try adding this: It's the Feliway Comfort Zone diffuser. Basically, it works like a Glade plug in but rather than releasing a scent, it releases cat pheromones that will help her relax and feel more comfortable. Like someone said, even if she's not in the same room as the dogs she knows they're there so that will help her with that adjustment.

Also, is she fixed yet? I think you said she's about 6 or 7 months so she might not yet have been done (there are lots of opinions on when is the best time to do that so check with your vet). It occurs to me that if she's beginning to feel her first dose of hormones that that could be contributing to her behavior.

toshascrazy · Nov 2, 2008

Originally Posted by fifi1puss

I am glad my cats not the only one with a litter fetish.

ReeRee takes FOREVER in the box....and he is loud. We can hear him two rooms away banging the sides of the box as he furiously tries and cover and recover the debris. I think it's funny. It's his little quirk, they all have them. I'm just called he cleans after himself! Some cats don't and it is stinky gross.

well she likes to move the litter all around. while in the process of doing that shes slinging it all over the place.

help!!! new cat..

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