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when do kittens start to practice hissing?

post #1 of 9
5/15/09 at 3:37pm
Thread Starter 
my kittens are doing this wierd thing where its almost like their panting but they do it when they smell the dog. its this baby hisses or is it something to be concerned about?
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post #2 of 9
5/15/09 at 4:33pm
Hmmmm.... panting, you say? It could be hissing - I had a ten day old kitten growl at me!

But it may be that they are trying to figure out what that smell is. Cat's have a sensing organ in the roof of their mouths and they kinda open their mouths and pant ( It's called flemming - not sure of the spelling)... where they use that organ to really detect/decipher smell.

ETA: some people call it a cat's "stinky face" - like they smelled something awful.
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post #3 of 9
5/15/09 at 4:42pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by calismom View Post
my kittens are doing this wierd thing where its almost like their panting but they do it when they smell the dog. its this baby hisses or is it something to be concerned about?
My little guys do baby hisses....the last litter did too, usually if we made a sudden noise or i disturb them when they sleep. the last litter only did it for a few weeks really.... even though they seemed to do it alot ....then it was rare as rocking horse poop to get any hisses at all! Its just a stage!
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post #4 of 9
5/16/09 at 3:37am
I've had week old kittens hiss at me when I touched them. Granted I hadn't handled them since the day they were born-- so they weren't used to the touch.
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post #5 of 9
5/16/09 at 5:58am
Ya, I've had some hiss at a week old tooThey look so funny
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post #6 of 9
5/16/09 at 8:40am
Quote:
Originally Posted by AddieBee View Post
Hmmmm.... panting, you say? It could be hissing - I had a ten day old kitten growl at me!

But it may be that they are trying to figure out what that smell is. Cat's have a sensing organ in the roof of their mouths and they kinda open their mouths and pant ( It's called flemming - not sure of the spelling)... where they use that organ to really detect/decipher smell.

ETA: some people call it a cat's "stinky face" - like they smelled something awful.
I just saw something about this on Discovery! They showed Tigers and housecats doing it.
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post #7 of 9
5/16/09 at 9:30am
I've had kitties just days old hiss at me.

However, what you are describing sounds like they are using their vomeronasal (Jacobson's)organ.
It's an extra olfactory organ that a lot of animals have to help them further analyze scents.
It's located between the soft palate and the nasal passages
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post #8 of 9
5/16/09 at 10:50pm
I baby hisses
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post #9 of 9
5/23/09 at 9:29pm
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Originally Posted by catfaery View Post
I baby hisses
Me too!
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