my new cat hates me

I don't know what to think of my new cat. My friend could not keep her so I took her in. She said the cat was a sweet loving cat that gets along great with toddlers and other cats. From the second the cat meet me she growls at me and claws at me if I try to touch her. The most confusing thing is she sleeps on a pillow right by my head all night but if I put my hand anywhere near her she will growl and claw at my hand . I can hand feed her but she growls as she takes the food. she will walk right up to me even step over my legs but will growl as she does. It has only been 4 days but she is getting more aggressive each day.  I just do not understand if she hates me so much why does she choose to sleep so close to me. 

Don't take it personally...cats hate change and she's having to go through a big one.  How sad that her owner had re-home her.  4 days is not a very long time to adjust to a new owner and a new home.  Just keep doing what you're doing and be patient.  Was she able to bring along some items that were hers like a bed or toys?

I did not get any toys or bed. I am going to try having her "mommy" come for a visit to see if she can calm her down and get her to let me pet her. I am just so discouraged she is getting more aggressive every day.

S sunfish777 When I took in a family members cat because they were moving out of state, he knew me and had played with me and let me pet him for years prior to me taking him in. But when I brought him home he hissed and growled at me. He hid in my closet for a few hours and when I went to bed, he came out and actually tried to attack me even though I was asleep and not bothering him. He yowled and would come up and let me pet him and he would rub against me, and then bite me and growl and hiss 5 seconds later.

Eventually after about a week he got used to his new surroundings and I let him out of my room to socialize with my other 2 cats. They were standoffish but started getting along after another week. After a couple of months he was perfectly friendly again and let me hold him, pet him and he will come sit with me or sleep with me. Give this cat some space, don't force attention on her, ignore her for a time and let her adjust. Give it a couple of weeks and don't hand feed her; set a bowl of food down so she doesn't feel trapped into getting food from you directly (might be why she growls even if she takes the food). I hope this helps! Let us know how it goes!

She gives such mixed messages. She is so relaxed when she is lying by me. She gives me the slow blinks. I give the slow blinks back. She will walk on my keyboard with my hands near her. She will walk over my legs. Then she will walk up on the headboard and swat at my head or scratch my hand if it moves 1/2 inch closer than it was before. Today she was so relaxed I put my hand up for her to smell she seamed ok let me pet the top of her head for about 2 seconds then stiffened up I had my hand moved away before she could even growl. I waited a bit put my hand near again she started licking my hand then stiffened up and started to growl. I have grown up with cats even tamed ferrel cats. But I have never had such mixed messages before.