Random Unprovoked Hissing

[rainbo]

Last week a stray cat adopted me and I'm fostering him till I can either find the owner or rehome him. He's a very sweet boy, very loving, and not mean at all. He does one strange thing, he'll every now and then let out a very low (no volume behind it) hiss. When he does that nothing will be touching him, he won't be acting scared or upset, he won't be staring at anything, and he does it inside and outside. I can't figure out why he's doing it, if anything is wrong, or if it's a personality quirk.

 

[yayi]

It could be a physical defect. My Panda does something similar but it is not a hiss, more like low singing. She was born with a defect around her nose. But it does not affect her health or behavior so my vet has not recommended surgery. 

 

[catspaw66]

I would say that he is warning any cat within hearing to stay away. Since he was a stray, you have no idea what kind of a life he lived before he adopted you. It might just be a habit from the place he lived before. He might have been in a house where he had to constantly hiss at the other cats or people to keep them away.

Thank you for fostering him. You have given him a new lease on life.

 

[stephanietx]

It could be stress related, especially since he's in a new place.  You might try a Feliway diffuser or something like Rescue Remedy or some of the Spirit Essences.

 

[rainbo]

Thanks for the ideas y'all.

Except for the first couple of days he doesn't seem stressed, he's a pretty relaxed boy. He's extra happy tonight since I picked up some canned food for him while I was at the store. I hate feeding cats only dry food but didn't pick up any wet when I first got supplies for him because I didn't realize how long I'd have him, he went crazy when I opened that can to feed him LOL. Maybe supplementing with the wet food will help him to feel full and he won't want to eat all the time.

As long as he's healthy I'm happy, and he doesn't seem sick or in distress. Hopefully my neighbors can take him and me to the vet in the near future so I can have him scanned for a chip and have a health check done.