Spray bottle for hissing?

[journey]

Has anyone figured out how to cure the hissing business? I am wondering if I should just ignore her, said "no" loudly, or squirt her with the spray bottle if she hisses inappropriately?
Does it even work?
Would she change this after five years?

Thanks!

 

[arlyn]

I would think that spraying her would just make it worse.
When one of mine hisses I tell them No firmly and ignore them.

 

[valanhb]

A hiss is a warning that something isn't right and she wants it to stop right now! In other words, something is making her uncomfortable. Squirting her will make her even more uncomfortable, and nervous around you. She's trying to establish her comfort zone, and by respecting her comfort zone she will trust you more and more as time goes by. As she trusts you, the hissing will stop because she will know that you aren't going to hurt her or harm her in any way.

 

[journey]

Originally Posted by valanhb

A hiss is a warning that something isn't right and she wants it to stop right now! In other words, something is making her uncomfortable. Squirting her will make her even more uncomfortable, and nervous around you. She's trying to establish her comfort zone, and by respecting her comfort zone she will trust you more and more as time goes by. As she trusts you, the hissing will stop because she will know that you aren't going to hurt her or harm her in any way.

But what about when my friend just picked her up, and she ran away as soon as he put her down and hissed at him, but as soon as he called her, she came right back to him so its not like she didn't like him.

I thought some cats were just hissy cats and hissed for inappropriate reasons? Like, it would be appropriate for her to run away after he put her down, but to hiss at him seems so aggressive?

 

[arlyn]

She was just letting your friend know that she didn't appreciate being picked up, and was giving a warning not to do it again.

Lots of cats don't like being picked up, and lots of cats that normally do, do not like being picked up by strangers.

 

[hissy]

you need to lower your expectations of the cat journey, and slow down. The best way to get this cat comfortable with you in your home is just to ignore it. Flat out act like it isn't even in the room. Set up a schedule and stick to it, food out at certain times every day, litter boxes scooped out same times every day. Fresh water supplied every day. You need to back off and let this cat get used to everything new in her life. Once you start ignoring her, just seeing to her needs on a daily basis on a schedule, she will relax. If she hisses at you, then leave her alone- don't make direct eye contact with her. Just ignore her or else you are really going to have a problem, especially if you do something as drastic as squirt her with water, which will only make her aggressive.

 

[valanhb]

Originally Posted by journey

But what about when my friend just picked her up, and she ran away as soon as he put her down and hissed at him, but as soon as he called her, she came right back to him so its not like she didn't like him.

I thought some cats were just hissy cats and hissed for inappropriate reasons? Like, it would be appropriate for her to run away after he put her down, but to hiss at him seems so aggressive?

What is her body language like when she hisses? Are her ears up or flat back? From everything you've said about her, it really sounds to me like she is just trying to communicate with you. If she isn't lunging at you, or attacking you, she doesn't sound aggressive.

She may have learned at her previous home that the subtle signals didn't work, but when she hissed both human and feline took notice. You may want to just talk with her, and tell her that she doesn't need to hiss at you, that you will try to listen to her without having to hiss. (I know it sounds strange, but cats are smarter than we give them credit for...)

My little girl still hisses at us once in a while when we push her limits, or we startle her. She's almost 6 years old, and we've had her since she was a very scared little 6 week old kitten. She hasn't been mistreated, but that's one of the ways she communicates with us in extreme cases.

 

[journey]

Originally Posted by hissy

you need to lower your expectations of the cat journey, and slow down. The best way to get this cat comfortable with you in your home is just to ignore it. Flat out act like it isn't even in the room. Set up a schedule and stick to it, food out at certain times every day, litter boxes scooped out same times every day. Fresh water supplied every day. You need to back off and let this cat get used to everything new in her life. Once you start ignoring her, just seeing to her needs on a daily basis on a schedule, she will relax. If she hisses at you, then leave her alone- don't make direct eye contact with her. Just ignore her or else you are really going to have a problem, especially if you do something as drastic as squirt her with water, which will only make her aggressive.

ok ok! i instinctly felt like i shouldn't spray her, which is why i asked you guys first!

Originally Posted by valanhb

What is her body language like when she hisses? Are her ears up or flat back? From everything you've said about her, it really sounds to me like she is just trying to communicate with you. If she isn't lunging at you, or attacking you, she doesn't sound aggressive.

She may have learned at her previous home that the subtle signals didn't work, but when she hissed both human and feline took notice. You may want to just talk with her, and tell her that she doesn't need to hiss at you, that you will try to listen to her without having to hiss. (I know it sounds strange, but cats are smarter than we give them credit for...)

I think her ears are flat back.

I have had a few talks with her. When I told her she was going home, she looked annoyed/indifferent. When I told her last night she wasn't going home (i didn't mention she wasn't wanted, no need to make her feel bad), she looked at me and squinted her eyes like she was happy about that fact. Then i told her my friend was coming to stay with her for the weekend and she looked....accepting.

I totally believe talking to them works.....

All right, I will trust my instincts with her, and just leave her alone like i've been doing. I can already see little changes in her, like she's getting more comfortable with me.

 

[save_adopt]

my cat hisses when there is another cat around through the door and i have to shut it to break the staring contest between her and the stary. And one time when she got out and i didnt know the stray was in the back yard... boy oh boy she didnt want to be picked up then!

but thats kinda different .... sorry.

my point.. i agree just back off give some space and let them trust ya

 

[julianne]

Originally Posted by Arlyn

She was just letting your friend know that she didn't appreciate being picked up, and was giving a warning not to do it again.

Lots of cats don't like being picked up, and lots of cats that normally do, do not like being picked up by strangers.

My one cat Phoebe is the most lovable cat in the world - provided I don't pick her up. The second I try to she will hiss, meow and attempt to scratch me.

It's just her personality type - I am now content with her just being a lap warmer.

I hope things go better with your cat. Good Luck

 

[eburgess]

Ok Limerick sometimes hisses when his ears or straight up. What about that one???

 

[lotsocats]

Hissing with the ears up probably means that Limerick doesn't like what you just did (or are getting ready to do) but she isn't frightened of what you are doing.

 

[katachtig]

I wouldn't take the hissing personally. She is just communicating in the only way she knows how. The advice of giving her some space is good.

The funniest hiss I ever saw was when I moved in with my husband and brought my cat Petunia. She was my cat and only my cat. One day she was walking by my husband and he just loosely grabbed her tail. She started hissing and just kept walking. Petunia wouldn't even give hubby the respect of turning around and hissing at his face.