Typically, rescued cats have gone through a lot and there may be a bit of trauma attached to their experiences. If this is the case, they may have a hard time trusting you and their new environment. This lack of confidence can lead to hissing. In order to get your recently rescued kitty to stop hissing at you and anyone else, consider the following to help calm her down and make her feel more secure.
- Maintain routine meals and playtime
- Create several places to hide for your cat
- Consider getting a cat tree, perch or
clear off a shelf they can sit on—
cats like to be elevated - Try calming pheromones
- Consider catnip—it may excite her at first,
afterward she’ll calm down - Consider using Bach Rescue Remedy-
An herbal remedy designed to balance
the nervous system
For more Calming Herbal Remedies, Click Here.
When your cat doesn’t know what’s causing her frustration or can’t solve it, she’ll most likely behave aggressively towards who or what is next to her. This is called displaced aggression. Below are a few techniques that can help to repurpose her aggressive energy.
- Distract your cat with toys,
scratching post and cardboard boxes - Play with her using a wand toy
- Find out what is actually causing
her to be irritable, then solve the issue
At times, cats may not want to do what you’re asking them to do. Actions like getting in their carrier, jumping off the table and staying off the bed, may not be things that they want to do, so the resulting behavior can be hissing. Below are a few tips to help her be more submissive.
- Always be patient with your kitty,
don’t force her to do anything she
doesn’t want to do - Place the carrier in her favorite room
- Diffuse the room with calming pheromones
- Spray her favorite blanket or cat bed with calming pheromones
- Place the blanket in the cat carrier
- Place her favorite toys, treats and food in or around the carrier
- Develop and slowly implement a training method
to do what you want her to do - Distract them with something more appealing like catnip
- Create something more desirable for her to do
- Try to make it seem like the action is her idea
For training tips to get her in the carrier, click here.
It’s possible that your cat could be suffering from an underlying medical condition. If hissing is a relatively new behavior and you can’t be sure of the source of the problem, it’s best to consult with a veterinarian to rule out any medical problems. You may even need to talk to a cat behaviorist, to get closer to an effective solution.
New People
Depending on your cat’s personality, your cat may not be too receptive to visitors. Cats tend to be territorial and if your cat is not very social, new people or animals can be viewed as a threat, which can result in hissing. Below are a few things to consider when inviting guests to your home.
Make sure you let your invites know that your cat is not very social and to give her space if she displays signs of aggression.
Teach Invites How To Pet Your Cat
If your cat seems like she wants to be social, explain to your guests how they should engage with her. Typically, an extended finger for your cat to sniff is a good way to start. Afterwards, if your kitty is keen to be pet, then a few light and brief strokes in places that she likes can be done.
Create Lots of Hiding Spots
When your cat becomes familiar with all of the hiding spots that you’ve created for her, she’ll most likely be more confident and willing to socialize with guest. Consider setting up a soothing environment, with relaxing music, bedding, elevated perches, a few boxes, toys, treats, a litter box, and/or a scratching post. Even humans need a retreat and if your cat knows she has a nice layer to escape to, the less edgy she might be around guest.
Consider Using Pheromones
Pheromones are chemicals that cats emit from glands. It’s a form of communication between other cats and can be used to create a sense of familiarity. Pheromones have been synthetically replicated and made available as a way to calm cats in stressful environments. They come in sprays or plug-in diffusers. An ideal application would be to diffuse the room with calming pheromones, so that your cat will be a little more relaxed around guests.
Stay Relaxed and Calm
Keeping your cat to a routine schedule is important, so it’s a good idea to maintain a sense of normalcy, even though you’re having guests over. The idea is to act like having guests over is no big deal.
Train Your Cat To Be Social
Consider having friends and family come by more often. Little by little your cat will become accustomed to visitors and learn to be less defensive. Be sure to inform your guests, not to be forceful and let your cat take her time when getting to know them.
