Cats instinctually imitate the hiss of snakes.

Cats instinctually imitate the hiss of snakes.

It has been suggested that cats actually began hissing after hearing snakes hiss. This behavior may actually originate from imitating snakes. Your cat might really be a copy cat! Because snakes can be so deadly, other animals know to pay attention and shy away from its characteristic hiss. 

The hiss is a warning to other animals or people to stay away, whether it comes from a snake or an unhappy cat. A cat’s hissing is often a result of fear. The introduction of another animal into the home, for example, another cat or a dog, is a common reason for a cat to hiss. Anything or anyone a cat doesn’t know scares it and so it hisses as a defense mechanism. So what can you do for your nervous cat? 

Mostly, a cat needs to be given the room to get comfortable and adjust to the smell of a new person or animal. It especially helps to let your cat smell something the new visitor has touched, so that they can get used to the new smell. That way the smell will be more familiar and less threatening to the cat. For more information on why cats hiss visit the source.

(Source)

View the Original article