Why Do Cats Hiss Like Snakes

Perhaps cats are taking advantage of this connection of the hiss with fear.

Why do cats hiss like snakes. You may not be far off the mark. If theyre attacked by a cat and wont be able to escape a snake will become defensive and will resort to hissing tail shaking rearing up and striking. Researchers believe that cats use an instinctive and effective method of self defense called mimicry which has evolved over the ages and across species.

Play hissing is acceptable if the cat is engaged in play and the hissing is not a harsh pain like hiss. Some will hear these startling snake-like cat noises and automatically assume they came from an aggressive catwhen in fact the opposite is true. The intention of the hissing cat is to cause his or her attacker to hesitate because of a predators instinctive fear of snakes.

Cat hissing sounds very much like the hiss of a snake which is a sound or warning that causes alarm and fear in the animal kingdom and people. It will hiss at the humans or other animals to tell them to back off. A cat hissing is a form of protective mimicry a defensive tactic.

The reason for the snakes to hiss is to keep the predators away and as a defense mechanism against the other animals. Snakes are seen as some of the most fearsome predators in the animal kingdom. Early mammals evolved in a landscape dominated by reptiles which could be deadly.

Along with hissing cats may let out a guttural growling sound when feeling especially defensive. It is completely normal. Why do cats hiss.

This shows that the cat will attack the opponent if it doesnt leave. Some cat behavioral experts think that cats originally started hissing to imitate the sound snakes make in an attempt to scare off potential predators. This imitation called mimicry in the animal world is often used for survival.