Help!!!My Cat Hisses at little kids and my mother in law! Please any advise would be...

  • Thread starter Thread starter September
  • Start date Start date
S

September

Guest
...great!? We have a 1 year old Ragdoll cat, who is the most precious companion. He is our baby! We don't have kids, and we spoil this cat like crazy! However, he hisses at little kids and my mother-in-law. Is there anything that I can do to help him calm down?
 
There has to be a reason. It sounds like fear. Spray bottle with water. I would keep the cat away from kids. That's just not a good idea unless the kids are taught how to behave around cats. They are not toys.

edit: My mom has a cat that is like this. I took care of her for a couple of weeks but she won't me pet her without hissing or swatting me (doesn't use claws). I just let her be. She's a persian.
 
It sounds like he may be afraid of them. They are not around much they may scare him. You can help him get used to kids and new people by having them play with him at a distance. Try a fish pole and a fake mouse on the end. Every time a kid is around and the fish pole comes out he will learn that kids mean fun. Get some cat treats that are only for the mother-in-law. Put them in a container that makes a noise when shaken. Have mom be the only one who use that container to get him those special treats. When she comes over and shakes the container he will magically appear to get his treat from her and he will love her visits.
 
let him be.. and keep children and your mother in law away from him so he is not botherd
 
Wow that's unusual for a Ragdoll. I suppose he doesn't like kids because he hasn't been around them and maybe your Mother-in-law doesn't like him. I would do as the others have said keep the kids away from him and put him somewhere quiet with his favortie things when Mom-in- law comes over.
 
Tell them not to touch the Ragdoll or go near him. He feels that his territory is being invaded. Cats need space. He may warm up to them in time. He may not. He's a cat. You can't totally control him. Cats, however, often take their cues from you. If you want him to like them he needs to see that behavior modeled from you. My cat, Mossy Grey, does not care for children, but she has come to tolerate them. Sometimes I will hold her and have a child approach her and if I feel the timing is right, i will have the child gently stroke her. Things have gotten better over time. I hope they will for you as well.
 
I suggest locking him in a room with his favorite toys, a litter box and some food when kids or your mother in law come over. It will reduce his stress.
 
My cat used to do the same thing to kids, I think they fear kids more than adults probably because kids are more energetic and cats can feel that. I used to have my guests sit down first with a treat in their hand then let my cat out of the room and shake the treats next to my guest so he would come up and have to take the treat from their hand. Then I told them just to ignore him and he would usually warm up to them. It is very hard to give a cat behavioral training so if he continues to hiss after he takes the treat ( or doesnt take the treat at all) then I would put him in a pet carrier in the room where your guests are. That way he knows its not acceptable and cant hiss at them but can still see and hear you and your guests. Dont give up after one time with the treat thing because I had to do it 5-6 times before my cat warmed up to it.
 
HAVE YOU HAD HIM DONE, THIS MIGHT HELP. AND THE MOTHER-IN-LAW TELL HER SHE CANT COME ROUND ANYMORE SORTED. HE HE HE GOOD LUCK
 
haha, maybe he's just a good judge of character :o)

Just lock him in a bedroom when people come over.
 
Everytime someone comes over, our cat heads under the bed before we open the door. To keep everybody happy, i would put in bedroom if i were you.
 
Just put him in a room with his toys and litterbox and some food and water. He doesn't like them, and probably feels left out when the children come, plus some cats just don't like other people. Thats normal, but just to keep the kids from getting hurt or scared just keep the cat away. The kitty will be grateful for this too cuz they are probably scared.
 
get him used to your mother-in-law and kids so he knows they're safe;
or have the kids play with the cat so that the cat will learn to love them
 
yes my cats did this at first when we brought our dog home and now after about a month they are fine around the dog. I found this article to be very helpful about cats! you'll have to scroll down the page once you go to the link because it talks about all animals but you'll see the section just for cats! they say the best thing to do is ignore the cat because even telling the cat no is giving him attention and he'll continue to do it.

http://idahohumanesociety.com/caretrain.html
 
Kids are really scary to cats... (even to me! sometimes) they move fast and are rough with the cat. You should CLOSELY SUPERVISE the kids while around the cat. have them give the cat treats... that might work. Something the cat really likes and make sure they are gentile with the cat. Don't allow them to interact too much either.

NOW M-i-L ... that's sometimes scary too!... no just kidding.
Have her give the cat treats... THEN IGNORE THE CAT... repeat.

Cats' don't like being FUSSED over... so ignoring it is the best medicin for a spoiled/ hissyfit cat.
 
Back
Top