help please

[Crazy cat]

I adopted a kitty today. I need some advice because my sphynx is very affectionate. He is snuggled with me under my blanket right now in bed but as he rubs and purrs and acts all affectionate. He stops in a split second and gets close to my face and starts hissing and growling like he is going to rip off my face. I know this is a big change and stressful for him. Scared cats I can deal with but he is very super sweet then all of a sudden changing. I am not even petting him. He just starts rubbing then hissing. I am kinda scared of him and I have dealt with alot of feral cats. But they aren't unpredictable. My harry is....advice. This can't be normal can it

 

[zoinks]

Give him some time to settle in... See if there is something that is triggering this hissing and bad behavior.

Since you only got him today, maybe just needs some time to get to know you and his surroundings

 

[Catzzzmeow]

@Crazy cat Welcome to The Lair. My guess is your baby is just scared and needs time to adjust and trust you. It is natural for you to be a bit taken back. A hissing cat/kitten can be intimidating. I would say do not try to pet/touch you baby when they start doing this. Just keep a calm voice and talk them through it. Let them just work out their anxiety. Not sure how old your baby is, but did they by chance just get neutered? We have seen a few babies get this way after surgery due to anesthesia. Do you have any other animals? Perhaps they smell them on you.

Patti

 

[nudebea]

Hi there and Good Luck with your new baby. Hopefully, as he learns to trust and settles in the behavoir will pass, but stay safe ! If it carries on try to note down any possible triggers ,places he does it etc .

 

[admin]

I adopted a kitty today. I need some advice because my sphynx is very affectionate. He is snuggled with me under my blanket right now in bed but as he rubs and purrs and acts all affectionate. He stops in a split second and gets close to my face and starts hissing and growling like he is going to rip off my face. I know this is a big change and stressful for him. Scared cats I can deal with but he is very super sweet then all of a sudden changing. I am not even petting him. He just starts rubbing then hissing. I am kinda scared of him and I have dealt with alot of feral cats. But they aren't unpredictable. My harry is....advice. This can't be normal can it

Great advice thus far. Once in a blue moon our Athena will give me a little hiss if I annoy her by rubbing too much in one area, probably like when we get tickled in a certain spot, its often referred to as "over - stimulating." Like the others said, its way too early to tell what the personality will be or if this hissing will dissipate eventually. Another thing to keep in mind, if you haven't been given a clean bill of health from your vet yet, there could be an underlying health issue making him crabby as well. It takes a new cat a week or so to just get settled in under normal circumstances. A little patience is need for now and give him a bit of space. Good luck and keep us posted! Welcome by the way!

 

[Yoda mom]

@Crazy cat , welcome to you and Harry! Cant wait to see pics !

Great advice given- it a a whole new world to him - smells, etc- could even be the smell of toothpaste etc- just about anything -
I am one of the ones with a kitty like @Catzzzmeow mentioned -

He has settled in nicely and is a tooooootal love bug kisses and head butts now-

You can entice and comfort Harry with a warm blanket from the dryer on your lap a a few treats and play toy to bond and relax him... Give him a quiet safe room like your bathroom or bedroom with all his kitty stuff- food water litter box , cat bed , cat tree - IMHO it helped my more wary one adjust better- they all have different personalities

Happy gotcha day! And we like pics here!

Ps- do you have any other pets that cuddle you face? Rubbing you is marking his scent on you
Hissing maybe because he smells another pets been there -

 

[andreanar]

Welcome and congrats on the new kitty. I agree with either over stimulation or the recent neuter theory, that can make kitties act kinda crazy. Give it some time and hopefully he will settle down once he becomes comfortable in your home.

 

[Crazy cat]

Thanks for your help. I won't be keeping the cat. He attacked me unprovoked. Bit me very bad. At the hospital right now. Heartbreaking

 

[zoinks]

Wow, I hope you are OK.

But I really wonder what is wrong with the kitty. Maybe he was in pain or has something wrong with him as that is not normal behavior.

What was going on when he bit you?

 

[Catzzzmeow]

So sorry to see this update. I hope you will be okay. Cat bites are serious. Is breeder taking him back?

Patti

 

[Yoda mom]

@Crazy cat , please let is know if your okay and home healing -- sooo sorry and sad this happened to you..

My Toby went violent for a week from his neuter anesthia- he literally flew across the room and attacked huffing growling - crazy- I locked him in time outs in the bathroom- used a towel to get him - horrible experience- he nailed me once but not nearly as bad as your experience- jimmy thought we would have to get rid of him- within 10 days he was back to normal- was your guy recently neutered? Is the breeder or where you got him from taking him back? Will you be listing him for rehoming on the Lair?

Soo soo sorry

 

[Kate]

Oh, how sad. I am so sorry for you. I hope you are alright.

 

[Condo commando]

Wow, this is not normal, there has to be more than we know going on.

 

[Hairless Blessing]

So sorry, it's turned out this way.

 

[nudebea]

Im so sorry to hear of your injuries and hope you recover quickly. Although Im relatively new to the sphynx world I think that this kind of behavoir is the exception rather than the rule, but I can understand you being pretty shook up by the attack. I wonder if he has done this before, do you know anything about his background ? Get well soon x