Why does my cat act mean, meow, growl, and hiss when I pet her?

Cats are naturally independent and defensive and it is important to understand their body language and needs in order for you both to enjoy the best of each others company. It is unlikely that your cat is being mean but more that she is feeling uncertain as to how to deal with the situation - many cats feel intimidated by being picked up as this removes their ability to escape if they need to and many cats are very defensive if petted under their belly or behind the chest/shoulder area. Watch closely for her cues of swishing the tail or putting back her ears which indicate she is unhappy and allow her to jump up to you when she is ready. Icatcare (international cat care) website has some very interesting articles on cat behavior in the house and are worth a read to better understand her behaviors

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Cats are finicky creatures. If Kekr is eating, jumping around like a young cat should and not vomiting then I don't think you should worry. Most cats really only like to be scratched around the head, unless you find the rare "dog" like cat that like belly and back scratches. Just like people cats come in a variety of personalities. I recommend leaving her be when she has these moments of being grumpy. I hope this helps!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I recommend taking Princess to a vet for an exam and blood work. It is very common for older cats to have an overactive thyroid. One of the signs of hyperthyroidism is increased meowing. Another is matted hair coat. The blood work will test for this and determine if she needs treatment. If so, the vet can discuss your options. If she is hyperthyroid and she gets medications to control this, the increased meowing will stop. Kisses to Princess!

This is fairly common cat behavior. Many cats become overstimulated by petting. Follow her lead and pet only until she pins her ears back or swishes her tail. You may want to find other ways to spend time with her like playing with a toy together. She isn't necessarily mad all the time - she may just not like cuddling.

Certainly personalities can change as cats get older, but i would recommend making sure there isn't a medical explanation for her behavior. We see conditions like hyperthyroidism (a high thyroid level) which can cause increased activity as one of its first signs. If her exam and bloodwork is all normal, it might just be a behavioral change as Princess gets older and is nothing to worry about. I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hi, normally miawing is a sign of a cat wanting to initiate social interaction. It would not indicate that the cat is upset at the luggage. Does Susan spend some time playing on her own or with yourself on a daily basis ? This is something that might be looking at, and you could consider changing the way you feed her using more feeding puzzles for example. Hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hi, thanks for using PetCoach! Olive is a kitten do they are more active and reactive to touch (thinking it is play). But yes, that is normal cat behavior to touching. ALL cats do not like to be hugged and I would refrain from doing that because she may become aggressive or more reactive to you if you continue to do things she doesn't like. Only touch her where she likes being touched (head, neck) and stop when she shows signs of irritation (tail flicking, opening her mouth, ears twitch or turn back, turns to look at you). Give her treats during petting to teach her good things happen during this time. Games that kittens enjoy: laser pointers, toy mice to bat around, feathers on a long stick, cat trees, window ledges near bird feeders. https://www.petco.com/category/cat/cat-toys/cat-teasers-and-wands https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/cat/cat-toys/petstages-tower-of-tracks-cat-toy https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/cat/cat-toys/leaps-and-bounds-fuzzy-mice-cat-toys-with-catnip https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/cat/cat-toys/catit-senses-20-cat-digger-cat-toy