# Kitten Hissing at Cooked Chicken?



## applecore (Jul 16, 2012)

I gave my two girls some scraps from the roast chicken today, they both seemed to love it and scoffed it down but one of them was growling and hissing at it while she was eating it? It wasn't because of the other cat as she was in the room on her own at the time. Anyone else seen anything like this before?


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## Ian B (Jul 19, 2011)

I often get this behaviour from some of my lot, even if they're eating alone, and I can only imagine it's my presence causing it.

Ian


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## Paddypaws (May 4, 2010)

You tend to see this reaction most often when feeding raw meat to a cat...it really does bring out their instinctive hunting/killing behaviour, their inner carnivore if you like! Basically it is showing it's appreciation of real food and warning you, or other cats, to keep away while it finishes the kill!


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## applecore (Jul 16, 2012)

I did wonder if it was a hunting/killing thing! Thanks for the replies


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## anotheruser (Aug 17, 2011)

Growling and hissing while eating? Or nosily eating it?
Sometimes, one of my cats will be almost grunting while eating, but only when he is really gobbling down the food.


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## applecore (Jul 16, 2012)

anotheruser said:


> Growling and hissing while eating? Or nosily eating it?
> Sometimes, one of my cats will be almost grunting while eating, but only when he is really gobbling down the food.


It sounded like she was actually hissing while eating it, or more holding it in her teeth, hissing and then chewing/swallowing

It's so weird coming from her as well as she is such a big softy normally!


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## Melba (Feb 19, 2012)

I would guess its a territorial thing. When some freshly boiled chicken is put down for my kittens there is a bit of hissing and swiping if they both decide to go for the same bowl 

I also get the hissing when they refuse to let go of the feather wand toy, but other than that they are the most affectionate little monkeys!


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

As others have said the hissing/growling is territorial behaviour over food. As PP says, it is usually over raw meat (or prey) but can be over any real meat, as opposed to canned food. 

Your cat is warning you not to come too near her or she will think you are after the food yourself! Or she is just warning anyone who might happen to be in the vicinity, or passing through!


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## Kyria (Oct 29, 2011)

I had this problem the other night with my kitten he is at the moment on special food as he is recovering from stomach problems.

My son accidently dropped a small piece of ham on the floor and ive never seen Nemo run so fast, he grabbed the ham than started running mad round the house growling. He actually frightened my other big cat Tipsy as he couldnt understand what little Nemo was doing.

We were all trying to grab him but he is very quick and to be honest it was so funny, he has done this behaviour before over a toy we bought him.


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## canine (Feb 23, 2012)

LOL Don't you just love the daft little buggers? When I first brought Milhouse home (5 mnts old) I gave Lisa, Bart and him a slice of ham each. Lisa and Bart happily ripped the ham to bits and gulped it down. However Milhouse ran round and round the kitchen with the ham in his mouth howling and hissing as if in a state of panic. I don't think he had ever been given anything like it before and had no idea how to eat such a big piece of food. I had to hold one end and show him how to tear it up. When he was eating it I swear I never heard a cat purr as loudly in my life!  He has had no problems ripping ham up since.


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## Kyria (Oct 29, 2011)

canine said:


> LOL Don't you just love the daft little buggers? When I first brought Milhouse home (5 mnts old) I gave Lisa, Bart and him a slice of ham each. Lisa and Bart happily ripped the ham to bits and gulped it down. However Milhouse ran round and round the kitchen with the ham in his mouth howling and hissing as if in a state of panic. I don't think he had ever been given anything like it before and had no idea how to eat such a big piece of food. I had to hold one end and show him how to tear it up. When he was eating it I swear I never heard a cat purr as loudly in my life!  He has had no problems ripping ham up since.[/QUOT
> 
> Lol...I think because Nemo has been on same food from day one, he just couldnt believe his eyes when he saw this lovely slice of ham fall on the floor. No wonder he went demented lol.


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