06/18/2026
Although some may view a cat's hiss or a dog's growl/bark as scary or rude, it is simply just the animal's way of telling us that they are overwhelmed. If these behaviors are discouraged, then the animal will often feel like it needs to escalate to a different warning such as a swipe or jaw snap. If an animal learns that a warning signal will not be listened to, that is when things become more stressful and dangerous faster.
At The Paw Patch Place, we encourage animals to tell us how they are feeling. If a cat hisses at us, or a dog growls at us, we will know we are causing an increase to their FAS and may need to slow down or stop. Not all body language is silent, and often times and quite growl or hiss can tell us just as much.
