Do cats hiss when they are happy?

Question

One of my two cats (males, just over a year old) started making a wierd hiss-like noise recently. He seems perfectly happy when he does it and his tail is up in the air. It sounds like a hiss but it isn't directed at anything and the other cat isn't alarmed by it at all. He does it maybe once a day now. Any clue what that's all about?

Answer 1

No. He is mad.

Answer 2

No hissing does not mean that the cat is happy. Look at this website.

Answer 3

i don't think they are soposed to, i know that they purr when they are happy and nervous but im not sure about that, i know i've met these cats at the shelter that make these kinda of hiss slash grol noise when they're happy. mabey that's it.

Answer 4

I dont think cats hiss when they are happy. I guess he could be making a windly sound through his teeth if he's got some weird teeth or something but chances are he's trying to stir up trouble and look innocent in your eyes. That's what cats do :)

You may also want to consider a vet visit. He could be having some breathing problems.

Answer 5

No I think he's either trying to meow. He might be making a mating call. Or he might just be weird lol. Good Luck!!!

Answer 6

He's mad.

Tail wagging, really mad.

Trying to bite your legs, better go away from the cat.

Answer 7

they MEOW when they're happy.  

Answer 8

Hmm...cat's only hiss when threatened or trying to scare off something, or just as a warning to you: "Leave me alone!"

Cat's however, do have a VERY wide range of vocal noises. And cat's do often adopt a noise similar to their personality. For example, my black cat think's she's Queen of the house, and has a very loud demanding MEOOWWW! So we always know when she's around; she always like attention.

But my other little tabby cat is quiet and cute and meek, and so has a little grizzle like "meeeeh!" She sounds so pathetic that you just have to pick her up and give her a hug :)

Maybe your cat's 'hiss' is just a combination of purring and meowing at the same time? Maybe he's just experimenting with sounds.

I shouldn't be worried if his tail is still up and he's still friendly and social. It's when he slinks away from you with his tail down, his fur puffed up, his ears back, and his hissing and showing his teeth, that he might be in some sort of distress.

Answer 9

it means that he's angry and he needs to be alone for a while. and if his tail gets fluffy,then you really need to live him alone, because thats what my cat does.

Answer 10

They're all individuals and will do their own thing.  I've never had a cat who did that, but I'm sure there could be some.  If you think he's happy when he does it then maybe it is a happy noise for him.  

I had a dog who growled when she was excited, which was most of the time, it scared some people but she'd get such a silly expression on her face that most people knew she wasn't upset.  She growled every time I went out to pet her, then she'd run around the yard in circles, then she'd be ready to be petted.  All people and animals have their own personalities, your kitty sounds like his is pretty interesting.  

Answer 11

ive never heard of hissing for happiness

Answer 12

usually when cats hiss they are provoked and are hissing to scare away whatever is provoking them..the tail straight up is also a sign of distress in cats..it may be seeing something that you don;t see that is causing it to act defensively

Answer 13

a hiss is normaly a bad thing like a warning, a purr is a happy noise

but what you are decribing does not sound like he is mad unless you are missing out some details like his back is arched and  he has puffed up if this is the case he is mad so leave him alone

if this is not the case maybe you should take him to the vets to get checket out

Answer 14

cats never hiss when they r happy...i have a cat that hisses at me ALL the time...and i can tell hes not happy cuz his ears are back and his whickers are turned in

Answer 15

no.

Answer 16

he's mad.  

Answer 17

That's not a happy cat.

The hissing, the tail up in the air...he's mad or scared.

I can't say why, but perhaps he sees or hears something that the other cat doesn't.

Answer 18

cats hiss and spit when unhappy and purr and meow when they are happy

Answer 19

thats unhappy.

like.. HEEEEEEE

thats how they do it.