What causes a cat to hiss and growl at a human who loves the cat?

Answers:
You've gotten great answers here, but I do have 1 thing to add. I do a lot of rescues. If this is an every once in a while occurrence, it is kind of the same thing as yelling at another human -- environmental cues. I have once and only once rescued a cat that hissed and growled all of the time -- the only cat I know who would hiss and growl while you were petting her and in between purrs. When I started working with her she was about 8 weeks old. She continues to act this way to this date. I think she is just cross-wired and shorting out when she gets to a certain level of stimulation.

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Ghosts around you?? or maybe he's mad at you did u feed him? Could be sick,do u have a reg. vet for him?..if so call him if not call an exorcist...lol

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The cat may not be feeling well....

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you might be touching a sore spot like a bruise or if it is a girl it might be pregnant. or you could've startled it

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because the cat is mad

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The cat could be in pain, or startled by something it saw or heard. It could also be reacting to a sent on you that it doesn't recognize. My cats will sometimes growl and hiss at me when I come home from work because I've been handling other animals.

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Is it a rescue? Sometimes they will have a fear of people if they have been abused by a previous owner. I ahve rescued many cats. Some never seemed to care a fraction as much for me as I did for them. I understood as all had bad things happen in the past.

It maybe in pain. Maybe worth a trip to the vet if this has only just started happening.

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Sometimes it can be the way you're holding the animal. Hold cats a lot while they are kittens and they won't mind it as much when they get older.

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some cats are feral or partly feral and ha vent socialised with humans so mistrust us or have had a bad experience with humans and tar us all with same brush.if the cat is an outdoors one it has more often than not been chased by humans that are sick of it in their garden either killing birds pooing or simply passing thru or sitting on cars that's annoying cos of scratches they leave

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It could be any number of things. Maybe the cat doesn't feel good. Sometimes if you have been petting a strange cat, their smell will stay on your skin. Maybe your cat smells it and dislikes it. I actually had that happen to me once. I had been petting a friends cat and when I tried to pet my cat, he tried to take my arm off. I still have scars.

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It could smell the scent of other cats on you. Animals have a more keen sense of smell.

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my aunt's cat does this...

each cat has a personality of their own.. her cat is a psycho.maybe yours is too.

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Cats like to warm up to people on their own terms. It is likely that the cat lover, is wanting to pet or hold the cat, who has not yet approved of them in their personal space. (think 10 foot rule)
Many times, people who do not like cats, feel that they attract them. This is true. Cats, while inquisitive creatures, are still timid. (scaredy cats) People who try to ignore cats, often find the cats trying to rub on their legs, etc. This is because the cats do not perceive them as a threat.
The way for your cat lover to make nice with this cat, is just to give it some space. IF attempting to pet it, just offer a palm out for the cat to smell. Once the cat rubs its head on the palm, in approval, gingerly try to pet the head - slowly.
The cat will see there is no threat, and that it is "calling the shots," and will warm up to the person.