Penelope is a Siberian cat with a very soft-spoken little meow. But after watching a wildlife documentary on TV, she turns into a completely different animal…she hisses like a cobra!
Make sure your sound is on as you watch Penelope’s short video. Her mom captured the hiss in action, but she’s way too cute to be dangerous!
@pabloandpenelope At least Penelope’s bites aren’t venomous #hissing #cutecat #siberiancat #cobra
In the video’s caption, Penelope’s mom said, “At least Penelope’s bites aren’t venomous…” We bet if she does bite, it doesn’t hurt too much because she looks like a very sweet cat!
Commenters also enjoyed hearing Penelope’s hiss. @Maera dark joked, “Clearly you don’t speak cat, so she is trying something new.” @Luna agreed, “God forbid a girl learns a new language.” @Hezzy shared, “She’s bilingual!”
@devtabbi pointed out, “She’s hisspering…” and @tlynn added, “That’s terrifyingly cute!”
Other commenters went straight for the Harry Potter connection. @Helen Sheldon shared, “She’s now part of House Slytherin.” @Veruca was on the same page, “Parcel Tongue, House Slytherin.” @Valentina Adriana added, “This is really scary cause she might open up the Chamber of Secrets!”
Related: Dog Mom Creates ‘Documentary’ About Her ‘House Hippo’ English Bulldog and It’s On-Point
Why Do Cats Hiss?
This left us wondering, why do cats hiss? We usually see them hiss as a warning that they’re angry or to stay away. But those aren’t the only reasons that they hiss.
PetMD explained in more detail, “You may think hissing in cats is a sign of hostility or animosity, but it’s actually a normal way for cats to express fear.
Cats hiss at each other and at people when they feel threatened. While hissing is a normal part of cat behavior, it’s a good idea to determine the cause so you can give your cat space and make changes to their environment if they’re scared or stressed.”
Other reasons they hiss include confrontation with other animals, protecting their kittens, being in an unfamiliar situation or meeting an unfamiliar animal (for example, a new cat hissing at your other cats), physical pain or anticipation of pain, and displeasure or annoyance.
Maybe Penelope wasn’t trying to imitate being a cobra, maybe she was afraid of the cobra! PetMD suggests if your cat hisses at you to slowly back away from them, give them space, and give them time, as it may take hours for your furry friend to calm down.