Hissy Fit Jones is an enigma. Of the four, he’s the one I can least read.
In this photo he’s sitting beside me on the sofa, watching me type on the computer. He does this a lot. Hissy likes to be close to me on HIS terms. He may or may not let me rub his chin or scratch his back. On the rare occasion he allows me to hold him, he must see he’s free to jump down any time he chooses.
When I’m working in my home office, Hissy is either in the floor snoozing in a sun puddle or snuggled up in his man cave on the climber. When I get up to stretch, he watches me, ready to run away should I come too close.
Last night I walked past him lying on the bed. I reached out my hand to pet him and he jumped up and backed away. But when I put my head down so the crown faced him, he came and rubbed against my head for several minutes.
Hissy is jealous of the other cats, especially Yella Fella. When Yella is getting loves from me, you can bet Hissy will soon appear. I have to lie in bed a few minutes after the alarm goes off to let my mind transition from the world of dreams to this one. This morning Yella came to say good morning. Soon Hissy was there too, walking atop my chest demanding as much attention as Yella got.
One would think that after 9 years he would be used to living the “indoor” life, but he is as much a feral cat today as the day he was born. Little Girl, on the other hand, is more of a lap kitty and prefers to hang out with me than with her male siblings.
I wish I could find a way to let him know he doesn’t have to be afraid anymore.
Dogpaddling Through Life 
he is a fabulous muse and I bet he sends inspirations and ideas to you while you write…
That he does. He also reminds me that those who appear angry may actually be terrified.
He is a tortured soul. But you are strong to love him all the same and not give up. Keep at it. Cheers, H
No, he will remain with me as long as I am able to care for him.
He acts like a wounded friend I have. And that’s also an enigma.
Perhaps Hissy can help you understand your friend.
love “sun puddle” expression!
Sun puddles are spots on the floor where the sun streams in. Wonderful places for kitties to nap.
Just cuddle him 💜
I will…. virtually (he doesn’t go for real cuddling).
🌹💜
“I wish I could find a way to let him know he doesn’t have to be afraid anymore.”
I think he knows. That’s why he chooses to approach you at all. You give him room to be the cat he needs to be.
He certainly insists on being loved on his own terms.
Sorry he still has some fear, but it sounds like he has come a long way.
That he has. ❤
It’s unlikely he will change. We have a fellow who turned up as a starving kitten 11 years ago and he sometimes meets us in the corridor and takes off as if he’s never met us in his life! The bits when he lets you have a cuddle make up for it.
Hissy will sit on the stairs and hiss at me as I climb them, then he’ll move up a couple of steps and repeat the process. Little stinker he is.
Our Pippin insists on everything being on his terms. He’ll insist on a fuss and then when he’s had enough he bats the biped’s hand away. He was born to a pampered pedigree mother, but his dad was feral. The bipeds sometimes say he’s two cats in one.
Now that’s a cat Hissy Fit Jones can look up to!
continue doing what you are he loves you and probably knows on some level you won’t hurt him after 9 years….but he has a soul that doesn’t know he will come through sooner or later hopefully sooner.
I love that you love him just the way he is. Too often in the past, I have seen the opposite and it always ended up sadly with animals abandoned or put down because they were not the right fit. Love shouldn’t demand a certain behaviour, it should just be there, always.
Sadly that’s not unlike how we treat intimate partners either. Women’s magazines used to be full of articles on how to change him or how to change yourself so he’ll love you.
How awful is that. When did we forget to love without conditions? I have a friend here in NZ who married a man with Aspergers. She was actually the reason he finally got diagnosed. Together they have recently started a blog about them both living with it. I thought she was amazing before. She has had leukemia among other health issues, but reading her blogs, and Cameron’s has made my admiration for her skyrocket. Because she just loves him as he is.