What happens to a cat after being abused?

After abuse, a cat is usually severely frightened and loses trust in the person who hit it. When that person appears, the cat may become agitated, hiss, puff up, or simply run to a corner and hide.

The cat may also suffer severe stress, showing poor appetite, lethargy, and sleepiness, and in serious cases vomiting, diarrhea, or urinary blockage. It may run away from home and, once it finds a way out, may never return.