Hi friends, I just started a new sit and the cat was rubbing up against me and purring and I was petting her and then she snapped and bit me. I ended up going to the emergency room, getting antibiotics and a tetanus shot. It took about five hours. Now I’m nervous About how to show her affection without getting bit again. Her mom is flying tonight and will be available tomorrow to text with, but I just wondered if anybody has any reassuring or Tips for me?
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It seems she would like a cuddle generally speaking as she approached you. It could be the wrong place on her body or for too long as she rejected you.
She bit you hard like she intentionally wanted to hurt you through your skin? I have only experience with cats that «tells me off with their teeth, and don’t bite through the skin. Then I just withdraw (foot, hand…) from them, or they play with me with teeth and I do the same.
In your situation I think I would let it be up to the cat to approach me and just short cuddles.
I would mention it to host and ask if there is something I should know about the cat in regard to cuddles.
If it happen again - animals which bites are against the terms of THS and should be reported (and you might leave should you want to. Even deciding that you want to stay is a better feeling because it is your choice).
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I always ask the hosts if there are ways the pet doesn’t like to be held/touched. Like my mom’s cat HATES having is butt touched while her other cat LOVED butt scratches and would be your friend forever. I would just be friendly to the cat and talk to it and let it approach you. Then talk with the HO once they’re available to see if they have any tips.
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Personally I wouldn’t touch her again. I would allow her to come to me to sit on my lap l but i wouldn’t pet her and i would play with her with toys.
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This post might be useful to you if appropriate:
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Cat bites can be nasty, and particularly so if near the knuckles. If you had a tetanus shot, presumably the skin was broken? It sounds as if this girl deliberately gave you a proper nip, not that she got carried away when being stroked, as some do?
Animals who bite should not really be on the platform: 5.2.4. ensure that no pets to be left under the care of a Sitter have ever caused a person or animal any physical harm (no matter how minor the injury).
As @Garfield has said, it’s up to you whether to continue the sit, since this contravenes the T&Cs. If you decide to stay, you need to protect yourself from further bites and this means being aware of the cat’s body language at all times. As others have said, you can still be kind and caring without touching her, by talking to her and encouraging her to engage with her toys. If you feel confident in stroking her again, just watch carefully for any change in body language. Be aware that cats can move very quickly, so be prepared to move your hand away swiftly.
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It happens. Your now-nervous energy won’t go away that fast, and the cat will pick up on that so you are a target because of your energy. So wait until you are feeling 100% confident around her again before stroking her. Let her approach you and hide your hands and fingers. Simply pop a cushion on your lap so she can sit on you if she wants, without your hands needing to go anywhere near her for a while.
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I had a cat that bit (not nipped) which is why I couldn’t be a HO.
I found that if I offered her the back of my hand when she wanted a head rub, that seemed to allow her to take pets on her own terms.
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Just once is enough to report it and I think @Maureen-Prescott should. You have your emergency report, I would get in touch with THS (emergency phone) and let them guide me through the process.
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Will you mention the csts behaviour on your review ?
Sometimes we can be reluctant to file “complaints”, “reports” etc. because it feels… aggressive, perhaps? One can also “raise a question” or “I’d like to inform you as I have heard it is against the terms”. If that can ease it for you.
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However you decided to proceed with this sit, please report the bite to THS and refer to the bite factually in your review. Other sitters need to know what they’d be risking with this sit if THS doesn’t follow its own terms, which ban pets that bite.
Note: If your bite becomes infected and requires more serious medical care, including claiming insurance coverage, the better your documentation (including notifying THS in writing), the better you can get help. Someone in the forum for instance ended up getting infected and later needing surgery. And if someone misses work because of such, they might need documentation to claim losses from employment.
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Hi @Maureen-Prescott
I’m sorry you got bit. Cat bites are not nice. If a cat bites you it is usually one of a few things -
fear (in this case probably not as the cat came to you)
has been hurt in the past in the place you were petting them
Illness that means it’s painful for the cat when you pet it.
Over stimulation
My advice as someone that’s looked after 100’s of cats is to not pet the cat anymore.
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A bent finger is also good as a reach out to the cat as it’s non threatening and allows the cat to rub your finger on it’s favourite side of the face.
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Sorry that you had the bite experience. I would let the cat approach me from now on, and watch her body language very closely if you are petting her. If she twitches her tail, pulls away, or if her ears are not facing forward, she is uncomfortable.
People often say that “there was no warning” before the cat bit or scratched, but often there are subtle signs. I have years of experience with hundreds of cats, including very fearful foster cats, so I recognize the signs. It can be very unexpected to others.
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I would let the HO know and ask if she’s bitten before. If so, you can ask to cancel the sit on the grounds that it breaks T&C’s.
If not, I think you can still cancel. If you want to stay I’d be hands off care. A playful nip during play is one thing, but an aggressive bite during quiet sitting on lap is another.
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I agree with Lassie that often the warning are quite subtle.
I once sat a cat; the owner clearly would get attacked by the cat (in my presence) and I could totally see why - she was ignoring the signs. I didn’t have any issues.
I learnt that cats who invite you to belly rubs, have to be watched carefully. Often the next thing is for them to stick our their nails and grab your hand with their claws. It’s not mal-intended, but it’s not fun.
I once sat a very dominant cat. He would get very close, pushy even, get quite affectionate, and then…he’d suddenly would try to bite or lash out. As if to say: I’m the boss here. I no longer let him get very close to me: on the table next to me? Gently grab him and take him off the table till he gets the message. Sleeping next to my head? No sorry, you sleep outside the bedroom. Still pushy while I’m around? Just get up and walk away. Or have a towel ready and gently push him away to establish boundaries.
It didn’t happen again. I think he got the message…(I sat him for 2.5 wks)
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Risky if she’s potentially an aggressive biter though, as a cat bite near to the knuckle can cause an horrendous infection.
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Thanks, Lassie. She was purring loudly and rubbing against me, and then I believe she must’ve felt overstimulated, but it was pretty instantaneous. I like the ideas of offering the back of hand. For now I’ve been using her toys and treats and my voice to show affection. She also rubs up against my leg, and I put my hand in an oven mitt that she can Rub up against
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I recently saw a listing to sit an “angry cat”. When I read the reviews, virtually everyone who had looked after this cat had been hissed at or bitten. Hopefully this isn’t the same cat! 