Hi Globetrotter, definitely not. They are brand new to THS
Oh no - another dangerous cat on here!
Thanks for citing this! And I agree that this contravenes the ownerās requirements so the whole sit is in question. I think the sitter should feel free to raise that with the owner and ask if someone can be substituted ASAP, assuming this sitter does want to leave.
Iāve petted hundreds of cats in my life and never been bitten, beyond a warning nip that didnāt break skin. Cats biting is NOT normal and is not something you have to put up with.
I would consider the advice above to end the sit as the owner has violated the terms of safe sitting. If you donāt want to do that, still report it, again as suggested above.
If you stay, I would NOT try to touch the cat, period. I would provide food and any other care thatās required and play with toys that keep you at a safe distance from its jaws. Otherwise, Iād leave the cat alone.
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These listings should not be allowed in THS, they are against T&Cs. I have just reported one of them. The owner says the cat bites and you should be OK with it if you apply. There are reviews narrating sudden attacks and bleeding.
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Yikes. Where is that sit?!
In Madrid.
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Good point!
Did the owner disclose any agression tendencies? Catās are highly sensitive and can get overstimulated with touch. Iām currently with a cat who had attacked her Mom a few months prior to my sit one day out of the blue. She immediately took her to a vet to rule out anything biological , then consulted with an animal behaviorist. For this particular situatuon the behaviorist suggested that the kitry needed more play time. In addition to initiating more play along with kitty prozac it didnāt happen again. Sheās been fine since Iāve been with her, but Iām good at reading their behavior and if I notice anything I divert their attention immediately to play or some sort of distraction. Iām glad you had a tetanus shot because cat bites are bad and worse than dog bites because they dont bleed out the same way. I hope the situation works out fine for you.
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Wow. Definitely they shouldnāt be on THS!
Cat bites are extremely serious. I had a friend whose own cat bit her and she ended up losing a big chunk of tissue of her arm due to flesh-eating bacteria that was in the catās saliva. Her doctor told her she would have lost her entire arm if theyād operated a day later.
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Theyāve taken the listing down. This was really quick.
The agent was different from the one who said it was OK for two owners in two different locations with different pets to share an account as long as they only posted one sit at a time.
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Re belly rubs;
we interpret kitty on her back showing her belly as an invitation for belly rubs. (as dogs do)
Cat behavioralists say that this is rarely the case, it is kittyās signal that they are trusting you and comfortable in your presence.
A belly rub may be welcome, but it can be risky.
Some kitties like it, some donāt, some like it up to an indefinable point, and then have had enough, and attack.
We donāt always know which of these itās going to be.
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It must have been a really severe bite to have to go to the emergency room. I donāt think I would pet the cat again, but I would stay. The cat would still have company and its needs met. Perhaps if it was a long visit, I would try again after it got to know me better. The cat Iām sitting for now will bite and scratch if you stop petting her, so if I am done before she is, I move quickly away.
I have a temperamental cat (she was rescued at a young age) that can be aggressive. Her warning sign to anyone (including me) is to hissā¦it is how she communicates to back off because she doesnāt want to attack. If we press her, the teeth and claws are coming out. She responds well to verbal and body language without having to physically touch her.
Some cats are not always nice or in good moods. Let them lead you. They will let you know when they feel safe and open for interaction.
Good luck and I hope you were not hurt badly. Heal quickly.
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Thanks. In this case, it was her seeking the contact. She was rubbing up against me and purring very loudly and I was petting her when it suddenly shifted and she bit me. She did the same thing while rubbing on my leg wanting treats, and her meowing got more and intense, and then suddenly she lunged. Trust me, I was keeping my distance and letting her come to me both times.
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