As a cat owner, I feel this is something that people should definately know about.
My co-worker and her family just had a horrible experience with their cat. Their indoor cat has always been temperamental, but they always dismissed it as a cat "being a cat."
Her 12-year-old son was taking the cat outside on its harness, like he usually did. The time came for the cat to go inside. He picks Kitty up. Kitty didn't want to go inside, so she went ballistic. The cat badly mauled both his arms from the hands to the elbows. Six bites on each arm, and numerous claw marks. They became badly infected, and the boy ended up in the hospital for three days. The doctors were worried he would permanently lose mobility in his hands and fingers. The infection fortunately subsided, but the poor kid now has cat scratch disease, which is affecting his lymph glands and causing a lot of swelling. There is no active treatment for the disease, so he is stuck with it for the next six months to a year....all from an 8-pound cat.
According to county law, Animal Control picked up the cat, and after rabies quarentine, it will be euthanized for aggressive tendencies.
Be careful with your cat! Because of their smaller size, cat aggression, unlike dog aggression, is easily overlooked and usually dismissed as something minor. Cat bites and scratches can be worse than dog bites because they tend to get infected. Clean all cat bites and scratches thoroughly, even though they may look no worse than paper cuts. If you have a cat or kitten, be sure to take the time to teach the cat to be gentle, and not use its claws or teeth. You may end up saving your cat's life, as well as your own.
My co-worker and her family just had a horrible experience with their cat. Their indoor cat has always been temperamental, but they always dismissed it as a cat "being a cat."
Her 12-year-old son was taking the cat outside on its harness, like he usually did. The time came for the cat to go inside. He picks Kitty up. Kitty didn't want to go inside, so she went ballistic. The cat badly mauled both his arms from the hands to the elbows. Six bites on each arm, and numerous claw marks. They became badly infected, and the boy ended up in the hospital for three days. The doctors were worried he would permanently lose mobility in his hands and fingers. The infection fortunately subsided, but the poor kid now has cat scratch disease, which is affecting his lymph glands and causing a lot of swelling. There is no active treatment for the disease, so he is stuck with it for the next six months to a year....all from an 8-pound cat.
According to county law, Animal Control picked up the cat, and after rabies quarentine, it will be euthanized for aggressive tendencies.
Be careful with your cat! Because of their smaller size, cat aggression, unlike dog aggression, is easily overlooked and usually dismissed as something minor. Cat bites and scratches can be worse than dog bites because they tend to get infected. Clean all cat bites and scratches thoroughly, even though they may look no worse than paper cuts. If you have a cat or kitten, be sure to take the time to teach the cat to be gentle, and not use its claws or teeth. You may end up saving your cat's life, as well as your own.
