Biting cats

[Lulu54]

I've had my two feral girls for a long time. Willow for 3 years, she was one of CPL's cats that were on the desperate list as she'd been there for so long and was shy and unfriendly.

Then Bluebell who I've had for around 10 years considered unhomeable because she has some bad habits with regard to peeing, biting and general aggression.

My third cat Smoky is a lovely friendly boy who was part of a litter of one of my friends pedigree cats who was "got at" by a farm cat. I have no issues with him. He is the boss of the girls and keeps them in order most of the time.

Now the unhomeable girls are absolutely fine if you know how to behave around them, they don't like hands, they like clean litter trays and all they want is to be left alone. They let me know if they want some fuss and when they are fed up they will jump off. We all get along very well and there are no issues.

Why is it then that every single visitor to the house despite being told to leave the girls alone go straight for them and start trying to make friends. I now have at least 6 friends who are no longer friends who have been badly bitten. I tell everyone that comes to the house that they will bite and nobody takes the slightest bit of notice yet are angry when they are bitten. Would you go up to a large growling dog and put your face in it's space? Of course not but nobody appears to understand that cats can be just as dangerous!

One of my now ex friends had to go to A@E for intra venous antibiotics after she tried to pick Bluebell up and was promptly savaged, after I had warned her. Now she is saying Blubell is a dangerous cat and should be put down. What part of don't touch this cat because she bites did she not understand?

My cats go out of their way to avoid people both inside and outside so they are no danger as long as you don't grab them.

Why are people so stupid around animals?

[Lilith]

Good question, Lulu. A great many people seem to think that animals are there for their amusement; any warning is disregarded (or disrespected.) I have one like your girls; luckily I'm pretty reclusive and my only regular caller knows not to touch her when she comes rolling round like a little cat in heat (she's spayed.) She turns on all the charm but stroke the wrong ear and she'll have you!

I still simmer at some memories of my two wire-haired terriers. They were friendly enough but boisterous, and terriers are terriers; around people I'd keep them on the lead, but I seemed to be plagued by fond parents who'd literally shove their toddlers in my direction, as if the dogs were a new toy...grrr! I remember struggling, on a narrow path, to get myself out of the way of projected toddler etc and the mother saying, 'Oh. Do you think they might bite?' Yes, they might, you gormless woman, especially if your blasted brat starts manhandling them!

Near this town is an open heath where travellers' horses are kept tethered; sensible people know not to go near them; some are stallions; some are mares with foals, and their tempers can be uncertain. There's also a large picturesque 'family' pub and a big crowd in fine weather, and I caught sight of a tiny child, scarcely able to walk, tottering up to the heels of a horse, hand outstretched...Mother was creeping up behind child...not to intercept and prevent it, oh no, but armed with phone...Because of course it was a friendly all-singing all-dancing horse, put there for family entertainment, who would welcome the kiddlywink and provide some jolly footage on facebook...

I never saw what happened next as I was going past in a car, but to me it summed up the total idiocy of people who just don't think and don't respect animals!

Sorry for rant but honestly i'm with you all the way on this one! We can all make mistakes (I certainly have in my time) but if someone says DON'T TOUCH THE CAT, and you do, what can you expect?

I suggest a big warning sign in the window!

[lilynmitz]

Some people really are dim, and most people are particularly clueless about cat behaviour. I hope the words "well I did tell you not to handle them" passed your lips! Your cats bite them because they're frightened of them, not "dangerous". Try to put this across to them, and say that however friendly they try to be with your cats, your cats can only see their behaviour as threatening, and are simply asking them to keep their distance. There is no law saying all cats have to be cute and fluffy and do what people want like performing dogs, and both they and the cats would be far happier if they just ignored the cats altogether. Very sad. I do hope your friends can view your cats with more sympathy.

[meriad]

Stupid is as stupid does.....

I just don't get it either. If someone told / asked me not to touch a pet because of xyz, then I certainly wouldn't go out my way to do just that. And I most definitely wouldn't pick it up. Admittedly I probably would, if the cat came close to me, put my hand out for it to sniff, but equally would accept full 100% responsibility if the cat did take a bite or swipe of said hand. I was warned and on my head be it.

For people to drop you as a friend because of your cats and their inability to listen.... dare I say; you're probably better off without them

Numpties, the lot of them

[Joe_Danger]

People really need to understand that pets aren't toys, period.
They also need to understand that cats don't think and rationalize the same way us humans do so when someone tells you the cat bites and is feral you can't give it your visit card and expect it to understand you're a highly educated intelligent person so she should behave accordingly.

I'm sick and tired of people yelling at their cats, arguing with them and punishing them after they've done something "bad" most of which only happens because the owners simply never learned to communicate with the cat or understand the way IT thinks so they could approach it properly and come to a mutual understanding as much as possible.
I don't know what to say about these friends of yours, they have absolutely no right to be angry nor do they have any right to demand the cat is put down when they were openly told it's a dangerous animal.

[Lulu54]

I totally agree with all of you, thanks for the understanding. Now Smoky you could put quite happily in a room full of children and he would just swish his tail a bit and there is no chance at all Bluebell will be put down. She is currently lying belly up and her belly is so incredibly tempting I dare not though.

I saw a toddler grab a growling dog tethered outside Morrisons the other day while mum just looked on. I could hardly breath.

[Crewella]

Frankly, your friend behaved so stupidly I almost feel like biting her myself!

Poor Bluebell isn't dangerous, she wouldn't have attacked your 'friend' if she'd not been provoked. Bad enough to try to pet her ... but to pick her up!!!!! Words fail me!

[lilynmitz]

I say again, your cats are not dangerous, they're just frightened of strangers. And your friends are idiots. Never put an idiot in a room with a frightened animal. Otherwise Darwin's laws should apply (ie the stupid one comes off worst!). The words "I told you so" should also be uttered.

[Lulu54]

I'm definitely going to say I told you so next time. And also - I have here on my lap a very fluffy friendly boy who would just love you to go for his belly so leave the girls alone!!!!

[bobbys girl]

I agree with the others, a 'friend' like that is not worth having.

Even I am cautious of fussing Grace, I know I could end up wearing her like a very painful boxing glove! Thankfully most of my friends are either cat/dog people who understand or folks who don't much like cats and avoid all contact with them. Of course THEY are the ones that the cats find interesting But there is always one who knows better.... They soon learn!

BTW is there anyone out there whose cat LIKES having their tummys tickled, or is it just Bob?

[Crewella]

Daz likes a tummy rub, but only from me!

[MarySkater]

My late cat Shadow liked having her tummy rubbed - not just by me, the minders at the cattery noticed it as well. But she also used to lash her tail when she was happy...

[alanc]

I'm sitting here tickling Tilly's tummy, but its only something I do when she wants me to!
One of our local garden centers had two cats which were liable to bite anyone who tried to stroke them. There were large signs up warning all customers!

[Lulu54]

Haha, yes Smoky regularly offers up his soft parts to all and sundry even the postman

[Crewella]

Haha, yes Smoky regularly offers up his soft parts to all and sundry even the postman

Floosie!

[Lilith]

Lol! One of the feral gang of which my two elder girls came was nicknamed 'Charlotte the Harlot' - she was such a tart, she'd go with anyone! (She had kittens in a neighbour's house and the CP took her and kitties on.)

Smokey reminds me of my Finn (no longer with us.) With so many feral girls about, there were toms, and Finn was chief. Cold-eyed, grumpy, with horrendously inflamed ears, at that time he wouldn't come near me, unless it was to give me a glare and a maliciously aimed spray at the house wall. A year later there was a difference. I thought he'd moved on, but he came back, thin, with a running abscess on his backside, and ready to negotiate terms for the sake of a plate of food. From that day on, through the slow stages of trust, regular meals, eventual trapping, neutering and sorting abscess and ears, he began to change. When he discovered home comforts such as the bed, there was no holding him - and he started to like people. I've never seen such a transformation - from feral tom into golden labrador. Even children; from my above post you may think I dislike children and some kids I do dislike intensely, but, like dogs, I think it's all down to the 'owners'. At that time there were a lot of kids about on the street (in the days before I secured my back garden the cats and I sunbathed at the front) and they all came to pet 'Garfield' (he was ginger and massive.) Even tiny ones, supervised, patted him gently; they were a great lot of kids, all now grown up or moved on, but who would have thought such a grimly streetwise cat could have become such a placid lump?

Once I had to call the gasman in, who wasn't very animal-minded. Kneeling on the floor, he chirruped to Finn, who hurried across and curled up on his knee. 'Oh no!' said the gasman.

I apologised to Finn later. And I now have another gasman.

[Lulu54]

What a lovely transformation

[lilynmitz]

What a lovely story Lilith.

[Lilith]

Thanks Lulu and Llynmitz

The amazing thing was, it all came from him. I thought I'd be lucky if he kept on coming to be fed, never mind my trying to socialise him; I was prepared to accept him for what he was, a wild lad. Only he turned into a...well, a pussycat lol.

He even let me trim his claws as he got older, and clean his ears; if he'd had enough, he'd grip me with one massive paw that could have done a lot of damage, only he never attempted, or else, since he didn't have many teeth after life on the road and a subsequent dental, he'd gum me. Gently He was a gentleman.

[lilynmitz]

What a turnaround. He sounds very special, well done you enabling him to flourish and enjoy life in a more relaxed ways.

[Crewella]

I always think of Greebo when you talk of Finn, Lilith.

[Lilith]

Aww, and Puggy too?

It's heartbreaking to lose them, but what would we do without our Grand Old Men? Bless them!

[Crewella]

Nah, I think of Puggy when I hear a grumpy cat!

Of course, I think of them both often. And I tell Paddington about his predecessors.