Got attacked, I feel so stupid

The stray I took in over a month ago had a go at me tonight, I didn't even realize what was happening until I felt her claws in my arm.

Every evening I change the bedding in her nesting box, to do this I remove the kittens and put them into another box with a blanket and she never gives me a second glance while I'm doing this. Tonight she was eating her soft food and I was kneeling down and reaching for the nesting box which I had sitting on top of the big kennel she's in and as I had the box half way down she started climbing the left side of my back which didn't hurt at first. Then I realized she was clawing to get over me and was at my shoulder and my husband ran over and pulled her off. Once I sat the box down she was back to normal and even let me touch her, then she went back to her business. I can only think that she thought the kittens were still in the box as she couldn't see them in the other one and freaked out, my husband showed her the babies and she went back to eating her food as if she hadn't just jumped me from behind.

She didn't bite me I don't think, but I have four small holes where her nails got me. One in my lower side, one in my left shoulder and two in my left arm with a bruise in between them which is the only one that hurts. She drew blood from all four but they aren't bleeding freely. I washed them with soap and wiped them wish alcohol wipes then showered and scrubbed them really thoroughly.

I was really startled after it happened and how she went from full blown panic to normal in less than thirty seconds. I feel stupid because I always make sure she can see the babies but tonight the box they were in was turned away from her, I was also humming a song from Star Wars which maybe she thought was the babies meowing. . .I don't know, either way I need be more careful of where I place the babies so she always has a visual and where I change the bedding so that she can see in there as well.

I will just keep an eye on the scratches and hope they don't get infected. We've had her inside for like five or six weeks so I think if she had rabies we would have gotten some kind of indication, right?

Wow- so sorry to hear that! Thank God your husband was there to help when mama cat was attacking you. If it was me, I'd definitely call my doctor's office & explain what happened- he will likely give you a tetanus booster shot. You may of been bitten as well- he could verify the wounds & if you were bitten anywhere, by law the cat would be taken & put in quarantine for 60 days to be sure she doesn't have rabies. If you see any sign of trouble from those puncture wounds tho, be sure to go to a Doctor immediately!

Ouch! Animals, especially cats, can be so unpredictable at times.

Rabies is normally transmitted through the infected animal's saliva (bites), but it's theoretically possible to get it from being scratched by claws that have been licked by a rabid animal. Animal Bites and Rabies

Since it wasn't an unprovoked bite (to the stray's way of thinking) and her behavior is otherwise normal, rabies doesn't sound all that likely. Do you know whether there have been recent cases in your area? Usually that type of thing can be found on a county website under Public Health, or by Googling the county name + rabies.

that the scratches heal without any infection!

jcat said:

Ouch! Animals, especially cats, can be so unpredictable at times.

Rabies is normally transmitted through the infected animal's saliva (bites), but it's theoretically possible to get it from being scratched by claws that have been licked by a rabid animal. Animal Bites and Rabies

Since it wasn't an unprovoked bite (to the stray's way of thinking) and her behavior is otherwise normal, rabies doesn't sound all that likely. Do you know whether there have been recent cases in your area? Usually that type of thing can be found on a county website under Public Health, or by Googling the county name + rabies.

that the scratches heal without any infection!

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There have been 2 bats this year in other counties that were confirmed with rabies but that is it. Last year the total was 9 bats, 2 in the county I live in and no other cases. I think it's been at least 5 to 7 years since a cat tested positive in this state. I know in my head that she doesn't have rabies, I am a really bad worrier though so it pops up in my mind even if I don't think it's true.

I need to correct myself, I went through the states rabies reports all the way to 2004 and all of the positive cases were in bats except 1 which was a fox in 2006 in another county.

She's an awesome cat, we've had her inside for over a month and she is a sweetheart. I just didn't think she'd be that protective from how she normally is with me around the kittens. Actually my husband thinks she was trying to get over me to see that they were okay because she did not bite me and she was climbing to see into the box. Up and over was the fastest way to see into the box. This morning she's fine, the kittens are fine and I'm okay my arm just hurts a little. i had a tetanus shot a year ago and if it starts looking infected I'll go to the dr.

We moved Hina and her kittens into a tent my mom used for a stray a few years ago, that way when they get out of the nesting box they can't get stuck in the bars in the dog kennel. We took it slow and made sure she could see the kittens at all times, she was fine with it. When she looked a little nervous we showed her the kittens and spoke to her softly.

My arm looks better where she got me with her nails but it's still a bit sore which is expected. One of our other cats got my palm last week with his nails while we were playing and it stung for a few days and it didn't even bleed.

 That sounds like a good set up there with the tent.   I am glad your arm is better.  Just keep an eye on it. 

 Mama cats can  react very suddenly  if they are afraid for their babies!   It doesn't even sound like she was trying to hurt you;  she just panicked and was trying to get to them.     Will she allow you to clip her claws?  because that could help avoid scratches being so bad.  

maewkaew said:

 That sounds like a good set up there with the tent.   I am glad your arm is better.  Just keep an eye on it. 

 Mama cats can  react very suddenly  if they are afraid for their babies!   It doesn't even sound like she was trying to hurt you;  she just panicked and was trying to get to them.     Will she allow you to clip her claws?  because that could help avoid scratches being so bad.  

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I think she will let me trim her nails if I go slowly and do a few at a time. She is one of those cats that digs into everything when she's content so it hurts lol. The tent is working out great, the kittens go everywhere. Their weights were a bit lower today but everyone was lively and healthy acting so I'll give them the day to adjust to their new found freedom