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The thread asking about cat bites (click here) has gotten me curious about others' experiences being bitten (or not) by cats.
1) How many of you have been around cats for years & never been bitten hard enough to break the skin?
For those of you who have suffered a bite or bites that broke the skin:
What were the circumstances?
2) Was it in handling a cat that was not your own pet, such as a stray or feral, or a frightened cat in a shelter or vet clinic?
3) Was it in handling a sexually mature unneutered male?
4) Was it when handling your own pet during a time of stress, such as at the vet or trying to break up a cat fight, or when the cat was visibly upset, ill, or injured?
5) Did your own spayed or neutered pet cat become annoyed, warn you, then bite?
6) Did your own spayed or neutered pet cat bite you without warning?
Did the cat have claws, or had it been declawed? (Please - no declaw debates - I'm simply curious, as some say it may be a factor in biting)
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Even though I've been around cats all my life, I've only been bitten hard enough to break the skin once,as posted in the other thread. Of course I've gotten my share of scratches, especially as a child learning the subtleties of feline body language.
Though I do own a cat who has a tendency to bite (she came to me as an adult cat abandoned by neighbors), she has never bitten hard enough to break the skin. If she becomes annoyed with me & I don't stop whatever I'm doing that's annoying her (such as trimming her nails) after she gives a couple of warning meows, she'll grab my hand in her teeth and hold it there gently as a signal she's reached the limits of her patience. And she always gives plenty of warning before biting.
Oreo will grab my hand with his mouth and hold it gently if I touch his belly too much, but he gives warning by laying his ears flat and a wild look in his eyes, and over the years he's become more tolerant of being touched there (and he's never bitten hard enough to break the skin). He also came into my life as an adult cat, belonging to my DH.
No other cat I've had in my life (even my little feral) has ever shown any tendency to bite - they'll warn you, then scratch if the warnings are ignored...biting is a last resort. I don't know if it's made a difference or not, but we've never had a declawed cat.
I've caught and handled a few ferals before, but very carefully - using a trap, a lot of caution, patience and heavy gloves if they're very wound up, and have never suffered a skin-breaking bite. I haven't been on the front lines of treating ferals like rescuers & vets are - if that were the case, I might have gotten more bites.
1) How many of you have been around cats for years & never been bitten hard enough to break the skin?
For those of you who have suffered a bite or bites that broke the skin:
What were the circumstances?
2) Was it in handling a cat that was not your own pet, such as a stray or feral, or a frightened cat in a shelter or vet clinic?
3) Was it in handling a sexually mature unneutered male?
4) Was it when handling your own pet during a time of stress, such as at the vet or trying to break up a cat fight, or when the cat was visibly upset, ill, or injured?
5) Did your own spayed or neutered pet cat become annoyed, warn you, then bite?
6) Did your own spayed or neutered pet cat bite you without warning?
Did the cat have claws, or had it been declawed? (Please - no declaw debates - I'm simply curious, as some say it may be a factor in biting)
--------------------------------------------------
Even though I've been around cats all my life, I've only been bitten hard enough to break the skin once,as posted in the other thread. Of course I've gotten my share of scratches, especially as a child learning the subtleties of feline body language.
Though I do own a cat who has a tendency to bite (she came to me as an adult cat abandoned by neighbors), she has never bitten hard enough to break the skin. If she becomes annoyed with me & I don't stop whatever I'm doing that's annoying her (such as trimming her nails) after she gives a couple of warning meows, she'll grab my hand in her teeth and hold it there gently as a signal she's reached the limits of her patience. And she always gives plenty of warning before biting.
Oreo will grab my hand with his mouth and hold it gently if I touch his belly too much, but he gives warning by laying his ears flat and a wild look in his eyes, and over the years he's become more tolerant of being touched there (and he's never bitten hard enough to break the skin). He also came into my life as an adult cat, belonging to my DH.
No other cat I've had in my life (even my little feral) has ever shown any tendency to bite - they'll warn you, then scratch if the warnings are ignored...biting is a last resort. I don't know if it's made a difference or not, but we've never had a declawed cat.
I've caught and handled a few ferals before, but very carefully - using a trap, a lot of caution, patience and heavy gloves if they're very wound up, and have never suffered a skin-breaking bite. I haven't been on the front lines of treating ferals like rescuers & vets are - if that were the case, I might have gotten more bites.