Would you have called?

[PJ's Mom]

A man and his daughter came to the door the other night. The man said his daughter had been bitten by an orange cat and wondered if we knew the cat and where it belonged. We didn't, and said so. The man left us his number and asked that we call him if we see the cat. He said the cat needs to be checked for rabies.

We had never seen an orange cat around here until the following night. My cat Pumpkin was growling at it when it tried to come into our yard. Of course I'm not afraid of any domesticated animal, (I think I'm crazy ) so I went up to the kitty and started petting it. He was the sweetest thing! He rubbed up against me, let me pick him up and purred like crazy!

Being the only orangie we've ever seen around here, I was pretty sure this was the kitty the guy and his daughter were looking for. Knowing how sweet this cat was, even though I had just met him, I wondered what the little girl did to the cat to provoke him into biting her.

I decided against calling the guy, and wondered if I had made the right decision. If it were one of my kids that was bitten, I'd want to know about the cat, but I really think something was done to make the cat bite.

Did I make the right decision?

[catnapper]

Boy, thats a toughie. Since Pouncer recently bit mom, I know that a sweet cat takes a lot to be provoked into biting.

Once, when I was a child, a friend had a grumpy kitty that just wanted to be left alone. One day we were all teasing the kitty (I just stood off to the side when my friends did all the teasing) and just walked away when we were done. Later that same day, we were all on the floor playing a board game when the came tore from nowhere and bit me on the butt! I was NOT about to admit to the parents there that earlier in the day my friends and I were teasing the cat! I let on that the cat randomly attacked for no good reason. The poor cat was put on tranquilizers the remainder of her life because she "bit for no reason".

I think you did right by not calling for the time being. Keep an eye out for the kitty. There's supposed to be a 10 day quarrantine after a bite. If you keep an eye on this sweet orangie, and notice in a few days that perhaps he's acting a little funny, looking a little funny, etc then you know to call. If in a few days the kitty seems just as nice, then go on with a clear conscious that you saved the kitty's life and the little girl will be fine.

Side note here though: I was talking to my vet the other day about this very same thing. He said the person in the room before me had their child bitten by a cat (this was a young cat that WAS acting odd) and they refused to have their child go through the rabies shots. He said he can't fathom WHY not just have the shots because today they aren't nearly as painful as yesteryear.... thats the same thing the hospital said to my mom when she was bitten by Pouncer. They said the shots hurt, but not like they used to.

[moosmom]

I wondered what the little girl did to the cat to provoke him into biting her.

THAT was my first question. How old was the little girl? I wouldn't have called either. I'd hate to see a cat put down simply because it was defending itself against a kid who provoked it. If the kid DOES have to go through the shots, maybe the pain will teach her a lesson on how to treat animals.

Catnapper is right, keep an eye on the cat to make sure it's okay. And please, keep us posted.

[Corinna]

(Just to play devils advicat )I think I would talk to my vet and see about boarding it there (don't need to give the guys address unless cat acts strange) and if they start to show signs then have the vet call the guy but if not then he can help you find a home for the kitty. If the cat does have rabies ( maybe the kid didn't do any thing to it) the sooner she gets the vaccine the less damage to her body.
Not to place any blame on any one or thing just a thought I have ok Please no one get upset ok.
We all love the critters who get blamed so often when it's not their fault but we do have to remember it is not always that way. What if some thing happens to the exceptions how would we feel ? Knowing we had the answer right in front of us and a youngster (example this girl) gets very ill or (god forbid ) dies .

Just my thoughts and opinion.

[Laura's Babies]

I would try to find the cats owner and tell them it had bitten the little girl and ask if it is up to date on all shots, if not, I would call the man back... if it has, I would call him and tell him who owns the cat.

First clue here is the little girl was close enough to be bitten by a stray (?) so who knows what she was doing to the kitty. But I would hate to think she had to take those shots because I kept quiet.

It is a very "iffy" situation that could have been avoided if the owner kept it inside!

[kimlovescats]

It's a tough call, but knowing how I love my kids, I would want someone to call me.

[QueenScoopalot]

I Like Corrina's idea of boarding the cat at the vets. Testing for rabies = death for the cat so his head can be sent to a lab for testing. A sweet cat like that shouldn't end up dead because some guys kid may have been tormenting it. I'd grab the cat up before this guy finds the cat and does it in.

[moosmom]

Jan,

AMEN to that!!!

[PJ's Mom]

The cat didn't have any tags and I doubt it was microchipped. The little girl was probably 5 or 6 years old, and I didn't see any evidence of a bite on her. He didn't say where she was bitten.

Perhaps the cat was playing. I don't know, but it would take a lot of convincing to get me to believe this cat was mean.

[Jessika]

IF the girl did get sick from the cat bite/scratch, I think its a little selfish not to call just because the cat is "nice". The cat COULD have given her some sort is disease.. you never know. I would have called if not to just have tests run on the cat to determine that it DOESN'T have rabies and to put the man's mind at ease. I know if it were my child, I would want to know!!

[catmandu]

It just occured to me,that if a Child was bitten by a Porchie,that they might hold me responsible.I would try and catch that Cat,and have him tested,just in case,as you dont want him to infect Other Cats!!

[Barbara]

Yeah but testing means killing the cat! I wouldn't have called and kept an eye on the cat. What you tell doesn't sound like rabies. (Sorry that does not sound like the highest moral but I know I wouldn't have called.)

[PJ's Mom]

The only test for rabies is to cut off the head of the animal. That's a little drastic for a girl who didn't have any visible bite marks, don't you think? Placing the cat under quarantine is also an option, but if the cat is suspected to be "vicious" then it would be put to sleep anyway.

[lv4dogs]

I would call no ifs ands or butts about it.

Sure it would be terrible for a cat to be euthanized if it was healthy and friendly but just what if it isn't? You've got a childs life in your hands.

BUT I would also offer to quarantine the cat for 10 days (you can do that instead of killing the cat to test for rabies).

But if I had a stray cat in my hands I wouldn't let it go again no matter what. I'd at least take foster it or take it to a shelter or vets.

[momcat]

Quite honestly, I don't know what I would have done. There are some excellent arguments here on both sides of the question. Did this guy go to any other houses on your street about this? I also have to wonder if he reported it to the cops or animal control, and did he take the kid to a doctor or an emergency room to have the alleged bite treated? And what if this kitty isn't the one that nipped at the kid?