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#1
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She Bit Me!
It wasn't her fault. Buffy got very upset because there was a raccoon
on the patio and it came right up to the glass door. I didn't see it, it was already dark outside. She's got very sharp eyes. She started hissing and growling and then yowling. I thought it might be a cat. (She truly hates seeing other cats.) I flipped on the outside lights and there was a big raccoon peering in the back door. It ran off, but it came back the minute I turned the lighs off. When I turned the lights back on it left again. Buffy was very upset. I was trying to comfort her and she turned around and bit me. Ouch! She really does NOT like interlopers. She didn't really hurt me (didn't break the skin, but it hurt and is bruising - I bruise very easily). I yelled at her just the same. NO! DO NOT BITE ME! She's curled up on the crackle sack at the moment so I guess she got over it. Me, I'm going to be dealing with a bruise on my arm for the next few days. BTW, that was a very large raccoon. Looked like it weighed about 20 lbs. They have very sharp claws, opposable thumbs and teeth... a very good reason to keep cats indoors. Jill |
#2
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She Bit Me!
On 3/3/2016 7:53 PM, jmcquown wrote:
It wasn't her fault. Buffy got very upset because there was a raccoon on the patio and it came right up to the glass door. I didn't see it, it was already dark outside. She's got very sharp eyes. She started hissing and growling and then yowling. I thought it might be a cat. (She truly hates seeing other cats.) I flipped on the outside lights and there was a big raccoon peering in the back door. It ran off, but it came back the minute I turned the lighs off. When I turned the lights back on it left again. Buffy was very upset. I was trying to comfort her and she turned around and bit me. Ouch! She really does NOT like interlopers. She didn't really hurt me (didn't break the skin, but it hurt and is bruising - I bruise very easily). I yelled at her just the same. NO! DO NOT BITE ME! She's curled up on the crackle sack at the moment so I guess she got over it. Me, I'm going to be dealing with a bruise on my arm for the next few days. BTW, that was a very large raccoon. Looked like it weighed about 20 lbs. They have very sharp claws, opposable thumbs and teeth... a very good reason to keep cats indoors. Jill This is known as misdirected (or redirected) aggression. You have a particularly difficult situation because you don't have any control over the raccoon. They are often attracted to bird feeders. I seem to recall that you don't have a feeder and simply scatter some feed on your patio. It would probably be a good idea to limit the amount you scatter to the amount the birds will eat in a day so there isn't any left over for the raccoon (although you may already be doing that). Do you have curtains or drapes that could be drawn over windows where Buffy and the raccoon look at each other? At any rate, good luck with this and I hope it does not recur. http://www.catster.com/lifestyle/cat...ession-in-cats MaryL |
#3
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She Bit Me!
jmcquown wrote:
It wasn't her fault. Buffy got very upset because there was a raccoon on the patio and it came right up to the glass door. I didn't see it, it was already dark outside. She's got very sharp eyes. She started hissing and growling and then yowling. I thought it might be a cat. (She truly hates seeing other cats.) I flipped on the outside lights and there was a big raccoon peering in the back door. It ran off, but it came back the minute I turned the lighs off. When I turned the lights back on it left again. Buffy was very upset. I was trying to comfort her and she turned around and bit me. Ouch! She really does NOT like interlopers. She didn't really hurt me (didn't break the skin, but it hurt and is bruising - I bruise very easily). I yelled at her just the same. NO! DO NOT BITE ME! She's curled up on the crackle sack at the moment so I guess she got over it. Me, I'm going to be dealing with a bruise on my arm for the next few days. BTW, that was a very large raccoon. Looked like it weighed about 20 lbs. They have very sharp claws, opposable thumbs and teeth... a very good reason to keep cats indoors. Yikes! You are right - raccoons can be dangerous to cats. One killed my sister's cat years ago. I'm kind of afraid of them myself. They're adorable to look at, but I wouldn't want to have a confrontation with one in front of a garbage bin. I agree with Mary that Buffy's bite was redirected aggression. -- Joyce |
#4
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She Bit Me!
On 3/3/2016 9:18 PM, MaryL wrote:
On 3/3/2016 7:53 PM, jmcquown wrote: It wasn't her fault. Buffy got very upset because there was a raccoon on the patio and it came right up to the glass door. I didn't see it, it was already dark outside. She's got very sharp eyes. She started hissing and growling and then yowling. I thought it might be a cat. (She truly hates seeing other cats.) I flipped on the outside lights and there was a big raccoon peering in the back door. It ran off, but it came back the minute I turned the lighs off. When I turned the lights back on it left again. Buffy was very upset. I was trying to comfort her and she turned around and bit me. Ouch! She really does NOT like interlopers. She didn't really hurt me (didn't break the skin, but it hurt and is bruising - I bruise very easily). I yelled at her just the same. NO! DO NOT BITE ME! She's curled up on the crackle sack at the moment so I guess she got over it. Me, I'm going to be dealing with a bruise on my arm for the next few days. BTW, that was a very large raccoon. Looked like it weighed about 20 lbs. They have very sharp claws, opposable thumbs and teeth... a very good reason to keep cats indoors. Jill This is known as misdirected (or redirected) aggression. You have a particularly difficult situation because you don't have any control over the raccoon. They are often attracted to bird feeders. I seem to recall that you don't have a feeder and simply scatter some feed on your patio. It would probably be a good idea to limit the amount you scatter to the amount the birds will eat in a day so there isn't any left over for the raccoon (although you may already be doing that). Do you have curtains or drapes that could be drawn over windows where Buffy and the raccoon look at each other? At any rate, good luck with this and I hope it does not recur. http://www.catster.com/lifestyle/cat...ession-in-cats MaryL Yes, I realise it was redirected agression. And yes, I do limit the amount of seed I scatter. It's been warm here so I haven't put out much bird seed. They can fend for themselves mostly around here. But I have a bird bath so maybe the raccoon was looking for water. shrug As for curtains, well, the entire back wall of the living room is glass. Two double doors with two glass panels, one on either side. There are curtains but they are sheers. Buffy has managed to get her claws into those. I cannot afford to hang actual heavy curtains (they'd have to be custom made) to fit the entire back wall. Oh well. I have a bruise, no real damage. I just hate that she gets so upset. Shortly before this happened I saw a herd of deer running out back. That's no biggie. But then I saw a hummingbird hovering at the window right in front of me where my desk is! I made up a batch of sugar water. Tomorrow I will hang the hummingbird feeder. Spring is on the way! Jill |
#5
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She Bit Me!
On 3/3/2016 10:25 PM, Bastette wrote:
jmcquown wrote: It wasn't her fault. Buffy got very upset because there was a raccoon on the patio and it came right up to the glass door. I didn't see it, it was already dark outside. She's got very sharp eyes. She started hissing and growling and then yowling. I thought it might be a cat. (She truly hates seeing other cats.) I flipped on the outside lights and there was a big raccoon peering in the back door. It ran off, but it came back the minute I turned the lighs off. When I turned the lights back on it left again. Buffy was very upset. I was trying to comfort her and she turned around and bit me. Ouch! She really does NOT like interlopers. She didn't really hurt me (didn't break the skin, but it hurt and is bruising - I bruise very easily). I yelled at her just the same. NO! DO NOT BITE ME! She's curled up on the crackle sack at the moment so I guess she got over it. Me, I'm going to be dealing with a bruise on my arm for the next few days. BTW, that was a very large raccoon. Looked like it weighed about 20 lbs. They have very sharp claws, opposable thumbs and teeth... a very good reason to keep cats indoors. Yikes! You are right - raccoons can be dangerous to cats. One killed my sister's cat years ago. I'm so sorry to hear that. My former fiance, Ray, had a dog that was attacked by a raccoon when it was a still a puppy. The pup had to be quarantined until they could determine it hadn't contracted rabies. I'm kind of afraid of them myself. They're adorable to look at, but I wouldn't want to have a confrontation with one in front of a garbage bin. I sure don't want to walk up and pet one. They do look cute, but... There was a day last year when I went to the accounting office to drop off a check. Got out of my car and looked over and there was a raccoon sitting about 10 feet away, watching me. They are usually nocturnal so it made me a tad skittish. I agree with Mary that Buffy's bite was redirected aggression. I know she didn't mean to hurt me. She was just pent up because she saw the raccoon and she was upset. Now she's upset with ME because it's late and I'm not in bed! Jill |
#6
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She Bit Me!
On 3/3/2016 11:00 PM, jmcquown wrote:
On 3/3/2016 9:18 PM, MaryL wrote: On 3/3/2016 7:53 PM, jmcquown wrote: It wasn't her fault. Buffy got very upset because there was a raccoon on the patio and it came right up to the glass door. I didn't see it, it was already dark outside. She's got very sharp eyes. She started hissing and growling and then yowling. I thought it might be a cat. (She truly hates seeing other cats.) I flipped on the outside lights and there was a big raccoon peering in the back door. It ran off, but it came back the minute I turned the lighs off. When I turned the lights back on it left again. Buffy was very upset. I was trying to comfort her and she turned around and bit me. Ouch! She really does NOT like interlopers. She didn't really hurt me (didn't break the skin, but it hurt and is bruising - I bruise very easily). I yelled at her just the same. NO! DO NOT BITE ME! She's curled up on the crackle sack at the moment so I guess she got over it. Me, I'm going to be dealing with a bruise on my arm for the next few days. BTW, that was a very large raccoon. Looked like it weighed about 20 lbs. They have very sharp claws, opposable thumbs and teeth... a very good reason to keep cats indoors. Jill This is known as misdirected (or redirected) aggression. You have a particularly difficult situation because you don't have any control over the raccoon. They are often attracted to bird feeders. I seem to recall that you don't have a feeder and simply scatter some feed on your patio. It would probably be a good idea to limit the amount you scatter to the amount the birds will eat in a day so there isn't any left over for the raccoon (although you may already be doing that). Do you have curtains or drapes that could be drawn over windows where Buffy and the raccoon look at each other? At any rate, good luck with this and I hope it does not recur. http://www.catster.com/lifestyle/cat...ession-in-cats MaryL Yes, I realise it was redirected agression. And yes, I do limit the amount of seed I scatter. It's been warm here so I haven't put out much bird seed. They can fend for themselves mostly around here. But I have a bird bath so maybe the raccoon was looking for water. shrug As for curtains, well, the entire back wall of the living room is glass. Two double doors with two glass panels, one on either side. There are curtains but they are sheers. Buffy has managed to get her claws into those. I cannot afford to hang actual heavy curtains (they'd have to be custom made) to fit the entire back wall. Oh well. No, I certainly would not recommend that. Ironically, they might not even help--it was just a thought of something to try if they were already available. I have a bruise, no real damage. I just hate that she gets so upset. Yes, we tend to worry more about our beloved furbabies than about our own injuries. I am very glad that you only have a bruise. Shortly before this happened I saw a herd of deer running out back. That's no biggie. But then I saw a hummingbird hovering at the window right in front of me where my desk is! I made up a batch of sugar water. Tomorrow I will hang the hummingbird feeder. Spring is on the way! Jill Yes, it seems like spring is here (East Texas). I have lots of azaleas blooming, and we have early spring blooms all around town. The temp was 76 degrees (F) today. Best wishes to you and Buffy. MaryL |
#7
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She Bit Me!
curtains or drapes that could be drawn over windows where Buffy and the
raccoon look at each other? At any rate, good luck with this and I hope it does not recur. http://www.catster.com/lifestyle/cat...ession-in-cats MaryL Yes, I realise it was redirected agression. And yes, I do limit the amount of seed I scatter. It's been warm here so I haven't put out much bird seed. They can fend for themselves mostly around here. But I have a bird bath so maybe the raccoon was looking for water. shrug As for curtains, well, the entire back wall of the living room is glass. Two double doors with two glass panels, one on either side. There are curtains but they are sheers. Buffy has managed to get her claws into those. I cannot afford to hang actual heavy curtains (they'd have to be custom made) to fit the entire back wall. Oh well. No, I certainly would not recommend that. Ironically, they might not even help--it was just a thought of something to try if they were already available. Cats spot things we don't even notice. There was a teeny tiny spider on the edge of the couch. I didn't see it. Buffy spotted it and pounced! Shortly before this happened I saw a herd of deer running out back. That's no biggie. But then I saw a hummingbird hovering at the window right in front of me where my desk is! I made up a batch of sugar water. Tomorrow I will hang the hummingbird feeder. Spring is on the way! Jill Yes, it seems like spring is here (East Texas). I have lots of azaleas blooming, and we have early spring blooms all around town. The temp was 76 degrees (F) today. Best wishes to you and Buffy. MaryL Thanks, Mary. Yes, the azaelas are blooming here, too. The pretty white ones are behind the house. All the ones out front are pink and that is NOT my favourite colour. I hope Duffy continues to do well with the thyroid meds. I worry about him. Jill |
#8
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She Bit Me!
jmcquown wrote:
Mary wrote: Do you have curtains or drapes that could be drawn over windows where Buffy and the raccoon look at each other? ...well, the entire back wall of the living room is glass. Two double doors with two glass panels, one on either side. There are curtains but they are sheers. Buffy has managed to get her claws into those. Several years ago I redid my livingroom and I bought this beautiful sheer, champagne-colored material that had a vine/flower pattern embroidered all over it. I used those to make curtains. They're lined with muslin because a main function of the curtains is to give me privacy. Even so, they were gorgeous. During the intervening years, Licky has managed to completely shred the delicate material. He likes to lie on the back of the couch and kind of hang over the baseboard to absorb maxiumum heatwaves. To support himself in that position, he hooks his claws into the curtains. So the hem looks the worst. I bought new material a couple of months ago so I could make new ones. It's not nearly as classy and the curtains will probably keep out more light when drawn. On the other hand, I might never get around to making the new ones. -- Joyce Socialism never took root in America because the poor see themselves not as an exploited proletariat but as temporarily embarassed millionaires. --John Steinbeck |
#9
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She Bit Me!
jmcquown wrote:
I sure don't want to walk up and pet one. They do look cute, but... There was a day last year when I went to the accounting office to drop off a check. Got out of my car and looked over and there was a raccoon sitting about 10 feet away, watching me. They are usually nocturnal so it made me a tad skittish. Right. Unusual (and uncharacteristic) behavior *can* be a sign of rabies. -- Joyce Socialism never took root in America because the poor see themselves not as an exploited proletariat but as temporarily embarassed millionaires. --John Steinbeck |
#10
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She Bit Me!
On 3/7/2016 6:13 PM, Bastette wrote:
jmcquown wrote: I sure don't want to walk up and pet one. They do look cute, but... There was a day last year when I went to the accounting office to drop off a check. Got out of my car and looked over and there was a raccoon sitting about 10 feet away, watching me. They are usually nocturnal so it made me a tad skittish. Right. Unusual (and uncharacteristic) behavior *can* be a sign of rabies. I didn't really suspect it was rabid but it was unusal behavior. All wild animals are suspect in my book. Jill |
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