Need opinions

Hello,

I'm new here...glad to see there's a group full of so many cat lovers!
Perhaps you can help me with my dilemma.......

About a week ago, my father brought home a scrawny little female tabby
(every bone was visible). He said she'd been wandering around his
workplace for 2 weeks, and he finally decided to bring her home - she
was so thin, and he works in a truckyard with trucks coming & going
24-7. He was afraid she'd get hit. She has a mangled ear, almost
looks like it's been burned or chewed up by machinery. It's all
healed, but it's left her with a deformed ear.

I have 7 cats of my own, and so sequestered her in my master bedroom,
so that she'd pose no risk to my other kids. She seemed very sweet,
just untrusting. I've given her plenty of food and love, and I thought
she was coming round a bit. She obviously does not like other cats, to
the point where she growls, snorts and hisses.

Yesterday morning, something horrid happened. I have a perch on the
window of my bedroom, so the kids can look out into the yard.
Apparently, one of my kids was out in the yard, playing (the yard is
fenced-in and inescapable). He hopped up on the ledge of my closed
window, and little Bones kitty started hissing and snorting, waking me
out of a sound sleep. I got out of bed and began speaking in a
soothing voice to her, when she leaped from the perch and came straight
at me! I threw my hand up in defense of my face and she latched onto
my hand, clawing and biting. My hand began to bleed profusely. I
grabbed her with my other hand and dropped her to the ground, and she
ran at me again, wrapping herself around my left leg and tearing a
chunk out of it. My leg also began to seriously bleed. I slung her
off my leg, and she again ran at me. This time I threw my bed
comforter over her, ran from the room and shut the door behind me. My
blood was in pools all over the floor...I got the bleeding stopped
finally, but I'm now very sore and my left hand is very swollen, it
hurts to sit here and type.

She calmed down within a few minutes, but now I'm quite afraid of her.
She seems to be so frightened of whatever, that she's lashing out
aggressively at anyone who approaches her one minute and docile and
purring the next. I was going to try to nurse her back to health and
find a good home for her (as I've done countless times before). But
now, not only am I afraid to be near her (she sometimes growls and
hisses when I try to pet her now) but I don't know what kind of future
she's got.

I can't adopt her out when I know she's potentially dangerous around
other animals (and sometimes even not around other animals), but I know
that if I take her to one of the local shelters, they'll euthanize her
whether I tell them the truth or not (the local shelter would consider
the ear deformity a reason to euthanize). I feel the need to turn her
over and be truthful, though, as I don't know of any other options for
her.

Feedback, anyone?? I'm at a loss as to what the right thing to do
is...I'm thinknig that the 'right' thing to do would be euthanasia, but
I'm open to other suggestions. PLEASE HELP.

Michelle

"Deltona Animal Rescuer" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hello,

I'm new here...glad to see there's a group full of so many cat lovers!
Perhaps you can help me with my dilemma.......

About a week ago, my father brought home a scrawny little female tabby
(every bone was visible). He said she'd been wandering around his
workplace for 2 weeks, and he finally decided to bring her home - she
was so thin, and he works in a truckyard with trucks coming & going
24-7. He was afraid she'd get hit. She has a mangled ear, almost
looks like it's been burned or chewed up by machinery. It's all
healed, but it's left her with a deformed ear.

I have 7 cats of my own, and so sequestered her in my master bedroom,
so that she'd pose no risk to my other kids. She seemed very sweet,
just untrusting. I've given her plenty of food and love, and I thought
she was coming round a bit. She obviously does not like other cats, to
the point where she growls, snorts and hisses.

Yesterday morning, something horrid happened. I have a perch on the
window of my bedroom, so the kids can look out into the yard.
Apparently, one of my kids was out in the yard, playing (the yard is
fenced-in and inescapable). He hopped up on the ledge of my closed
window, and little Bones kitty started hissing and snorting, waking me
out of a sound sleep. I got out of bed and began speaking in a
soothing voice to her, when she leaped from the perch and came straight
at me! I threw my hand up in defense of my face and she latched onto
my hand, clawing and biting. My hand began to bleed profusely. I
grabbed her with my other hand and dropped her to the ground, and she
ran at me again, wrapping herself around my left leg and tearing a
chunk out of it. My leg also began to seriously bleed. I slung her
off my leg, and she again ran at me. This time I threw my bed
comforter over her, ran from the room and shut the door behind me. My
blood was in pools all over the floor...I got the bleeding stopped
finally, but I'm now very sore and my left hand is very swollen, it
hurts to sit here and type.

She calmed down within a few minutes, but now I'm quite afraid of her.
She seems to be so frightened of whatever, that she's lashing out
aggressively at anyone who approaches her one minute and docile and
purring the next. I was going to try to nurse her back to health and
find a good home for her (as I've done countless times before). But
now, not only am I afraid to be near her (she sometimes growls and
hisses when I try to pet her now) but I don't know what kind of future
she's got.

I can't adopt her out when I know she's potentially dangerous around
other animals (and sometimes even not around other animals), but I know
that if I take her to one of the local shelters, they'll euthanize her
whether I tell them the truth or not (the local shelter would consider
the ear deformity a reason to euthanize). I feel the need to turn her
over and be truthful, though, as I don't know of any other options for
her.

Feedback, anyone?? I'm at a loss as to what the right thing to do
is...I'm thinknig that the 'right' thing to do would be euthanasia, but
I'm open to other suggestions. PLEASE HELP.

Michelle

There's a few things you can do.

First of all, go to a doctor or emergency room for yourself. You need to
have a tetanus shot and antibiotics at the very least. The only thing more
infectious than a cat bite is a human bite. You could have some serious
health problems if you don't get medical care right away. [Note, doctors /
hospitals are legally required to report animal bites and you may have to
give the cat over to the SPCA for the required observation period for rabies
detection unless you prefer to lie and say the cat is yours and has already
been given her vaccinations.]

But if that is the route you choose, there *IS* a possibility that you can
gentle her yourself. [It sounds as if the attack was done out of fear
rather than viciousness, so I'd be inclined to give her a second chance -
but then again my Bandit has viciously attacked me all of her life and is on
about her 3,000th chance right now! ;]

Second, for the kitty, get a large kennel for her to stay in. She needs to
be confined both for her own feeling of security and for your safety. Put a
cardboard box in the kennel for her to hide in if she wants to, put food
dishes and a litter tray where you can get at it easily to change without
her being able to attack you. Put a towel in the kennel after rubbing your
scent on it so she gets used to your smell. Get either Felliway spray or a
dispenser to put in the room with her.

When you interact with her, don't stare directly at her (this is a
challenge/threat in cat body language), but sit in the room next to the
kennel and speak quietly to her several times a day. If she growls at you
or displays any aggressive body language, don't try to force petting or any
other contact upon her. As she gets used to your presence (and this may
take a *long* while), resume petting her but be alert for signs of agitation
and stop the petting before she attacks you. When you play with her always
use toys and never your hand. When she is comfortable being around you,
then I would allow her back into the room outside of the kennel. From there
you will need to do an introduction to your other cats, or find her a home
with a family that doesn't have any other pets.

Hugs,

CatNipped

"Deltona Animal Rescuer" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hello,

I'm new here...glad to see there's a group full of so many cat lovers!
Perhaps you can help me with my dilemma.......

About a week ago, my father brought home a scrawny little female tabby
(every bone was visible). He said she'd been wandering around his
workplace for 2 weeks, and he finally decided to bring her home - she
was so thin, and he works in a truckyard with trucks coming & going
24-7. He was afraid she'd get hit. She has a mangled ear, almost
looks like it's been burned or chewed up by machinery. It's all
healed, but it's left her with a deformed ear.

I have 7 cats of my own, and so sequestered her in my master bedroom,
so that she'd pose no risk to my other kids. She seemed very sweet,
just untrusting. I've given her plenty of food and love, and I thought
she was coming round a bit. She obviously does not like other cats, to
the point where she growls, snorts and hisses.

Yesterday morning, something horrid happened. I have a perch on the
window of my bedroom, so the kids can look out into the yard.
Apparently, one of my kids was out in the yard, playing (the yard is
fenced-in and inescapable). He hopped up on the ledge of my closed
window, and little Bones kitty started hissing and snorting, waking me
out of a sound sleep. I got out of bed and began speaking in a
soothing voice to her, when she leaped from the perch and came straight
at me! I threw my hand up in defense of my face and she latched onto
my hand, clawing and biting. My hand began to bleed profusely. I
grabbed her with my other hand and dropped her to the ground, and she
ran at me again, wrapping herself around my left leg and tearing a
chunk out of it. My leg also began to seriously bleed. I slung her
off my leg, and she again ran at me. This time I threw my bed
comforter over her, ran from the room and shut the door behind me. My
blood was in pools all over the floor...I got the bleeding stopped
finally, but I'm now very sore and my left hand is very swollen, it
hurts to sit here and type.

She calmed down within a few minutes, but now I'm quite afraid of her.
She seems to be so frightened of whatever, that she's lashing out
aggressively at anyone who approaches her one minute and docile and
purring the next. I was going to try to nurse her back to health and
find a good home for her (as I've done countless times before). But
now, not only am I afraid to be near her (she sometimes growls and
hisses when I try to pet her now) but I don't know what kind of future
she's got.

I can't adopt her out when I know she's potentially dangerous around
other animals (and sometimes even not around other animals), but I know
that if I take her to one of the local shelters, they'll euthanize her
whether I tell them the truth or not (the local shelter would consider
the ear deformity a reason to euthanize). I feel the need to turn her
over and be truthful, though, as I don't know of any other options for
her.

Feedback, anyone?? I'm at a loss as to what the right thing to do
is...I'm thinknig that the 'right' thing to do would be euthanasia, but
I'm open to other suggestions. PLEASE HELP.

Michelle

at least a big part of your worries seem to have to do with 'redirected
aggression' which is not an uncommon thing with cats, it's how they work
more or less, extra problem here is that cats have long memory, not least
when scared by something
if there is other aggression/problems with this cat you together with your
vet are best suited to decide
I suggest you read up on redirected aggression/behaviour problems, here's a
couple of places to start at, there's lots of info out there on this:
http://www.vet.cornell.edu/fhc/resou...ggression.html
http://www.kingstownecatclinic.com/R...Aggression.htm
http://www.moggies.co.uk/html/aggcat.html
http://www.vin.com/VINDBPub/SearchPB...00/PR00030.htm
http://www.winnipeghumanesociety.ca/...aggression.php

Good luck
--
lewe
lewemi at yahoo dot se | cats' pics: photos.yahoo.com/lewemi

I second what Catnipped said--all of it. Cat bites really do need
medical attention. A friend of mine found that out the hard way, and
she lost some of the mobility in her thumb because she delayed getting
attention for it.

Secondly, this baby is still VERY young, and I think she deserves one
more chance. She could turn out to be a wonderful cat, but she's
obviously seen some hard times, and has come by her fears honestly.
Take it slow, and always speak to her gently. It may take time, but
rehabilitating this kitten may be well worth your time. Good luck to
you both!

Melissa