| T.R | Title | User | Personal
Name | Date | Lines |
|---|
| 726.1 | it a breaking and entering type! | LEDS::TRIPP | | Fri Mar 25 1994 05:45 | 6 |
| What I forgot to mention in my basenote is this cat has several times
broken through this woman's cellar screen in desperate attempts to get
in from the weather we've had here in MA. My friend keeps repairing
the screen, and the cat keeps "breaking in". Go figure, I cant
Lyn
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| 726.2 | | MAYES::MERRITT | Kitty City | Fri Mar 25 1994 05:50 | 23 |
| Lyn..
My guess is the cat is not feral...a feral cat would never rub
up against anyone's leg. I believe the cat is sick or hurting
and needs medical help or he is definitely hungry and is trying to
get someone's attention.
You should try a have-a-heart trap...and try capturing him yourself
if the Animal Officer is not having any luck. If the cat is REAL
hungry...he'll probably walk right in the trap looking for food.
I've had a few strays that did this same thing to me....one calmed
down completely after being fed on a regular basis...and the other
one is still a bit mean...but he has a major nasal problem we are
trying to take care of but the vets can't figure out what is wrong.
My guess is...he does not feel well!!
It's really sad this little girl will probably always remember this
episode with the cat...and I hope she is not fearful of them for the
rest of her life.
Sandy
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| 726.3 | | STOWOA::FALLON | | Fri Mar 25 1994 06:15 | 8 |
| They can't track the cat down by the id number on the rabies tag?
Were the people called the ones that the number refers to? That's
how I would start. Offer a bowl of food and try to read where the
tag was given (hospital etc.) then call them and give the number.
I was mauled by a cat as a small child and it didn't bother me
any!
Karen
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| 726.4 | exit | STUDIO::BIGELOW | PAINTS; color your corral | Fri Mar 25 1994 06:41 | 3 |
|
That cat could have RABIES!
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| 726.5 | | NETWKS::GASKELL | | Fri Mar 25 1994 12:29 | 13 |
| .4 HAS IT RIGHT. THE CHILD SHOULD HAVE AN ANTI RABIES SHOT RIGHT
NOW, AND THE ANIMAL CONTROL PEOPLE SHOULD CAPTURE THE CAT. Unfortunately
the cat will have to be killed to be sure if it has rabies, but after
seeing film of someone dying with Rabies, you don't want to even risk
getting it. THERE IS NO CURE.
If you are scratched, wash the area very well with an antiseptic. If
the scratches/bites puncture the skin go to the doctor for an
antirabies shot. Although rabies is carried in the saliva, when the
animal drools they step in the saliva and it gets on the paws and
claws. It can take 3 to 6 months before symptoms show up.
Sorry for shouting, but the danger can't be emphasized enough.
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| 726.6 | I'd assume rabies | USCTR1::WOOLNER | Your dinner is in the supermarket | Fri Mar 25 1994 12:37 | 25 |
| .0> our town's animal control officer... has been unable to capture
> the critter, with several attempts. It has a collar and a rabies
> tag attached (our town does an annual clinic, and even the cats get
> tags) the neighbors said the attack on her girl is not the first of
> its kind, and they have indicated that is does (did?) have a home.
>But when the dog officer called that family
The animal control officer got close enough to read the tag and
couldn't capture the cat? Or do you mean the dog officer called the
family named by the neighbors?
> they said it couldn't be, since they had had their cat put to sleep,
> a story not too many people want to believe, so it must be another cat.
If the tag number hasn't been verified, then it probably is a different
cat. Do the tags look different, year to year? Could it be a very OLD
tag? (How long are rabies vaccinations *really* good for; in humans don't
they work for life?)
Why hasn't the animal officer thought of a hav-a-hart?
And why doesn't your friend leave the screen alone until the cat is
gone (I'm assuming there's also a glass pane there :-))?!
Leslie
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| 726.7 | it's the cat from H*LL! | LEDS::TRIPP | | Fri Mar 25 1994 14:24 | 37 |
| To answer a few concerns, the mother is taking the little girl today
for a Tetnus shot. The pedi has been notified, and her reaction is
that the one shot is all that's necessary. I too questioned that the
rabies shots might be in order (or was that the EMT in me speaking?)
I don't believe that ANYONE has had a hand on this cat, last year was
the first year our town's annual rabies clinic actually handed out tags
for CAT as well as the dogs. The clinic is done in MAY, so the
assumption is that if it has the tag from last year (I think they were
blue metal, I shoved mine in a drawer, since at the time it was Bandit
and Holly, both indoor only cats) that the cat has been vaccinated
within a 12 month period.
I don't think the town has a Have A Heart trap available. I called the
dog officer a few years ago, when I had some other critter eating my
garden, and was told they didn't have one available. This woman is in
no financial position to rent or buy a H.A.H. The reason I picked her
up last night was to take her to our church's food pantry, so I think
that says she can't afford one.
The little girl is so forgiving, there was some conversation in the car
about how she hated the cat hurting her, but in the same breath she was
warning me to look out for the cat (from H*LL!) since it was walking on
the side of the road, near where I was driving. soooo forgiving.
I will talk with her tonite, probably after she gets home from her
pedi.
She keeps repairing the window, but I think the material is purposely
thin and flexible, to accomodate her dryer vent in a cellar window.
She may also, just not have the money to do much else with it.
I have a secret fear that it may come in her house, when she isn't home
and attack her other two cats, or even while they are asleep in their
beds!
Lyn
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| 726.8 | | MAYES::MERRITT | Kitty City | Sat Mar 26 1994 05:36 | 25 |
| Lyn...I'm glad to see the little girl is forgiving and truly
understands that not all cats are like this. My feeling is she
will grow up to be a true animal lover and rescuer of stray
animals.
I still believe the cat is not all that dangerous and is just looking
for warmth, food, and love...but his problem is he has probably been
kicked, chased, had rocks thrown at him, and abused by just about
every human he has contacted since he has become a stray! He has
lost faith in mankind...and his only defense is to become a bully!!
I have done many many rescues of cats...and have met up with some
very tough cookies....but normally their bad behavior is caused by
other things such as hunger, sickness, or abuse from humans! The
cat may come in the house...but I truly don't think his purpose
woule be to harm anyone...unless of course he is in the house and
gets cornered!! And normally other stray will not *bother* other
cats...especailly if the other cats are fixed.,,so I wouldn't
be too concerned with that. If she doesn't want him in the house..
try putting cardboard or styrofoam in the window to cover it.
Try calling vets in your area and see if they have a have-a-heart
you can borrow.....or try some local shelters to see if they can
help out!
Sandy
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| 726.9 | | SUBURB::ODONNELLJ | Julie O'Donnell | Mon Mar 28 1994 00:47 | 4 |
| Did the little girl stroke the cat at all? I ask because Jimmy once
went for me and I found that he had an injury on his shoulder which I
had just touched and which was obviously extremely sore. He reacted in
pain. I wonder if this might be the case with the stray?
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| 726.10 | Please have the cat tested for RABIES! | STUDIO::BIGELOW | PAINTS; color your corral | Mon Mar 28 1994 06:41 | 9 |
| Either the girl did something to provke this cat, or the cat has
rabies!
In my experience....
Cats do not attack people unless provoked or sick. Please capture this
animal quickly and have it tested! Tag or no tag, rabies is a painful
way to DIE!
Michele (WHo's dealt w/ many strays, feral, and house cats)
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| 726.11 | | DSSDEV::RUST | | Mon Mar 28 1994 11:51 | 14 |
| Re .10: I'd add "or psychotic" to the list; the neighbors have a cat
who will come up to me while I'm gardening, purring and acting
friendly, but if I pet him and then don't continue petting him, or
sometimes even if I do, he'll hiss and swipe at me. (So far I've
managed to avoid anything but mild scratches.) I doubt he's sick, as
this has been going on for over a year; my suspicions are that he's
just badly socialized, perhaps from living in a house with several very
young children, where stroking might be combined with random acts of
tail-pulling, and could make a cat very confused as to how to behave...
In any case, if a cat's state of health isn't known, bites should be
taken very seriously - even if you think you know why the cat bit.
-b
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| 726.12 | ???? | LEDS::TRIPP | | Mon Mar 28 1994 13:34 | 20 |
| As an update, I haven't had a chance to talk to the youngster's mother
today, but do know that both the little girl and her 14 year old
brother left Friday evening for the weekend with dad (an unfortunate
divorce situation), so have probably not had any encounters with the
cat from ____!
I only caught a quick glance at it, while driving out the other night,
it appears to be a not very old cat, beautifully marked gold/white,
rather small, not tabby kind of a marble design. It was near another
fluffy grey white cat, but not really looked like either was angry.
Since, so far it has only been claws vs legs, I guess the tetnus
booster is the only preventative measures the pedi has recommended. If
it comes to biting, well that's a different story. BUT... if it is
within a year on a rabies shot, and I do believe at the clinic last
year they told me TWO years before doing shots again, would that not
prevent a human from contracting the disease from a bite?
Dumb questions deserve dumb answers!
Lyn
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| 726.13 | I feel very strongly about this! | STUDIO::BIGELOW | PAINTS; color your corral | Mon Mar 28 1994 15:13 | 30 |
| I can't answer that question as I don't think the vets or doctors
know for sure either.
I am quite concerned that you stated that a cat attacked a little girl
and all she got was a tetnus shot.
In .0 you stated...
...tabby in the neighborhood, who ATTACKS with no warning or provocation!
This little girl has been aware of the cat for a little while now,
the cat seems to come up to people in the usual cute way, purring,
rubbing and so on. Then without warning, and no provocation it will scream
and attach itself to a leg, arm or whatever it can get a hold of! This
little girl has had her leg torn up,
The words that get me are attack and torn up leg. A healthy animal
will not act in this manner...a sick animal yes, perhaps even one that
was provoked.
In any case this animal should be captured and quarantined. If a rabies
vaccination was given to the cat, it should be verified through the
vet. The cat can be returned after quarantine peroid is over unharmed
or if it need to be tested, then so be it.
Maybe I'm overreacting, but I've seen to many rabid animals over the
past 6 months, and it's something that should not be taken lightly.
I can only hope and pray that this girl will not catch the disease
due to ......
never mind....I feel I've said enough
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| 726.14 | not necessarily sick | GRANMA::JBOBB | Janet Bobb dtn:339-5755 | Wed Apr 06 1994 13:45 | 16 |
| just a quick comment about the cat's behavior... the first cat we owned
(owned us?) was a Maine Coone that had not been treated well by
previous owners. He was perfectly heathly and well-adjusted most of the
time. However, he had a habit of coming up to females (human females)
rubbing the legs, ask to be petted and then would wrap himself around
the leg and go at it with claws and teeth. It took us about 6 months to
un-train him of this habit. As someone who lost skin and blood several
times being suckered in by him - an attack cat isn't necessarily a sick
one.
However, in this day and age, I would be very careful rabies. Though,
IMHO, I would tend to believe the theory that he's injured and is
friendly until you touch a sore spot. Or has flashbacks to abuse, when
he is touched....
poor thing - any updates?
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