Cat has hurt the postman - help!

Cats are vermin? Ha ha this thread really does have it all.

Cats are not "vermin" under uk law.

RSPCA website says "Cats are protected by law and are free to roam meaning they might go into other people's gardens or allotments"

Gamekeepers protecting free roaming game in the countryside are allowed to treat cats as vermin if they are predating on the livestock in their care.

As said by PP, some of these responses are insane. I have had cats my whole life, have been bitten or scratched more times than I can remember, not once has it been anywhere near what a reasonable person would consider being 'savaged', and I have certainly have not 'very often required antibiotics' (or indeed ever).

OP, hopefully you're not still thinking about this, but just in case, please don't worry or overthink it anymore. If you see the same postman again then pop out and apologise, if you can then put something in place to keep you cat away from the letterbox, and then don't give it another thought.

Indeed! Has nobody here ever been scratched by a bastard cat?? It happens to me on at least a weekly basis with my own bastard cat (that and nips, which luckily don't break the skin) because he's a dysfunctional shit who nevertheless absolutely loves my son.

OP, you and other posters here are overthinking massively. DON'T call the RM on any line, it'll just create an opportunity for mindless escalation. It is a cat scratch FFS, not a dog bite or leopard maiming. Maybe go and buy some chocolate, wait for postie tomorrow/next few days, make sure bastard cat is locked away and then jump out and say sorry nicely. Say you are buying a cage for letterbox (agree, a velcro bag just makes it more fun for bastard cat) and that it won't happen again. End of, hopefully.

I didn't think they were meant to put whole hand in either? And can't see how scratch could have happened unless he did put whole hand in.

Why don't you take a message to the postie saying sorry on the outside of your door. And say you are looking to buy a cage/bag to stop this happening

Can you provide some sort of evidence for your assertion that cats are legally considered 'vermin'?

I don't understand how the postie got hurt. He she they - shouldn't be putting their hands in the letterbox. Was your cat waiting for them?

HE CAN NOT SUE YOU. Cats are classed as “vermin” in law that’s why there’s no need to report it if you hit a cat with your car.
Forget it. Cats will be cats as far as law concerned. Some may not like it but it’s the law.

Yes that is possible. Scotland has more of a mixed system.

The OP could live in Scotland though, which uses a civil law system (well a sort of hybrid).

Anyone who has cats and treats them well will develop an affectionate relationship with them. Who cares if it’s not “love”, and what is love anyway? There are plenty of people who treat the ones they claim to love like shit.

As per Scientific studies:

Even the most devoted cat owners wonder at some point, perhaps waking up in a cold sweat in the middle of the night, whether their cat really loves them. Dog people like to smugly point out dogs’ long history as humankind’s best friend.

But research shows cats’ reputation as a cold and aloof pet is undeserved.

Because of their evolutionary ancestry, domestic cats are, by their nature, more independent than dogs. The wild ancestors of our cats didn’t live in social groups as canines do. However, during the process of domestication, cats developed the ability to form social relationships not just with other cats, but also with people.

While they may not rely upon people to feel safe as dogs do, many cats show affection towards their guardians and seem to highly value the company of their human companions. Their attachment to humans is partly influenced by their experiences of being handled by people as a kitten.

Cats behave towards humans in the same way that they respond to their feline friends, so the secret of whether your cat feels bonded to you lies in their behaviour.

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-to-tell-if-your-cat-loves-you-according-to-science/#:~:text=While%20they%20may%20not%20rely,by%20people%20as%20a%20kitten.

@LuckySantangelo35
'Love' is probably not the the word I am looking for, maybe more like want your attention!
My Dh was never that keen on cats many years ago, but you could guarantee if he was near a cat it would want to sit on his lap. He's now a convert and we call him 'cat man' with our ( supposed to be my cat😂 - not that you own a cat, you are just the cat slave ) favours him over me, little sod.

@greengrassed

cats don’t love you. They don’t love humans… as much as humans like to pretend they do - they don’t. They only care about you feeding them.

1. I can't believe you just ignored him and continued on your work call.

1. If a cage won't fit you can get a bag that hangs off the letterbox.

Did you know in this case the cat will want your attention even more, to sit on your knee and generally love you😹

I was reading some of the comments about the cat....from some of the comments you would think it was a huge wild animal let loose.....and some of the posts remind me of people waiting to pounce on their "victim" and definitely are engaging in verbal bullying... Some people have just lost a sense of proportion over this. I'm sure it wasn't fun for the postie but your cat won't be the only one to have done this An indoor cat sees something dangling thinks "wriggling moving prey item" and responds to instinct.... Some people make the mistake of waggling their hand at a small kitten to play with it forgetting they grow up with sharper claws and teeth. Perhaps you shouldve gone after the postie but some of these replies in my opinion go well over the top....we are not all paragons of virtue with a fully stocked first aid box.who automatically do "the right thing". It seems as if you have taken action to do something to prevent further problems and as you say can't turn back time or rewrite history. Yes cellulitis/sepsis are nasty...anyone like to add cat scratch fever .to complete the list?! Do your best to apologise to the person concerned.....as for getting in touch with the local delivery office until very recently ours was only open one day a week for a couple of hours.....so that may not be easy. And then perhaps try and make sure your cat has enough stimulation at home so it doesn't need to attack a suddenly appearing hand....lots of ideas from Cats Protection and other cat organisations online.

They hate you too.

I think you have decided on a sensible course of action and don't need to do any more. I expect the postman or postwoman is OK.

I think the Royal Mail are more concerned with and justifiably so with dog attacks, and it is long overdue that the few breeds or cross-breeds of dog whose attacks cause most of the injuries were banned or restricted.

God some of these comments are bonkers.

Cats are cats and don’t require liability insurance like dogs if you have taken reasonable precautions.

Im sure the postie is fine after the scratch

Obviously op will declare herself a freeman of the land & refuse to consent to the laws.

Oh the irony.

No explanation needed as I'm a lawyer of many years standing.

Nothing in your post negates the fact that cat owners have a duty of care under common law.

Perhaps this will help you

An explanation for those at the back - many European countries have a civil code, which is basically a set of written laws. Started in Napoleonic times.

The UK has never had a big revolution etc followed by rewriting laws and constitution. We have criminal law (offences against the crown, burden of proof beyond reasonable doubt) and civil law (causing damage or loss to other individuals, burden of proof reasonable doubt).

Common law is where a legal finding made in one case needs to be followed by other cases. So it's not a law made by parliament but it does form part of the law. It evolves slowly as new cases come along eg if we get driverless cars there will be legislation that covers liability, and then common law will clarify how that is applied as time goes on.

It's a real bugbear of mine that people don't understand the legal system they live under!

So eg in a car crash you could commit a criminal offence of dangerous driving but also face civil lawsuits to pay compensation to other people who have been injured.

England has used common law since the Normans. It's the basis of our legal system.

Postman needs to get antibiotics as cat bites are awful. My Dn had to have an operation following random cat attacking her in the street. I'd get insurance op and maybe get a postbox so poor postman doesnt have to use your letterbox

The UK uses civil law not common law.