Got cross - kicked the neighbour's cat

[TheEffinOasis]

Have to qualify this really - it wasn't exactly a send-the-cat-flying-kick but was a little more than a gentle-nudge-with-foot.

This cat is a nasty little bugger, has bitten or scratched both mine and my neighbour's children, plus myself. She comes up to you as if she wants a stroke and then goes for you. She bit my daughter this afternoon totally unprovoked - drew blood - and I got cross. Gave her a bit of a 'shove' with my foot to get her to go away. Now I feel guilty...BUT if she comes near my house she'll probably get the same again. AIBU?

Have a horrible feeling I'm going to get crucifed now. Is it worth mentioning that I have a cat of my own and don't make a habit of this?

Yes, the initial 'friendly' approach is a problem. It has happened to me in a few instances when walking to the shops. A cat can be so apparently friendly I may stop... it walks around your legs, stroking against them, but on bending to give it a gentle stroke, there's a hiss/spit and claws/teeth visible.

Maybe it is a gender issue that there is a smell of my own home cat on my hand that suddenly causes the reaction with an "off my patch" response, or maybe they are just slightly nasty.

Either way, it is perhaps far better to advise adults and children to avoid stroking unknown animals (cats or dogs) simply because however lovely and friendly they look, they could be exactly the opposite.

I take a lot more care, sometimes move to bend and stroke more slowly in case it was an alarm reaction, and often stay ready to remove my hand with speed. I'm viewing a strange cat as possibly hostile rather than likely to be friendly. Maybe that's a negative change, but I prefer to be safe.

Nijinsky "as soon as I take up a contact, he springs into canter".
doesn't sound very well schooled to me - he should wait for the signal from your legs to move forward, and you should definately be able to take up a contact without him springing into canter,

Ooohh dear, where in the country are you OP? I have a cat just like that. She's really friendly, then all of a sudden will go for you. And she does attack unprovoked, just when walking past sometimes. Even DH is scared of her. :(

Really sorry if it is her. But don't kick her please, make a hissing sound, that will ward her off.

Nijinsky, so you never kick your horse, but you have to "hold him back", presumably by pulling on the reins.

I'd have thought the "lead horse" in a herd would control the others by kicking and biting them, rather than putting a piece of metal in his mouth.

yanbu the cat comes into your garden you do not go searching for it.

One query - how old is your DS, OP? You mentioned your DS being 2 and being scratched (nasty cat!) but is your DD similar age, or could she have avoided cat or did it just happen too fast?

No problem with the nudge you gave, it was deserved

(I'd take issue with suggestions in other post of 'drop kick' - it is not suitable chastisement for a scratch, is really an unpleasant OTT comment, short of child having face or body being very severely damaged, which dogs will do far more easily, it seems!)

was meant to be DD not DS in question... not been getting much sleep, sorry.

Sorry for disappearing all - Mother's Day, full house and all that!

Loopy - I'm sure it's not your cat, although I daren't reveal my location in case I end up with an army of angry cat lovers on my doorstep demanding that I be hung drawn and quartered for my actions.

Network Guy - my daughter is 5. But should we all go running in the opposite direction the instant this cat comes anywhere near us? Is that reasonable? I have said so many times on this thread that none of us approach this cat but that she frequently approaches us (and other neighbours), often running from the other side of the road to come over, rub herself all over our legs etc then attempt to take a chunk out of our hand/leg/whatever she can get access to.

I'm going to bow out gracefully from this now, I will of course in future employ other friendlier deterrents such as blowing in her face, clapping loudly and soaking her with water. I can't use any other the other general cat deterrents that would deter not only her but my own cat too! I doubt it will work. She's a thorough pain in the arse.

Is that reasonable?

No, I quite understand your position - was curious about age only because some young ones might do something as a dare, but given your warnings, I'm not contradicting anything you say, and since you gave a nudge rather than a kick, feel you were actually far more restrained than your thread title suggested, so Y were NBU in the action you took.

Sorry she's such a PITA and having a cat yourself, you are limited, but a water pistol does seem the optimum method. I don't know if you have a wooden fence that she climbs over, from your neighbour's garden, but forget it, one possible idea would be OTT (infra red beam and one of those watering systems to squirt the minx every time she climbs onto the top of the fence, so a deterrent even if your family not using the garden!)