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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Bengal has scratched DD friend

244 replies

14NG88 · 06/02/2018 19:20

Long story short my DS had a few friends over at weekend and one of them pulled my 1 year old Bengal's tail and she too took a little swipe at them. I had to pretend I was less annoyed than I was (as you always do with kids that aren't yours) but just checked they weren't hurt and thought nothing more of it. Today I have had said parents very annoyed on the phone demanding this was unacceptable and they wanted to report it, I was clearly very annoyed aswell and it got a bit heated from there.

I don't think I am but AIBU ? All the kids were clearly told to leave Annie (Bengal) alone and I didn't overreact when they didn't. Can't help that feel this is generation snowflake when things like this happen no injuries occured.

OP posts:
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13
sniggy01 · 07/02/2018 18:24

Sorry - so what I meant to say was no ynbu - I know from experience people can way over react - especially if they look up cat scratches/dog bites and go from there and if they have no animals themselves

Turquoise123 · 07/02/2018 18:25

Assuming that there is no ministry for cats acting like cats I am not sure to what they could report the cat too. I would write and say that under the circumstances best that your children don’t have future play dates as you want to keep everything on a even keel . And don’t mention it to others apart from a gently vexed half smile

ShutYoFace · 07/02/2018 18:27

She has said Bengal because they are a breed who do not suffer fools or tail pulling gladly...

Cos other cats just love it? Hmm

SweetChickadee · 07/02/2018 18:37

We have a really bad tempered old cat who swipes at any approaching stranger. All our friends kids are told repeatedly not to try and touch her. Over and over again.

Those that do invariably get a scratch.

All of the mothers tell the kids to do as they are told next time Grin

DameFanny · 07/02/2018 18:39

We got kittens when ds was 2 and I was rooting for one of them to swipe him when he wasn't listening to us tell him to leave them alone.

But YABU for the Snowflake comment

Gabilan · 07/02/2018 18:40

Bengals were created by crossing Asian leopard cats, a small wild cat, with domestic cats. The hybrids are then crossed back with other domestic cats but they are more than just a tabby.

So yes, you'd say "Bengal" the same way you'd say "Labrador".

alwaysme22 · 07/02/2018 18:44

This is Mowgli and he loves having his tail pulled gently, there is always one!

Bengal has scratched DD friend
Papergirl1968 · 07/02/2018 18:47

There’s a moggy who sleeps all day in the waiting room of the health centre I have to go to several times a week. Notices recently appeared requesting people not to pet the cat. It turned out a child had pulled the cat’s tail and it had lashed out.
Happily everyone ignores the notices and continues to stroke the cat. Occasionally it favours my dd by getting on her lap.
A member of staff tried to eject the cat the other day and I told him there would be an outcry if she was put out in the cold!

Pleasebeafleabite · 07/02/2018 18:47

Mowgli has his own official pedestal Shock

Firesuit · 07/02/2018 18:48

I know nothing about cats. But the Google images for "Bengal cat" are completely different to the ones for "tabby cat". Some of the tabbys have tigerish stripes, the Bengals have spots, more like a leopard.

Pleasebeafleabite · 07/02/2018 18:51

Ok Gabilan I am partially convinced

Would you not say bengal cat though to avoid confusion

As opposed to tiger

Confusion not a likelihood with labradors

Slanetylor · 07/02/2018 18:52

How do you know child pulled cats tail? YABU not to get child attended to medically. Cat scratch infections can turn nasty.

SheRasBra · 07/02/2018 18:52

I'm afraid we have had kids over the age of 5 at our house actually kicking at our cats as they walked past. They looked quite outraged when I asked them to stop.

However, I frequently see small kids running into crowds of pigeons in public spaces and kicking at them. They're just pests - so they can be tormented apparently.

alwaysme22 · 07/02/2018 18:53

Yes, he is supposed to share that pedestal with Blue the siamese. Poor blue rarely gets a look in.

Bengals come either striped or spotted. Mowgli has the spots on his tummy. His sister had the full spots.

Pleasebeafleabite · 07/02/2018 18:58

Mowgli also has big paws. Is that a bengal thing

Pity the poor child on the receiving end of those

crunchymint · 07/02/2018 18:59

Tell them you will report their child.

Tippytappytoes · 07/02/2018 19:00

Meh! A warning scratch. If cats really want to do damage they clamp to your arm with their front legs and scratch you with their back legs whilst biting.

LyingWitchInTheWardrobe2726 · 07/02/2018 19:01

I do like seeing all these photos of cats. Grin

This 'generation snowflake' thing, (for the posters who are protesting), what would you call it? Child ignores instruction and gets a pertinent consequence that isn't life-threatening. Parents of disobedient child tell OP that it should be 'reported'.

If it were my child, child would have scratch kissed better and be told, "You were told, weren't you, that it's not nice to pull animals' tails. They don't like it. This is what happens when you do that. You won't do that again will you?".

At no point would I be blaming the OP for something my child did that she had been expressly told not to do.

I think 'generation snowflake' is a bit punchier - and a very accurate term.

Gabilan · 07/02/2018 19:02

Pleasebe I might. But if you're used to calling something by a particular name you don't tend to think about it that much.

caringcarer · 07/02/2018 19:03

My cat is so docile when a small child tried to sit on him he moved over in his basket to make room for them. He never scratches. Grin

alwaysme22 · 07/02/2018 19:05

Yep his paws are massive with claws to match. Mowgli is the only adult Bengal I know so don't know if those huge paws are a bengal thing.

OJZJ · 07/02/2018 19:05

Tell her poor Annie had to have emergency out of hours vets consultation and therapy, followed by extensive physio and massage as their tail is an extension of their spine and they need it for balance etc and Annie is now needing extensive therapy and rehabilitation following her traumatic experience of being assaulted in her own home and you shall be seeking financial reimbursements when the final bills have been settled in your favour!!Grin
And in real life YADNBU!! My friend's TWO year old yanked my poor Siamese' tail and soon regretted it.... my friends response (like most people's would have been)...... "It serves you right-you were told to leave him alone!"

SweetChickadee · 07/02/2018 19:08

The lady that runs our local cattery says Bengals often have webbed paws.

We have a young tabby with a bit of Bengal in him. He's totally adorable and more than a bit batshit Grin

spacewitch99 · 07/02/2018 19:22

I have had cats all my life. Just told my DD (9) this story. She was laughing her head off. And said those people are very stupid. Just like the police would do if they reported your cat.

LuxuryMilk · 07/02/2018 19:22

I need more Bengal photos. 7 whole pages and only 3 photos?! This is so wrong.

^Who the hell wants a "pet" that does this?

I will never understand cat lovers.^
I got my cat as a rescue kitten who’d been abused badly. He would bite and scratch for no real reason but I couldn’t exactly give him up. No one would have had him. Plus I quite enjoy loving to hate him.