Cat has hurt the postman - help!

[rainbowsweets]

Apologies as I have already posted this to the litter tray but I need quick advice as in a bit of a state right now.

I heard a bit of a commotion when the post was delivered this morning. I found the cat hanging on to the letterbox, and looked outside to see the postman with a bloody hand. So the cat scratched/attacked him when he was putting the letter through.

I couldn't go out as I was on a work call, but I feel very guilty and worried. I feel bad for him, but I don't know what to do - do I call RM and apologise?

Could I be in trouble for the cat's actions? Or can the cat be in trouble or PTS for being vicious?

I will have to lock him away from the door every morning I suppose (if they don't cancel the delivery) as I don't think a cage will fit on the door to shield the letters.

Advice appreciated.

My sister's cat did this to a temporary post person (the regular one had realised not to stick fingers through) though my sister had not realised till she got a letter through saying her post could be delivered elsewhere unless she took action.

She got a box fitted on the door which has stopped the cat attacks now.

Why is he putting his hand through? my postman doesn't do that.

I’ve just had a look, the national number will supply you with your local office details.

I would personally contact the national number, explain the situation and ask that you'd like to speak to your local sorting office to explain that you were unable to come to the door but you have taken action to prevent it happening in future and to pass on your sincere apologies.

Presumably too late to do this now, but to anyone else: if you see anyone get a cat scratch or bite injury, ask them to come in and show them where they can give the wound a really good wash in hot soapy water. Then dry with a clean tissue, disinfect and put on a plaster. A good thorough wash-out with soapy water is the best immediate step after an injury and can save you from antibiotics. I once had a deep cat bite and it got horribly infected (swollen up like a rubber glove full of water, and I developed a fever); I had to have it drained at the doctors and ended up taking a couple of days off work.

Unless you can get through to your local sorting office I doubt any call to someone sat in a national call centre will get anywhere.

You should have gone out immediately, but seeing as you didn't:

1. Get a cage or something for your letterbox immediately.
2. Watch out for postie tomorrow, intercept him and apologies unreservedly, and check that he is ok re: broken skin etc.

Some of these responses are completely mental, it’s a scratch from a cat, not a mountain lion. He’s hardly bleeding out on her doorstop.
OP, don’t stress, use a guard on the inside and he can stop pushing his hands right into the slot.

It seems I can't speak to the local office unless I go down there and it closes at 10am.

I have ordered a letterbox bag from Amazon and hope that will sort things.

We don't often get post on Saturdays and it's always a different person but I will watch out anyway.

You should really have liability insurance for your pets.

poor postman hope he is ok. can't belive the op did nothing.

If you have household contents policy the liability section covers you.
Can you put up an external letter box?

I froze. It was only a few seconds and I made the wrong decision at the time. I regret it now and want to make amends but not sure how.

Put a postbox on your wall OP.

https://www.diy.com/departments/hardware/door-furniture/letter-boxes/DIY580756.cat

This 😀

OT.
But why does the UK have letter slots straight into your house? So weird and creepy. Anyone could put anything through straight into your house!!!.

I would leave it for today but maybe try and catch him tomorrow and apologise. I would be getting an external post box put on your wall somewhere asap. We have to have one due to the dogs. At least that way the postman can see you are being proactive about it.

Cats carry all sorts of horrible bacteria. A bite or scratch which breaks the skin from a cat very often requires antibiotics.

Besides which, it's a dick move to witness someone getting hurt and not help them.

How can a work call possibly trump going to assist someone your animal has attacked?

Many houses used to be terraced straight onto the street type houses with narrow footpaths it made more sense to put it on the door

If she saw he had a bloody hand from looking out the window, then it must have been a good old bite. I have cats. They sometimes scratch. No one looking at me through a window or from feet away would see a bloody hand. Scratches don’t normally leave you actually bloody.

I technically should not have even left my desk during the work call, wfh doesn't mean I can do household things and slot work in, it means I have to be as I am in the office.

I can’t believe that you didn’t terminate the call but it is done. I personally would go down to the Post office first thing and apologies and take some tea, coffee and biscuits and explain that you have put a bag on the door letter flap etc better late than never. .

Please get a first aid kit immediately - I have one for the house and one for the car containing everything from tick remover to cold sore patches and burn gel and I check them regularly. Also have bottles of dettol, surgical spirit, tcp etc, thermometers, etc

If an emergency happened in the office, you’d say “There’s been an accident” and leave your desk.
If there is an emergency when wfh, you say, “There’s been an accident, excuse me.” And you go.

My BIL is a postman and had the same thing happen to him but it was a dog the other side of the letterbox and the top of his finger got bitten off. Now he has no nail/top of finger.

There was nothing legal to be done as the dog was on private property. So I doubt you have anything to worry about.

And if some one ran into your office with a cat attacking them you would stop and help - especially if it was your cat.