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.

Omg finally someone with sense.
Someone saying dangerous cat 🤣 Get a grip

When my parents old blind dog nipped the postman in the garden, RM sent a letter explaining what had happened, asked my parents to try and make sure it didn’t happen again, and if it did happen again they may consider stopping deliveries (so post would need to be picked up from the office). My dad put a lockable box on the garden gate, problem solved.

I do think some of the reactions here are a bit silly. The OP could have been at work elsewhere and not known what her cat had done. I would have thought that a post(wo)man would carry an antiseptic wipe with them at all times to deal with scratches from peoples' aggressive animals and they would knock/call for help if they needed it.

Although I also wonder why people keep animals that have a go at humans - it's usually dogs but clearly in this case a cat. How is it fun to have a reactive animal?

tbf, a cat could easily think that something coming through the letter box was a game or prey.

OP if I was you I would contact Royal Mail to get in touch with the person involved as well as to let them know what you will do to ensure the situation never happens again, to ensure they keep delivering to you.

A house on my street had a similar situation but with their pet dog, the dog harmed the delivery man and as the driver complained Royal Mail have not delivered to them since as they have not provided any assurance that this could never happen again, so she now has to collect everything from the depot.

also, prepare yourself for a claim. They absolutely can and should claim against you for this if it has caused injury. You really should have insurance as this is something that insurance would cover!

You are being utterly ridiculous. That is what is funny. 😂

Of course it’s a minor event. It’s not as if he was collapsed on the floor, screaming for help with half his hand hanging off. I dread to think what some of you would be like in an actual emergency. 🙄

oh THE DRAMA!!

also, prepare yourself for a claim. They absolutely can and should claim against you for this if it has caused injury. You really should have insurance as this is something that insurance would cover!

That is so not going to happen. Claiming for a cat scratch? It is not fair to try and panic OP.

Buy some chocolates and go to the sorting office tell them your cat scratched the postman on this day at this address. You were on a call but wanted to apologise and ask of they can pass on your apology and chocolate.

There's nothing else you can do.

Wow we're living for the drama today aren't we.
OP call the national line, see if you can find out who it was. Apologise and explain you're putting some measures in to make sure it doesn't happen again. Done. Ideally yes you would've gone to him immediately and you've accepted that. Don't let some of this hysteria bother you.

That really is a bonkers excuse. So you’re telling me when you wfh you don’t interact with your cat at all? Don’t chill on the sofa during your lunch break? Don’t open the door to any deliveries?

Can't believe you didn't go out there, work call or not. Your pet has just attacked someone and you basically hod behind a work call instead of taking accountability for your cat being able to get to the door and do that

Get an outside wall mounted letterbox possible

Letterbox

Good god, everyone else here is absolutely perfect, acts correctly and instantly in any situation or crisis, has never frozen for a second, unsure what to do and then the moment has passed... What a delight to be in the presence of such paragons of virtue!

Back in the real world @rainbowsweets - it was an accident, one you had not foreseen nor could not reasonably foresee!

Now you are aware, you are responsible for preventing it happening again.

Sign on the door now - 'do NOT put fingers through letter box - cat inside!'.

Order bag/cage/external postbox from wherever - great that you've already done this.

Consider preventing cats access to the door at post times - difficult to do in many cases but clearly your cat found this stressful so if you can, it would be beneficial for them.

Consider behaviour modification for cat to help them deal better with stressful stuff (pairing letterbox sounds/stuff through it with tasty treats perhaps, Feliway diffuser in the hall maybe, check cat for new pain/discomfort in case thats making your cat more stressed).

If possible - find out which delivery person this was and apologise and let them know what action you've taken to prevent this happening again.

We can't all be perfect in the moment - however we CAN be quick to take responsibility and prevent things happening again and it generally goes in your favour when it comes to legal action, should there be any.

Not the point of the thread I know, but OP, how do you not have plasters in the house? Have you literally never cut yourself?!

I personally don't like them, they gross me out (sorry; just a personal thing) I just dap with a tissue and throw away.

Missing the point of the thread completely, but what really left me gobsmacked is that Op said that she doesn't have any plasters in the house, I mean WTF. 😲

As a dog owner it’s refreshing to see the overreaction and drama directed towards a cat for a change.

Opps cross posted.

It’s getting dafter. 😂😂

Some MNers would have you in stocks/court or prison.

NOTHING is going to happen!! There is the remotest of chances that Royal Mail will contact you and ask you to take steps to avoid it happening again. But I highly doubt it.

Can’t believe some of the replies here and I’ve had 4 cats in total (not all at once!).

Yes if it’s a cat bite the postman should get it checked and see if his tetanus jabs are up to date. He might need antibiotics if the cut gets infected or is deep but he’s highly unlikely to need stitches.

OP has said it happened in a matter in minutes and the postman had gone by the time she got to the door. The solution of the bag/box is good. A sign would be great “beware of the cat!”.

It would be a good idea to have a small first aid kit with plasters and TCP just for general cuts not just random cat ones.

I had a time when I didn't as I got fed up of having soggy skin.

After cutting my finger while cooking and needing to cover it, I am very well stocked.

A dog even a gentle breed like a Labrador can cause serious damage to a face (French woman Isabelle Dinoire, now sadly deceased). I’ve never heard of a domestic cat doing this.

This. Cats have no protection in law, but that also absolves a cat owner of an attack.

I was attacked by a cat on a farm years ago {Probably a brain tumour} I needed medical attention, and GP thought it was a fox attack.

Definitely didn't occur to me to sue the cat owner . {Entire male cat, had attacked the farmer, too}

I don't have plasters in the house either and I'm an adult, the adhesive brings me out in lumps.

And, OP, ignore all those arseholes having a go at you, if you'd been in the office you wouldn't have been able to help the postie because you wouldn't have been there!