Friend said my cat attacked her

[Panther40]

Friend is a full time pet sitter and I have 2 male cats, I sometimes book her to look after them when I'm away.
Both males are older and very affectionate, they like just sitting with you all day but still a little playful sometimes.

Got them together a year ago and neither have ever scratched or bitten or anything like that. One will occasionally bat you playfully, anyway friend has sat for them several times.

She was talking about another cat she sits for who's bitten and scratched her. She then dropped into the conversation 'Oh your cat scratched me 3 times but I just accept it for what it is."

I was surprised because she'd never mentioned it, i asked her what had happened, she said she'd tried to stroke him and he did that. I felt bad because as I say he's never done it to me or my partner before, I felt embarrassed really.

Not sure what I could do? I mean there's no way of knowing with these things or if I could prevent it but I do feel bad.

He didn’t attack her. He scratched her. Massive difference imo.
i was looking after a cat last week, and he scratched me, coz I am a stranger and did something that made him feel uncomfortable. (He doesn’t like tummy rubs - despite proferring said tummy for rubs).

it’s no big deal

Cats are cats. They scratch on occasion as it’s their defense. She says she was only trying to pet him but who knows? She seems to accept it as part of the job so leave it. I mean if the cats scratched you as well you can train them to some extent but if they’ve never exhibited that behaviour with you not sure how you can do that!

She's not asking you to do anything or feel bad though. She's mentioned she got scratched 3 times and that par for the course. No fall out, no harsh accusations, just one of those things.

It's not like a dog attack. Cats just scratch sometimes.

You wouldn't mention it specifically if you were catsitting - it's part of the job. Don't worry!

It's just as I've never seen them scratch anyone before, they're very gentle and love being stroked, I just wonder exactly how it happened but I will never know I guess.

They've limited ways and means to communicate, and your cat was using one of them. You and your partner are most probably more in tune with your cats, and your cats are more tolerant and relaxed of you, so the cat has never felt the need to deploy the clawsies.

They've met her quite a few times now so I thought maybe they'd be more relaxed but who knows.

Sounds like your cat doesn't like her very much.

Cats behave differently towards people who aren't their trusted owners.
One of my cats loves a belly rub. I said to my adult DSS to go ahead as she likes that. She wrapped her legs round his hand and scratched and bit him. We were both quite surprised!
Don't give it another thought.

She’s a pet sitter it’s part of the job description. Animals are unpredictable

It happened because all cats scratch. That's kind of their whole thing. You can't seriously think your one is incapable of it? It's no big deal. I've been scratched loads of times by every cat I've ever owned!

It's a cat. They have sharp claws. Sometimes they end up scratching you. Especially when playing.

Your title is misleading. The cat did not attack your friend.

Of course I know he's capable of it, I'm just surprised that he did it simply from being stroked. Maybe he was just overstimulated..

Scratched is quite different from attacked! Sounds like she stroked the cat when he didn’t want to be stroked and that’s how she got scratched. It’s not a massive deal, cats be cats, and she didn’t have to try to stroke him - she’s experienced with cats, she won’t be holding a grudge or anything.

You are totally overthinking this.
You have nothing to be embarrassed about. You didn't scratch her.

Are you really trying to psychoanalyse the cat? 🤣

My cat is very affectionate (especially mealtimes!), will come and sit on your lap, loves being stroked etc. When fully relaxed, he will stretch out onto his back, and is fine with gentle tummy strokes, but if you make the mistake of trying the same thing when he’s playful and rolling around on the floor, he’s like a wild beast! I often think if he was lion-sized, I’d be long gone by now!
Maybe your cat-sitter mistimed her approach!

So you think she was mistreating him? Or he hates her?

I once had a cat who was a lovely, placid, affectionate boy with everyone except for one of my boyfriends. For some unknown reason he hated him on first sight and bit him at every available opportunity 🤣 Cats are inscrutable arseholes, it’s why we love them 🤷‍♀️ The cat lasted longer than the boyfriend obviously, I trusted his judgement.

My very friendly cat swipes when she's had enough petting if you're not watching her carefully. Very normal cat behaviour. Anyone who works with cats knows this. Maybe have their nails trimmed before going away, that's what I do, less damage!

She knows that it scratches and is fine with it. If I were you I'd just warn other visitors and carers that the cat isn't friendly so they don't get scratched if they aren't as understanding as her.

I was going into friend’s house to feed their cat while they were away. Because the cat was on his own I spent some time stroking and talking to him. We were getting on really well then one morning I was talking and petting him as usual when I noticed a sharp thing - probably a thorn on his blanket. I said “Oh! What is this Billy ?” I went to take it off the blanket when he spat at me and bit me.Blood everywhere. I put my hand under the tap and bound it with tissues and departed with haste.At home I washed it again and put germolene etc on it and bandaged it.My hand swelled up and it took some time to recover. When I went in that evening to feed him. He came around as if we were the best of friends. I was too nervous to respond and just said “you’ve got a hope mate” and fed him. Didn’t tell my friend in case it upset her. A couple of years after I mentioned it casually and she said he hated to have his chest touched and probably thought that was what I was going to do when attempting to take the thorn off his blanket.

I used to catsit and got scratched sometimes. I never mentioned it to the owners unless I thought there was something wrong.

There was one cat only the boss went to visit and she had to wear gardening gloves and thick walking trousers because the cat really would attack!

OK, I'll try to not to think about it, I'm just thinking, why mention it to me?

Maybe she was hoping you’d say ‘oh yes, I’m afraid he sometimes does that if…xyz’ and she’d know for future reference?