Cat bit DS

[RussianDoll777]

Long time lurker here.
Our 2 year old cat loves my DS (10), follows him everywhere and is on his lap at every opportunity.
Tonight, she jumped on his lap, then out of nowhere grabbed his hand with her paws and bit him, drawing blood! He wasn’t even stroking her at the time, he was on the laptop.
The bite mark itself is very small and only a drop of blood but I understand he may need antibiotics?
DCat does tend to go a bit crazy in the evenings (as in zoomies etc) but I’ve never seen her behave aggressively before, and especially not to DS who she seems to love!

Should I be preventing her getting onto his lap? He has always treated her very gently and has never lifted her onto his lap, she is up there as soon as he sits down! Is this in the limits of normal cat behaviour?

Biting is very normal for cats in all sorts of scenarios. Mine just attacked me whilst sitting on the sofa having a stroke. She’d just had enough, got overstimulated and was telling me to get off. It’s not what I’d call aggressive. I just freeze and she lets go, does not really do any damage.
I would not be leaving a cat in the questionable care of a two year old. All he’s got to do is squeeze too hard or move wrong and the cat could get fed up and let him know. I would not be letting him hold her if your worried about him getting bitten or scratched.

I think the cat is 2 and DS is 10 :)

DS is 10 🙂Sounds totally normal cat tbh. With a minor scratch/bite wash it and stick some Germolene on it. It shouldn’t need ABs unless it becomes infected.

One of ours bites routinely - and scratches! I think she just gets over-stimulated sometimes and she's like an overgrown kitten and thinks she's playing!!

Something probably spooked her and she panicked. Or she was looking for his attention.

Shouldn't think he will need antibiotics for something so small.

Cats are arseholes. Could have been absolutely anything why it's lashed out.

Wouldn't be getting on my knee though after that. If it continues watch some Jackson galaxy on YouTube. He's pretty good.

But yes, cat bits can get nasty. Give it a good clean out with soap and water and get it looked at maybe.

It’s a cat thing.

They do that to their cat siblings too. Bite them or claw them or pounce on them when they want a play fight. No matter if the sibling is asleep or not interested!

So you get to the stage when you can read their body language and know when to stop or whatever. If you’re lucky.

It’s sweet the cat loves your son. I’d call it a love bite. The cat doesn’t know humans have pathetic thin skin. The cat didn’t mean to hurt him.

Check with your gp or 111 to see if he needs a shot.

Totally normal. You need to squeal like dcats siblings would when they would be bitten too hard so they learn not to do it too hard. My own young 1 year old Dfloof has learnt how hard she can get away with play biting between myself and her 7 year old older brother.
If she won't stop she gets unceremoniously dumped on the floor so the attention is withdrawn for bad behaviour.

Thank you for all your replies, really helpful.
Yes my DS is 10, and the cat is 2.
DS is a bit upset, especially as it was so entirely unprovoked!
I’ll keep an eye on the bite mark and an even closer eye on the little furry madam! Glad it’s considered fairly normal cat behaviour though.
Thanks again.

It's probably because he had the laptop on his lap. She wanted his attention. Mine does this if I ignore her when she's a bit hyper, usually in the evening. Probably won't need antibiotics if it's just a scratch. A deep bite is a different matter though. Wash it thoroughly.

our cat will bite sometimes if she’s sat with my DD & she moves her hands around too much! She also bites me sometimes when I’m stroking her! I’ve never got antibiotics though, I just put germolene on & always been fine!

The older of our two rescue cats used to want to be stroked after her dinner at night. Most of the time she would settle down and sleep on her cat tree in the utility room. Sometimes though she would lash out at me, scratching and biting.

I have a lifetime of experience with cats and sometimes I would read the room but other times it came out of the blue. Eventually, she started to dander over and sit on the tumble dryer when she had had enough.

I usually put Sudocrem on any scratches.

Our elderly boy used to chew on our arms - but his teeth were so bad, they didn't make a mark!!

It is a bit upsetting when they lash out at you, I know. Just explain to your DS that she's just being a cat, and it's not because she's cross with him or anything like that. Bless!

Both my cats bite for various reasons. They both think it is a sign of love - it is not appreciated and one gets over stimulated and gets cross.

However having experienced both their usual bites and a bite from one when they really meant it, they are two different things.

Full force bite was excruciating, deep and infection was obvious within minutes.

Little scratch I'd ignore, it's just cats being cats.

Do keep an eye on it, I rescued a cat from a dangerous situation and the poor thing was so scared it bit me. It was only superficial and a small amount of blood but 2 days later it became septic and I was in hospital on an antibiotic drip!
The doctor said most cat bites and even cat scratches need antibiotics.

watch out for the swishy tail!

well that's what I do - it's always a pre cursor to a bite with mine

Two of mine are biters.

One gives clear warning signs that he's had enough and never bites hard, just an added warning that he doesn't want to be touched anymore.

The other is still a kitten and just launched surprises attacks whenever he feels like it 😂

Mine bit me the other night because she didn't like how I stroked her. She scratches a lot too, trying to 'hook' my hand to bring it closer to her so she can be stroked.

The doctor is a loon. Cat owners would be on antibiotics continuously. My cat is a bastard, but also fab. Some cats just occasionally lose a screw. We have had so many bites and scratches over the years. Some bites have left bruises they were so deep. DD also worked in a cattery, they just sploshed their wounds into buckets of disinfectant. Wash out and antiseptic. Keep an eye, but honestly, never heard of anyone other than on MN getting infected.

I agree - I'd never be away from the doctor's! Imagine those amazing people who work in cat rescue and all the scratches/bites they must get!

I actually owe my very existence to a cat!! My grandad's first wife was milking the cows 80+ years ago, and giving milk to the cats. One scratched her badly, and she developed septicemia and died! A few years' later, he remarried, my grandma, and they had my mum!! True story.

I guess it was always a given that I would be a mad cat lady.

The doctor is a loon

Maybe the majority of cat bites that get seen by doctors but definitely not the majority of cat bites.

I mean just for my own personal experience with my cats 0.000001% of bites have needed antibiotics.

Another cause of being used as a chew toy is bleach/chlorine. It sends cats batshit crazy and makes cleaning or relaxing after coming back from swimming fraught with hazard.

‘Never heard of anyone other than on MN getting infected’

Are you implying I’m lying?! Why on earth would I do that? I cleaned the wound and left it and 2 days later I had a serious infection. Just my experience.
Also calling the doctor a loon - of course you know more than a medical professional and the NHS advice. I just looked it up and it agrees with what the doctor told me and my experiences.

https://www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-and-conditions/injuries/skin-injuries/animal-and-human-bites/#:~:text=If%20the%20bite%20has%20broken,centre%20or%20minor%20injuries%20unit.

I didn’t say that the child’s bite would get infected just that had been my experience and to keep an eye on it which is sensible and the recommended advice.

So, no need to be rude and dismissive. Sure the DS will be fine but it’s important to know that cat bites CAN cause serious infections.

Also, it’s a silly statement to say cat owners be on antibiotics all the time! Maybe read about cat body language and stop putting yourself in the position to get continually bitten?! I had cats for decades and only ever got a superficial nip in play!

That’s so interesting. I’m fairly new to being a cat mum and have noticed my little dcat often attacks when I get home from swimming. She chews at my hair.