Suddenly I’m no longer against declawing cats
I’ve always known that Minerva is the big protective mama cat; any time Rowdi has messed with one of her sister cats, Minerva has been the one to ferociously attack the dog and let her know that it is NOT okay to harm her little cubs. I have assumed, however, that Minerva loves me above all others. As we always say to each other, “You’re the sweetest and the cutest, and I love you the best!” (I’m the only one who says this out loud.) I found out tonight that I am not, in fact, number one in Minerva’s world. When it came down to a perceived fight between Sydney and me, my bebe chose Sydney and let me know in no uncertain terms.
Everything was going as expected: We leave tomorrow morning at i’ll-freeze-to-death-thirty, so I am doing laundry and dishes, cooking dinner, unpacking the gifts we ordered from Amazon, packing for the trip, moving furniture around so we can *finally* put up the Christmas tree, moving our new elliptical machine (thanks, Old Flemings!) to its place, and finishing the Christmas decorations. (There’s still a whole week until Christmas and two weeks until they have to come down.)
Suddenly I heard a wretched noise coming from the window next to the china cabinet. Sydney had apparently tried to jump down from the china cabinet to the window ledge and had managed to tangle herself up in the cord for the window blinds. I couldn’t tell if she was strangling herself or had her foot caught, but she was fighting hard with the cord and moaning angrily, as fighting cats do. I dropped what I was doing and ran to her. I grabbed her and lifted her up so that if she was strangling, the pressure would be off her neck and I could figure out how to get her down. Meanwhile, Frank was on his way over. Sydney started fighting with *me* now, slashing my left arm with amazing strength (and depth of slash). I was trying to get Sydney out of the cord (her foot was tangled up in it) and fight her off at the same time. Suddenly, I heard another vicious yell from behind me and felt cat claws punching me over and again in the back of my right thigh: Minerva was attacking me. So now I was trying to help Sydney, save my own arm, and free myself from Minerva. She nailed me several times and then jumped away. At the same time, Sydney managed to get loose of the cord and jump down to the kitchen bar. Not pleased that I was still standing, Minerva thrashed me some more, and Frank arrived and pulled Minerva off of me. By this time, I was on my knees, writhing in pain. (I am a wuss like you would not believe.) Rogue joined the party and head-butted me while cooing. Head-butting is how Rogue tells you it’s time to pet her. NOT NOW! TOO BUSY HAVING MY LEGS RIPPED APART TO PET YOU!
This all happened in a matter of fifteen seconds, if that, from the time I heard Sydney to the time Frank pulled Minerva off of me. I don’t blame her — she arrived late to the scene and thought I was harming Sydney, and she was just trying to protect her precious girl. Knowing that she chooses Sydney over me does kind of sting a bit, but as I am severely injured, my physical pain takes precedence over the pain of betrayal.
I’m going to show you my naked thigh now — I normally wouldn’t do this because of my whole modesty thing, but I’m pretty sure there is zero chance of any of you lusting after my cottage cheesy thigh. You’ll be too horrified by the wounds to lust anyway.
Looks like Spike and Angel had a party on my leg!
Not great pictures, but you understand. There are more wounds not pictured (the back of my right calf, my left arm, the outside of my knee, the top of my thigh). Oh, and guess who has no alcohol or peroxide in the entire house? I did manage to clean everything with Neosporin, but I went through every band-aid we have (including my Dr. Seuss ones, which didn’t even manage to make my boo-boos feel better), and I was still only able to cover half the wounds.
As to the pain. If you imagined me bawling throughout the shenanigans, you imagined correctly. The cat brought me to my knees. I took my jeans off right there in the livingroom floor, just in case they were making things worse. That didn’t help. I went ahead and took off all my clothes and put on my least scratchy nightgown. Not too helpful either. It’s about an hour later, and everything still stings.
Whatever you do, never try to help a cat if another cat is nearby. They will cut you, man. I feel silly for ever worrying that Rowdi might hurt the cats. As long as The Enforcer is around, Rowdi wouldn’t stand a chance, even with her big pit bull jaws. Thank goodness I dropped her off for boarding this afternoon. I don’t even want to think about what would have happened if she were here. She probably would have run to help Sydney and me, and she would have ended up with a worse thrashing than I received.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I know three cats who are getting their nails trimmed. Plus I still have all that other stuff to do (except the dishes - Frank did them for me.)
Those are some really nasty scratches!
December 19th, 2008 at 2:36 amYeah, I was going to suggest that you trim their nails. My theory has always been ‘it’s easier to trim the nails of all the cats, than to try and put eye cream in the scratched eye of one of them.’
Ask me how I know! LOL!
between my two cats, the fat one would be the one trying to get pets in the middle of a fight, and the new boy cat I have seems to be a wimp. He’s getting in fights, but seems to be on the losing end each time.
And I know just how nasty scratches and worse from cats can hurt. It’s a very persistent pain.
I’m not sure any cat I’ve ever had would have any sort of maternal instinct enough to protect the other cats in the house. All my kitties have been pretty dumb.
December 19th, 2008 at 7:17 amAs Rachel says, “Cats are ********”.
(Your blog, your rules)
:)
I’ve been attacked by a cat before (my step-mothers). It wasn’t fun.
I don’t recommend peroxide because it kills the good cells too. It makes healing slower and increases the likely-hood of scars. The best thing is triple-antibiotic. Luck You! Just what you used. Use it 3 to 5 times a day. Watch to see if any of them puff up or turn yellow - that’s when it is time for the alcohol and oxide.
Also, at least you can punch a dog if it bites you. What can you do with a cat? Kicking it isn’t satisfying enough…. /evil snicker
December 19th, 2008 at 7:20 amI went through a similar thing with my big fat kittie PJ. He was the sweetest, but so protective of his siblings. I stepped on Molly’s tail by accident once and holy cow, PJ came runnin from clear across the house and tore me to shreds.
My mom’s one of those people who panics, so she kept insisting I go get checked out for Cat Scratch Fever. Now tell me that didn’t make you giggle at least a little bit!
December 19th, 2008 at 7:53 amGoodness. Minerva got you but good. Never had any of the cats when I was little attack me that badly.
I do remember my family was moving and a siamese we had freaked out and refused to leave the old house. Tore my Dad’s arms up trying to get away, but the old man just took it.
December 19th, 2008 at 9:45 amYikes! And you had on jeans?
December 19th, 2008 at 1:07 pmThose look owwieee! I hate to speak ill of the bebe, but those pix tell me she BIT you along with the scratches. See those purple holes on the right in that top pic you posted? If you are brave, open up Minerva’s mouth and look at where the teeth are. Definitely a bite. Frank must give you extra sympathy for at least a week now, and possibly extra shoulder rubs to make you feel better.
December 19th, 2008 at 5:57 pmI felt sooooo guilty for having Dude declawed, but I’m revising that guilt a little after seeing THOSE photos. Sheesh. That’s gruesome.
I hope you feel better soon, dearest of blogmommies… :(
December 19th, 2008 at 10:11 pmI was, indeed, wearing jeans, which now sport several good snags.
Y’all should see it today. Around the double vampire bite area, there is a big purple bruise, circular around each of the four punctures. It looks nasty. Still hurts, too. I couldn’t sleep on the plane this morning, because I couldn’t get my leg to a position where it didn’t hurt.
December 19th, 2008 at 10:14 pmp.s. Jon: I meant to send the link to Rachl Lukis this morning.
December 19th, 2008 at 10:15 pmOh, yikes! You are not kidding about the protective streak. (And this is the reason I would rather give my cat hairball goo every day than ever attempt to brush her.) Hope everything is healing nicely.
December 19th, 2008 at 11:42 pmIf those are in fact bites and not scratches keep an eye on them, please. Last thing you want is an infection because of the bacteria in a kitties mouth. Not that you have potty mouthed kitties, well, you know what I mean.
December 20th, 2008 at 8:23 amA friend had her hand blow up in size from a cat bite on her thumb, and it was one of her own kitties. She didn’t think much of the bite (she washed her hands with soap and water to clean the bite wound), until the next day when she saw the size of her hand and had to go to the doctors.
I hope you can sit comfortably soon.
I’m happy to report that my wounds are healing nicely. I only have pain if I hit the bruise hard-ish, which I don’t, not on purpose anyway.
And so far, no sign of infection.
December 20th, 2008 at 11:11 pmnot long ago, i too would have giggled with erica about “cat scratch fever”. this summer, nephew on hubby’s side got really sick. he was lethargic and lost about 20 lbs in a month (was average weight to begin with). the doctors expected to find cancer but, thankfully, the tests came back as cat scratch fever. he had been in a tussle with one of his mom’s cats a couple months earlier. i am thankful that was all it was but it is taking him a long time to recover from the illness. here’s hoping that it is as uncommon as i would have thought because i would not wish that sickness on anyone!
December 22nd, 2008 at 3:00 pmwow! sorry for your pain babykins. meanwhile, i accidentally stepped on the free range cat and all she did was wrap her claws around my leg and give me just the slightest of a mark. almost like she knew i didn’t mean to but had to find a way to tell me to get off of her firmly. guess free range is better! hahahahahahahaha
December 22nd, 2008 at 3:22 pmWow, that looks painful. My kitten Bugger fell in the toilet the other day trying to drink out of it (LOL)
but the bad part–had to give him a bath. Sheesh that hurt >.
April 8th, 2009 at 3:57 pmSorry to see that,but for 1,your cats cubs or family will ALWAYS be number 1 over you or anyone,your always second,its like you choosing your cat over your kids,or sister,ect.Not likely right? well same with cats. 2nd,Dont forget that cats arent humans,so,that being said there not exactly as smart as humans,hense why there called animals,chances are your cat didnt know weather you were hurting or helping that other cat,so of course,like anyone who cares about someone they would try and save them,if you were an animal and you didnt know im sure you’d do that same thing,again,thats why there animals and not humans.3rd,Declawing is and ALWAYS will be wrong,selfish,stupid and inhuman.No matter what they do,there will NEVER be a reason,and in most of the world,is actually illigel. Maybe before getting a cat read up on it,they do things in there nature,how would you feel if someone pulled all your nails out cause you gave someone a boo boo? probly not good,exactly.Scrtaching,among other things is in there nature,you should know this,if you dont like it DONT OWN A CAT!!! Give your cat to someone else instead of tourchuring it by declawing it.Iv gotten worse scratches then you by just playing with them,i dont care,it happens,its life,get over it,its an animal.Online is a bad place to make people feel sorry for you.
June 18th, 2009 at 3:38 pmCATS RULE!!!!!!
Oh, driveby girl, I don’t even know where to start with your stupid comment. But here, I’ll give it a shot.
If you were a regular reader, you would understand that I will never again declaw a cat. I did that to one cat, before I learned that you’re cutting off the finger at the first knuckle when you declaw a cat. It’s cruel. So NEVER AGAIN. You would know this if you read the site.
Another reason I would never declaw the cats: giant pit bull / shepherd mix that lives with them. They need to be able to defend themselves if she ever decides to attack one of them. She WON’T, because they’re part of her pack, but I would never take away their biggest defense.
If you were a regular, you would also know that I love my cats more than any person, except maybe my husband. Minerva, the cat that did to me, is my BABY.
If you’d ever read this blog before, you’d know that 50% of what is said here is in jest. And that the title is sarcasm. Here’s a link to the definition if you need it: sarcasm. See also: sense of humor.
Another thing: online is a GREAT place to make people feel sorry for you. But that’s not what I was going for here. My niche here is telling real-life stories.
One last thing: Your grammar is atrocious, and you need to go back to 7th grade.
June 19th, 2009 at 9:33 amMy kitten was rescued from the streets as an orphan. She was cold and hungry with little chance to live more than a few months. If I were in that situation and someone told me I could have a warm home, ample food and be loved and basically treated like a god but it would cost me the top third of my fingers in a professional surgery, my answer would be the same as yours. Do it! I think it’s funny the same people who cry about declawing are usually the same people that preach spaying and castrating. (Sorry, neutering sounds less inhumane.)
January 12th, 2010 at 8:11 amI won’t actually declaw a cat unless it’s 100% necessary–I don’t consider scratched-up furniture a necessary reason, for example. And when I know people who are going to declaw, I make sure they know what it is, but I try not to lecture, because I agree that the sacrifice of the third of the finger is probably worth it for them when they’re rescued w/o much chance of surviving the streets.
January 13th, 2010 at 10:32 am