[Kobster]

My Mom lives with me, she is disabled and has multiple health problems so for the past few years we've had periods of time where she would have teams of people coming to the house to help her with things. Like home health nurses and rehab therapists and such.

you may recall last year, thurston bit one hapless home health nurse and had to be quarantined for his efforts. (in home luckily)

So mom had a home health someone or another (they all run together after a while) come out the other day and I wasn't home but Mom tells me she comes into the living room and immediately notices the pets. Ninja walked up to her and before Mom could say anything, she swooped down, scooped him up in her arms, held him upside down then started kissing him all over his face and talking baby talk to him. Ninja didn't react to this, Mom said he looked bewildered (probably because this is what I do to him when he's being naughty, corporate cuddling) then he wiggled free. But what if he had freaked out and bit her on the face! Which he might have had every right to do! Strange woman! Picking up a cat you don't know without asking.

How can I protect my cats from these idiots? I cant' keep them locked in a separate room because I won't do that for long periods and I'm never sure when these people will show up. My mom can't lock them up before they get there, she can't even answer the door by herself. Should I call the agency and have them talk to their staff? Post a sign by the door?

I mean, I'm glad she thought my cat was irresistibly adorable (who can fault her, I can't resist him!) but show some restraint! What if she had done that to Thurston, he would have MAULED her!

Am I over-reacting? Would you ever go into a strangers home and pick up their pet and treat it like that without asking first?

 

[marie73]

Holy crap! Cleo would have left marks on her as she streaked out of her grasp!!!

I would contact the organizations who supply these workers and have them give specific instructions to these people. I have no doubt that in their employee manuals, there are specific instructions about pets - and what not to do. Maybe that woman has only had interractions with nice, friendly, cuddly kitties. Or she's an idiot.

 

[Cat'sHouse]

.
you may recall last year, thurston bit one hapless home health nurse and had to be quarantined for his efforts. (in home luckily)

Score: 1 for cat 0 for nurse. I'm sure the cat was only doing what it normally does, and perhaps the nurse got a lesson in cats 101...see below for more

.

How can I protect my cats from these idiots? .. Should I call the agency and have them talk to their staff? Post a sign by the door?

I would and I wouldn't stop at the receptionist who answers the phone...this goes for all agencies who may come to your home. Also, you might instigate a clipboard that requires them to sign in when they arrive. It is your right to know who enters from what agency while you are not there. Have Mom make sure they do and let her know this is for a liability issue and could be important in case one of them idiots trips over a cat dish and blames you for the injury.

.What if she had done that to Thurston, he would have MAULED her!

When you post the notice on the front door and again by the sign in sheet on the clipboard, identify Thurston and mention he is ............from a rescue..(?) and must not be picked up (or whatever the case is with him)..You might (if you feed treats) place some in a location for those nurses who do like cats and want to 'socialize' with them.

Am I over-reacting? Would you ever go into a strangers home and pick up their pet and treat it like that without asking first?

B
Not a bit.....you are protecting your 'friends' from those who don't know proper behavior when meeting an animal that they don't know....remember the father who wanted a snapshot of his son next to the lions cage? He forgot to tell the lion not to grab...son was lucky he didn't get killed..

I have always knelt down and offered my hand slowly with palms down for them to check me out....
No, never would I just pick up an animal without asking the owner first. What idiot would? I would wonder about this nurses other capabilities in relation to her duties...did you call and report her behavior after it happened?

How about a BEWARE OF CATS sign...and then below mention that not all of the cats you have are to be fondled? and again mention Thurston and how he likes to be left alone......then add a reference to the dummy nurse who got bit?

 

[MowMow]

Both my cats would have struggled free but I would have been just as offended for them as I would be if some stranger grabbed me and started molesting me.....

I would absolutely call the agency and explain proper behavior.

 

[catinthemirror]

I went through something similar recently with my younger brother's teenage friends. It really does amaze me how some people treat animals they don't know. They seem to have this sense that they're entitled to touch, handle, pick up... anything they want, without any concept of boundaries. It's very frustrating, because both my cats are skittish and easily frightened around strangers. Strangers chasing, grabbing, holding and yelling at them.. well who wouldn't be scared? Thankfully my problem resolved itself because my brother is no longer friends with the worst offenders (gee I wonder why... they seemed like SUCH nice kids :evil, and the ones that do come over now understand to behave gently with the cats. Or else.

In your situation I wouldn't hesitate to put up a sign and call the organizations to explain why you need anyone entering your house to be respectful of your cats. I think if you explain that when nervous, Thurston WILL hurt someone then they'll be more likely to understand your concern. Mention in your sign that your cats bite strangers and need to be left alone - that should get people to give them a wide berth! I like the idea of a sign in sheet too, but that might not work for your situation. But definitely don't hesitate to do whatever you need to get control of the situation.

Good luck, I hope you find a solution that works for you. It's so unbelievably frustrating to be worrying about your cats when they should be perfectly safe and comfortable in their own home.

 

[Kobster]

I like the beware of cats sign at the door. Its unusual enough and will likely start a conversation prior to anyone getting bit or scratched. Good job Ninja is so laid back! Thanks for the advise guys. I will be contacting that particular agency in the morning, problem is there are so many agencies and some use subcontractors, its just impossible to keep everyone in the loop!

 

[Cat'sHouse]

Sounds like more reason to have a sign in sheet. (so many agencies, people.) Not just for cat protection but for yours too should a sub contractor or someone employed directly have an incident other than contact with one of your cats. You would have a record of who came, and what time, and the time they left...easy form to find or make.

At work, (condominium security attendant), if a person wants to enter the building and isn't buzzed in by a resident, they have to sign in on my clipboard and show ID if I deem that necessary. Realtors also if they need access to the bldg. That way we know who and why they are here and the time they came and left....Not a big deal...no one objects.

It is your house and you have a right to do this.

and, by the clip board you can get a little sign...Beware _ MY CATS WILL DEFEND THEMSELVES IF NECESSARY---

:jump

 

[Mom of 4]

I don't think I would use the words defend themselves - non-cat people aren't likely to view themselves as someone that cats need to defend themselves against.

A simple "Please do NOT pickup or pet the cats - they startle easily. A scared cat may scratch or bite. Thank you."

 

[marie73]

or this - a picture of what happened to the last person who picked the cat up.....

 

[Kobster]

Hahah! Love it marie! The clip board idea is great! Will implement that this week!

 

[cinderflower]

My Mom lives with me, she is disabled and has multiple health problems so for the past few years we've had periods of time where she would have teams of people coming to the house to help her with things. Like home health nurses and rehab therapists and such.

you may recall last year, thurston bit one hapless home health nurse and had to be quarantined for his efforts. (in home luckily)

So mom had a home health someone or another (they all run together after a while) come out the other day and I wasn't home but Mom tells me she comes into the living room and immediately notices the pets. Ninja walked up to her and before Mom could say anything, she swooped down, scooped him up in her arms, held him upside down then started kissing him all over his face and talking baby talk to him. Ninja didn't react to this, Mom said he looked bewildered (probably because this is what I do to him when he's being naughty, corporate cuddling) then he wiggled free. But what if he had freaked out and bit her on the face! Which he might have had every right to do! Strange woman! Picking up a cat you don't know without asking.

How can I protect my cats from these idiots? I cant' keep them locked in a separate room because I won't do that for long periods and I'm never sure when these people will show up. My mom can't lock them up before they get there, she can't even answer the door by herself. Should I call the agency and have them talk to their staff? Post a sign by the door?

I mean, I'm glad she thought my cat was irresistibly adorable (who can fault her, I can't resist him!) but show some restraint! What if she had done that to Thurston, he would have MAULED her!

Am I over-reacting? Would you ever go into a strangers home and pick up their pet and treat it like that without asking first?

no, you are not overreacting. if i were you, i'd post a (clearly visible) sign by the door telling people there is a cat and not to grab it up.

having had multiple health care agencies in my home over the years, i can say with certainty that you can tell the agency you have cats, and this won't mean much. i did it specifically so they wouldn't send anyone with allergies, not because anyone grabbed my cat.

i only have one cat who's friendly to everyone, and she's 15. the fact that she's still so friendly is sort of amazing, considering that one CNA teased her (yes she was promptly fired when i found out what was going on--just so no one freaks out, when the CNA got the basins ready to give me a bed bath, diotima liked to put her paw in the water and splash it, so the girl splashed her back and diotima didn't like it. i didn't know this was going on but diotima grew to dislike the person and i asked why, because she never dislikes anyone. then she told me and said, "she (the cat) always has to win." so i said, "well, it's her house. don't you always like to win in your house?" ) i wouldn't consider that horrible abuse, but i didn't like it so i had her replaced.

i have had all kinds of reactions, from sneezing, red eyes and runny noses, to a woman actually screaming and trying to barricade herself in my bedroom with a folding chair, fending off a cat who wasn't even all that interested. i think he looked at her or something . she was screaming, "OH OH YOU HAVE CATS NO ONE TOLD ME YOU HAVE CATS."

fortunately i think what heppened to you was out of the ordinary, but never understimate the stupidity of some people. anyone with any sense knows better than to snatch a cat up and put it next to their face, unless they just hate having two eyes or something.

i refuse to have any healthcare agencies in my home because they annoy me so much. not because of things they've done to my cats, but stupid things they've done to me. if you absolutely need someone in, i guess they could shut the door to the bedroom, or you can tell the agency that you indeed have cats and not to send anyone who isn't comfortable with that. e-mail it to them if you want to be covered. and put a sign outside the door. then they can't say they didn't know. as far as your cats being accosted, i wouldn't worry too much about it. very few people are going to do what that woman did.

there is a lot of miscommunications that go on with these agencies. a good deal of the time you will be lucky the person even got the call to show up, let alone advise them of animals you do or don't have. the pay isn't that good and they often walk into situations you can't even imagine, so they quit all the time. on the other hand, you might get lucky and have the same person for years. and if you have lots of different ones for different reasons, um, good luck. (i can't deal with it.)