Flux just sliced open Hunter's paw :pale:

[Little_Vixen]

We let Hunter(our kitten) out a little bit before Jezebel because he'll wander around and usually curl up on the ottoman and watch outside. I got up early so I can eat and whatnot before work.

Suddenly I hear the worst torturous mewling I've ever heard.

Apparently while I was 10 feet away at my craft/computer desk, Hunter had jumped up onto a chair and put his paws up on the cage because he's stupidly curious about Flux. We've had this issue before.

Flux LOCKED onto him and no amount of eeping screams would get him to let go of Hunter's paw. I had to take the towel I was using as a blanket and cover him and smack him (albeit lightly) with the towel for him to let go of Hunter.

Hunter's pawpad is now almost ripped in two on the front and Flux is being a bit moody. This is the second time this has happened, but this time it has obviously bled and we got some triple antibiotic on it immediately.

The new cage can't come off it's stand to be set up on something where Hunter can't get to it. I'm not sure what to do here. I don't even know if Flux getting his neuter will help with this or not. He may just be cage territorial.

Any advice from cat & rat owners?

 

[Sheldon]

Well first I wonder if he needs sutures??

 

[Little_Vixen]

I don't -think- so. Gods I hope not, we don't have money right now to get him to the vet because we're still in the middle of a move. Hunter doesn't want to put too much pressure on it when he's sitting, but isn't obviously limping while he's walking or jumping and pouncing Jezebel.

 

[Little_Vixen]

The quickest we'd be able to get Hunter into the vet to get it looked at would be Thursday (payday) and the last time it happened there ended up being a sore and my vet just said to use triple antibiotic a few times a day until it goes away.

 

[Sheldon]

Well if you think it needs sutures it has to be in the first 24 hrs. I wish I was there and I'd do it. I can't help with future cat/rat scenarios because I don't have a cat. I will say that my rats have bitten my other rats when body parts have made it in.

 

[Joanne]

I have two young cats who are too interested in my rats, so I purchased some Scat Mats. The mat has a wire running through it. It is battery powered (although I think you can get plug in too). When you touch the mat, you get a shock. I put these around the cage so the cats can't get too close. People have commented that they thought that was cruel, but I point out that the cats have probably only been shocked once, the first time, where I have been shocked several times because I forget and then stand on the mat! LOL
Anyway, it keeps the rats safe. In your case, it would keep the kitten safe, although if he hasn't learned by now...

 

[jorats]

Poor kitty! But I can understand why Flux did that, 1, he's hormonal and 2, it's a cat! a natural predator.
I'm sure Hunter will no longer go near the cage with that much of a wound. Make sure it's only the pad that's cut and not the skin. If it's the skin, the cat will need sutures. They don't heal like rats.

 

[Little_Vixen]

Jorats: He's done this one other time, we thought Flux had only grabbed his claw because we saw no blood, but it looks that he ended up getting the pad because he ended up with a sore coincidentally on the same paw. He keeps staring at the cage every once in awhile about a foot or two from it, twitching his little kitten tail. His mother was a feral and we nursed him from 3 weeks on, but there is a reason he is called Hunter. -_- Flux was having out time on the bed, Hunter (not named at the time) was wandering around and we were keeping an eye on both. Suddenly, the 5 week old kitten POUNCES Flux... who remained cool and calm and booked it away from the kitten. Luckily he didn't bite or get bit then.

His paw is looking good, I checked it a little while ago. He was very unhappy with being manhandled, but he seems OK.

Flux is back to his happy self. So long as the other animals don't stick their paws (or in Jezebel's case her nose day 2 of him being in the new cage) in or on the cage.