Once bitten, twice shy: How to pick a better cat

Dear Dr. Forsythe: My mother, who is 87, lost her longtime feline companion last fall. After struggling to decide whether to get another cat, she discovered a two-year-old female at the local shelter and “fell in love.” We picked up the new kitty and took her to mom’s apartment. The cat was curious, but also affectionate, rubbing up against both me and my mom.  Later that night, mom called me in a panic. Kitty had started circling the room, making distressed cries, and hopped on the sofa and bit my mother!  She tried to comfort the cat, but it scratched her. Mom was terrified, and ended up sleeping with her bedroom door closed that night. The next morning Mom decided she could not trust kitty, and was afraid of her. We returned her to the shelter, and Mom has resolved not to get another cat. Later that day, a friend reminded me of the huge storm we had the night before. Her dogs were jittery, yelping, scared and confused. I wonder now whether the howling wind (there’s also a large, creaky tree outside Mom’s apartment), coupled with the new surroundings, could have led kitty to freak out and bite my Mom. Any thoughts? Might the cat have reacted differently if she had already spent “acclimation “time with Mom?
Thanks,
Curious Daughter

Dear Curious Daughter: First please tell your mom how sorry I am that she was bitten. That must have been very traumatic. Also, I hope she cleaned the bite out well and you got her to a doctor, since cat bites can be very dangerous, especially to children and the elderly (who may be slightly immune-compromised). Her doctor would probably prescribe an antibiotic to avoid a potentially serious infection from setting in if the cat’s bite broke your mother’s skin.
It is possible that the cat your mother adopted had previously been indoor/outdoor cat and was having a tough time getting used to an indoor-only situation. If this was the case, “cabin fever” combined with a fear of noises from the storm and the creaky tree sounds certainly could have accounted for the erratic behavior leading up to the bite.  Despite the old saying, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks,” cats are actually the ultimate creatures of habit, and this transition to your mother’s surroundings may have caused stress leading to the circling and howling and eventual biting and scratching  But there could also be something else wrong with the cat.  Perhaps there is a physical problem with this cat: hyperthyroid, cardiac problems and infection as well as a whole host of other physical problems could contribute to a pet’s sensitivity, stress, and tendency to bite.
In my opinion, you probably made a wise decision to return the cat and protect your mother, who would always have been scared and apprehensive after that bad start. It is unlikely in my opinion that more acclimation time would have made an appreciable difference, but it is something we will never know. I would consider getting a cat for your mother that you know has lived indoor-only with an elderly person for quite some time and is not a biter or scratcher. Don’t give up on getting another cat for your mom   – she will still benefit from the love and friendship that only a cat can give.
Dr. F

Dear Dr. Forsythe: What happens at a veterinary hospital when you get bitten while  in the exam room? Is the vet visit free?
Wondering

Dear Wondering: I suppose it all depends on the circumstances of the bite.  At my hospital, we don’t generally let the clients restrain their own pets in the examination room because we don’t want to take any chance that they could bite them during an exam or other  procedure (nail trim, expressing anal glands). We have the technician hold the pet while the owner looks on. If a pet were to bite a client for some reason, we immediately would help the client by cleaning out the wound and taking care of both the person and the pet.  Fortunately, I don’t recall this happening in many years. Thanks for the question, and be careful if your pet is a biter: How about bringing a muzzle to your next vet visit?
Dr. F