Dear Sinéad, Siouxsie and Thomas:
Hi -- please help me. I don't have health insurance and I need to learn how to pick up a small semi-feral, vaccinated 4-6 (ish) month old cat I rescued on Christmas. He's healthy except for a current bout of diarrhea, which the vet says is likely stress as he was just tested. He's mostly scared rather than aggressive, but will hiss and swat at me (sheer defensiveness) when I try to pick him up. Otherwise he's a sweetie and becomes more and more comfortable with me with each passing day. He plays with toys and the string fishing pole I made for him. I've had someone advise me, but she's not a professional and she says at this point I know about as much as she does.

What are my risks? Like, would he do something crazy and bite me in the face? I've tried using gloves, wrapped my arm up, etc. I think he senses my fear, I try to hide it, but I have no health insurance, so I am quite afraid. This advisor told me I must hold him in my lap and stroke him like 3-4 times per day, or he will never learn to be picked up. I wouldn't care, but sometimes he needs to go to the vet, etc. I picked him up once in the beginning (after the vet visit) holding his scruff, but it made me really nervous and I wondered if I was risking too much of my safety.

Thanks,
Jackie

Sinéad: Jackie, it was a very courageous act for you to rescue a stray kitten, in spite of the fact that you're scared about the health risks he might pose to you. We're sorry for the delay in answering your letter; we've been quite pleasantly surprised by the volume of requests for advice we've received, and we hope that you've managed to stick it out with the little guy.

Siouxsie: We think we'll be able to set your mind at ease. It's highly unlikely that any cat scratch injury is going to cause serious health problems.

Thomas: First of all, kitten claws are just too small to puncture very deeply. Secondly, you say you've taken him to the vet and he's gotten a clean bill of health. That's good news for both of you.

Sinéad: Even little kitten teeth can't do all that much damage. Deep bites from adult cats can cause infections, but again, such injuries are pretty rare and usually only occur when a person tries to handle an injured, frightened or extremely angry cat.

Siouxsie: If you do get a scratch or bite, simply clean it as you would any other surface cut--with soap and warm water, and maybe a little hydrogen peroxide--and put a bit of antibiotic ointment and a Band-Aid on it, and you should be just fine. The real danger is from a deep puncture wound, which can easily become infected by anaerobic bacteria. But we're quite certain his little teeth could barely break the skin, and at this age his jaws are probably not strong enough to deliver any major bite wounds.

Thomas: You're doing a great job taking care of him. Playing with him using toys like the string fishing pole is a very good way to help him stay in good shape and get out his aggressive and hunting instincts on toys rather than on you.

Sinéad: We're quite sure you don't have to worry about the little guy biting you in the face or anything like that. You're doing all the right things by respecting his boundaries. We're also pretty certain, judging from your letter, that you're not the type of person who would "get in a cat's face" with your face and prompt that type of defensive-aggression response. It's important that when you go to pet him, you place your hand gently on him and approach him from behind. If you stick your hand in his face, he's more likely to see this as a threat. On the other hand, a hand gently touching his shoulders may be surprising, but when it's followed by a soft stroking motion that feels good, he won't feel threatened and is less likely to strike out.

Siouxsie: The most important obstacle for you to overcome is your fear. You're correct in thinking that the kitten senses your fear and anxiety--we cats are exquisitely sensitive to humans' feelings, and we often reflect back the "vibes" we're getting from you. So basically, your fear is making him nervous and defensive.

Thomas: We hope we can alleviate your fears by telling you that the odds of your contracting some sort of dread disease or infection from a cat are about the same as your odds of being struck by lightning. That means it's really, REALLY unlikely.

Sinéad: Mama says she's got something to tell you, too.

JaneA: Jackie, I don't have health insurance either, so I understand your anxiety about the risks of getting seriously ill from a cat-inflicted wound. But even if you did get sick (from your cat or from anything else), hospitals would still be required to treat you, and that often people who don't have insurance can qualify for state aid to cover hospital costs. Even if you earn too much to qualify for state health care, many hospitals and doctors are willing to work out payment plans. I sprained my ankle pretty badly about a month after I got laid off from a job and lost my health insurance. After a trip to the ER, a couple of X-rays and so on, I got a bill for around $350. I called the hospital's billing office and explained my situation. They were very nice about it, and they offered me an easily affordable (even when I was collecting unemployment benefits) payment plan.

Siouxsie: Thanks, Mama. I'd also like to add that Mama has lived with cats and dogs all her life and has never been injured seriously enough to require medical attention.

Thomas: So, Jackie, we hope you're feeling more comfortable about interacting with your kitten friend. We promise that if you allow him to come to you for affection, on his terms, he will seek your love and attention more frequently and will exhibit less aggression.

Sinéad: Good luck, Jackie, and thanks for your letter!

Got a question? Need some advice? E-mail Sinéad and Siouxsie at advice@paws-and-effect.com. None of the advice in this column is meant to be a substitute for regular veterinary care.