Weird cat attack

[Michen]

Hoovering my sitting room yesterday and cat comes in, maybe 2 metres from me. Out of no where he launches himself at me, literally flew through the air, digging all claws into my knees (wearing a dress) and dragging them downwards. Sliced my knees open with blood absolutely everywhere. He looked shocked and upset and kept blinking afterwards, it was the most bizarre thing.

He was normal very quickly and has remained so for 24 hours now, but WTF? I am actually considering a vet visit, that is totally out of character behaviour. It was actually quite scarey, if he'd done that to my face he'd have done some serious damage. I can't quite believe the depth of the scratches as well but why on earth would my normally sweet cat just launch himself at me like that as if his life depended on it!?

Bit upsetting and concerning, he was last seen by a vet for check and jabs a month ago. I am actually feeling uncomfortable around my cat now in case he does it again out of the blue, or to the dog Has never been bothered by hoover before nor did he seem bothered by it straight after. It was like he mistook me for something to attack/kill?

 

[Meowy Catkin]

Was his heart racing?
Had something frightened him outside?

My cat has had a couple of panic attacks and he was not himself at all while they were going on. Once he calmed down a bit he blinked at me a lot so that is what made me wonder. His heart was nearly bursting out of his chest when the PA was at full strength and he was frantic. Pretty scary.

 

[Michen]

Was his heart racing?
Had something frightened him outside?

My cat has had a couple of panic attacks and he was not himself at all while they were going on. Once he calmed down a bit he blinked at me a lot so that is what made me wonder. His heart was nearly bursting out of his chest when the PA was at full strength and he was frantic. Pretty scary.

No he didn't look visibly stressed and when I caught sight of him before he launched he had literally just waltzed in looking unfussed

 

[Pinkvboots]

Maybe the Hoover scared him my dog likes to attack it occasionally.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

How does he normally react to the vacuum cleaner?

 

[Meowy Catkin]

Fingers crossed that it was a one off.

Their claws are so sharp and painful, I hope you're healing up well.

 

[Michen]

Never reacts to vaccum. Doesn't even move off sofa.

 

[smolmaus]

My first assumption would be that he was on alert already when he came in, got overstimulated by the noise of the hoover and then even something tiny like a reflection or a tiny additional noise can set them off.

I have a lovely scar on my jawline from a similar incident with my cat recently. She was up on the draining board where she isn't supposed to be, the extractor fan was going which like your kitty doesn't normally bother her at all, I went to lift her down just as something shifted in the pile of clean dishes and it was just too much for her tiny walnut brain. Claws flying everywhere, I was lucky she didn't catch my eye. Similarly she was fine after, hasn't happened again. Just a really unfortunate combination of circumstances.

 

[PurBee]

My cats run from the hoover - even the very brave arrogant male cat!
But if yours doesnt move from the sofa while hoovering….weird.

Was it your dress? The print? The material? I guess it was wafting as you were hooverimg…the material shimmering? He mistook it for something else? Sounds like he really thought your dress/legs were something else and attacked. Hence the blinking afterwards when he realised it wasnt what he thought?
I rarely wear dresses/skirts so my animals never get to see my legs but when they do - they notice and come up to my legs to sniff/investigate what these weird white things are! ?

From the sudden-ness of the attack i would go with him thinking he saw something he didnt. That was true attack mode, and they rarely attack owners, unless its a neuro issue….likely in older cats.

Treat those cuts with iodine _or some powerful antibaterial….cat scratches can infect due to dirt of claws. Cats scratches are so painful and tender, i hope you heal quickly.

 

[Pinkvboots]

I have known some cat's to randomly attack for no apparent reason, I was attacked by one at work years ago I was just sitting on the mounting block talking to someone, cat jumps up and just jumps on my arm scratching and biting for no reason, this was normally a sweet cuddly cat, my hand actually became infected and really hurt so be careful keep an eye on the wounds.

 

[Carmen6]

Cats: randomly evil.

 

[asmp]

How old is the cat? Onset of dementia?

 

[Michen]

My cats run from the hoover - even the very brave arrogant male cat!
But if yours doesnt move from the sofa while hoovering….weird.

Was it your dress? The print? The material? I guess it was wafting as you were hooverimg…the material shimmering? He mistook it for something else? Sounds like he really thought your dress/legs were something else and attacked. Hence the blinking afterwards when he realised it wasnt what he thought?
I rarely wear dresses/skirts so my animals never get to see my legs but when they do - they notice and come up to my legs to sniff/investigate what these weird white things are! ?

From the sudden-ness of the attack i would go with him thinking he saw something he didnt. That was true attack mode, and they rarely attack owners, unless its a neuro issue….likely in older cats.

Treat those cuts with iodine _or some powerful antibaterial….cat scratches can infect due to dirt of claws. Cats scratches are so painful and tender, i hope you heal quickly.

Well I say dress but actually an oversized shirt which is regular attire for me around the house

Thanks all I feel a bit better.

He’s 2 years old!

 

[AmyMay]

It’s what cats do. Random bedevilment! ?

 

[SOS]

Does he chase flies? My very placid and gentle Ragdoll attacked my leg yesterday as a fly landed on it.

If not I definitely think the hoover has something to do with it, it’s so much higher pitched to them hence why many hate it. Imagine feeling a bit annoyed then coming into a room and someone’s blowing a whistle or something very loud. Then just balling it all up and taking it out on the next thing that moves!

If he does it again I’d consider vet incase it’s pain related but hopefully it’s a complete one off.

 

[Archangel]

Do you have carpet? Could it have been static build up? He got zapped and just launched himself onto the next available shirt?

 

[Crazy_cat_lady]

Could something have stung him and spooked him, causing him to lash out?

if he'd just come in Could something have really scared him when he was outside, so he was already edgy?

I know the worry though whenever they do something unexplained

 

[Michen]

Thanks guys. Maybe it was the carpet. Yes he does chase flies. But I saw him walk in and he definitely had his usual relaxed swagger because I had an inward laugh about it!

 

[brighteyes]

My cats run from the hoover - even the very brave arrogant male cat!
But if yours doesnt move from the sofa while hoovering….weird.

Was it your dress? The print? The material? I guess it was wafting as you were hooverimg…the material shimmering? He mistook it for something else? Sounds like he really thought your dress/legs were something else and attacked. Hence the blinking afterwards when he realised it wasnt what he thought?
I rarely wear dresses/skirts so my animals never get to see my legs but when they do - they notice and come up to my legs to sniff/investigate what these weird white things are! ?

From the sudden-ness of the attack i would go with him thinking he saw something he didnt. That was true attack mode, and they rarely attack owners, unless its a neuro issue….likely in older cats.

Treat those cuts with iodine _or some powerful antibaterial….cat scratches can infect due to dirt of claws. Cats scratches are so painful and tender, i hope you heal quickly.

I wondered this! No offence to the dress...

 

[Michen]

I wondered this! No offence to the dress...

Ha tbh it was just a plain check oversized shirt that I often mooch around in!

 

[BeckyFlowers]

That is bizarre. I would have plumped for redirected aggression, but you said he walked in moments beforehand looking nice and relaxed. I've never heard of a normally-placid cat doing something like that before. I don't know what else to suggest other than if it happens again maybe speak to the vets.

Hope your scratches are healing ok!

 

[FinnishLapphund]

Even though cats might seem randomly evil, I really don't think they do things without having their reasons. We just don't always understand/notice the same things.

If he walked in relaxed, and suddenly next moments lands on your legs all claws out, I agree with those suggesting something suddenly happened to him, which you didn't notice. Like static build up from carpet, being stung by insect, or something else.
At only 2 he's a bit young for it, but hypothetically, especially if he'd been a bit older, maybe he could have some extra bone growth in his back or something, which suddenly pinched him.

Anyhow, as they say, one time is no time. Hope nothing more happens, that you've managed to clean the wounds thoroughly, and that they heal without trouble.

 

[Cobxfan55]

Jeez that sounds really bad but I hope your knees are healing well