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10 June 2007

Do pets hold a grudge? (reposting it from another forum) [More:]So, about a week ago, my darling pet kitten, who we’d gotten about a month and a half ago, and who has the habit of dancing around like a spider monkey, came running at full speed into my feet from behind, and got accidentally stepped on. My foot landed on its front left paw (I think), and as soon as I heard its scream, I immediately pulled it back. But it did land on the poor thing for just that slight second, and for the next moment or two, it meowed a lot, and hobbled on its feet. And then, as miraculous as it seemed, it became perfectly alright, running from one end of the house to another. For a moment there I thought we had a real actor in the house, or actress I should say, not that I didn’t think it was in real pain, but I was extremely worried that I might’ve done some real damage. And after feeling a helluva a lot sorry for her, I took it in my arms and brought it as close to my face as I could, and it just smacked me with its paw. I mean, this was a real mean slap—like in the movies—thwack! To which I laughed, and told my mom and my sister (who the cat adores by the way—they both treat each other like mother and daughter—and well deservedly so, since she’s the one who brought it from a friend’s place, and has been taking good care of it ever since). So anyway, I bring it close to my face again, and it slaps me, but not as hard as before, so I bring it a little closer, and that’s where I make my fatal mistake, because this time, it jabs its front claw into my nose, and the next thing I know, all I can feel is this excruciating stinging sensation running down through the front of my nose, and tears are starting to form in the corners of my eyes. I give the cat to my mom, and stumble towards the washbasin to look at the damage done, and lo and behold—there’s a pretty deep scratch running down the centre of my schnoze. And blood has already started to ooze out of it. I’m thinking, okay, it could’ve been worse, and I can’t stop laughing at how the cat felt compelled to get its own back. Now, I’m seriously in the frame of mind that we’re square, but throughout the week, whenever I try to pick it up, it just whips out its claws and starts to growl aggressively, even when I’m trying to play with her, and I feel really hurt, since I didn’t mean to have harmed her in the first place, and not having made a big fuss of the whole flesh tearing incident, I thought we were going to be fine. And just when I’d given up hope, until today afternoon it was still hissing at me, Pepper (that’ the name my sis’s given it), finally forgave me (I think). It’s not struggling to get out of my hands anymore, and we had a good snuggle session a few moments ago. [Man, am I glad it decided to forgive me, because the last thing I need on my conscience is a cat who thinks I’m not good!]
PS. what are the tags for the tiny script--I've forgotten it again, sigh.
Sorry!
posted by hadjiboy 10 June | 11:51
Some cats certainly do hold grudges, yes. One of our two Persians is a particularly grudgeful character, although he is seldom violent, preferring instead to damage property, or wage psychological warfare, until he feels restitution has been exacted.
posted by misteraitch 10 June | 12:21
Yes, cats can hold a grudge. I knew a cat who, when she a kitten, was thrown against a wall by someone who was annoyed by her kittenish antics (not me). She never went near him again for the rest of her 12-year long life.
posted by amro 10 June | 12:35
Izzy the German shepherd at my local dog park won't forgive Sadie the bulldog for dominating her, not even when a couple weeks go by without them meeting.

*BARK BARK BARK!*

And pigs, who are smarter than dogs and can play video games, can be taught a complex game, then not play it for a couple years, but can come back and play it again without missing a beat.

Don't worry, though--kitty will forgive you, if not forget.
posted by shane 10 June | 12:37
P.S. LOL! It's cool you have such a good attitude.
posted by shane 10 June | 12:37
My cat Monkey is psychotic and she definitely holds grudges. She frequently goes for my ankles when she is playing OR when she is pissed. (When she's playing it's no big deal but when she's pissed off she uses her claws and her teeth.) She is also very persnickety and very quickly decided who she wanted messing with her and what she would allow. I am the only person on the planet who can pick her up without loss of blood. I think in her little cat brain that she realizes on some level that I'm the one who took her out of the cage at the shelter and brought her home (she'd been there for almost a year.) When I first brought her home my Dad and his wife were the first people to come see her. She was okay with my Dad petting her. As soon as Dad's wife started petting her and telling her how pretty she was - Monkey jumped up and clawed her face. (My cat is a good judge of character. hahahaha.)

As to my dogs - Lulu holds mini grudges and has particular moods. On the other hand (and this is one of the reasons I love him SO MUCH) Binky thinks every day is THE BEST DAY EVAR and nothing gets to him.

I wouldn't worry about Pepper. Pepper will re-friend you when he's ready. (Sounds like it's already starting to happen.)
posted by fluffy battle kitten 10 June | 15:24
Cats hold grudges. My big black cat (the size of a dog, he was) was particularly good at the "I'll come into this room and sit with my back turned against you so that you know that I'm ignoring you" and once he exercised that ignore routine for a full two weeks after I had sent him on a flight from NYC to San Francisco. I thought he'd never forgive me for that.

He eventually forgave me though. Also, how hard this grudge bears out depends on the cat. All you have to do is say you're sorry (maybe every day for two weeks!) and hope that he didn't get too offended at you laughing at that first slap, which might be why he really jabbed into your nose that second time.

Word to the wise, don't laugh at cats (unless they want you to).
posted by dabitch 10 June | 16:14
When I was a kid we had a cat named "Honey" (for his color, then we found out he was a boy, so we called him "Crazy Cat" as well). I don't know what I did to him - perhaps I played a bit too roughly with him (after thirty years, I still have faint scars). Well, one night as I got ready for bed, I discovered that Crazy Cat had..peeded on my pillow!!!! He did that to my brother once, too. Strong willed, particular cat.
posted by redvixen 10 June | 18:20
My cat Monkey is psychotic

man, now I really want a crazy cat monkey.
posted by Hellbient 10 June | 20:48
Our cats will hold grudges, but never for more than a half a day.
posted by drezdn 11 June | 08:48
I tend to think it's often best to give the cat some room to work through its anger/fear/whatever, rather than trying to force yourself back on it. If I were small enough that other people were picking me up all day, and stepping on me accidentally, and basically not giving me much control over my life, I could see getting highly frustrated. So if the cat's not interested in dealing with me, for whatever reason, I leave her alone and let her go do her thing rather than trying to scoop her up and force affection on her.

Most of the time. Sometimes she's got that cute little pink paw thing going and I can't resist.

On the other hand, I've never dealt with a kitten, and it's probably more important to socialize them. Also, my cat hates being picked up, so I try not to scoop her up much at all.
posted by occhiblu 11 June | 12:43
Got Milk? || OMG KANGAROO!

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