My cat has attacked me

Maneka Gandhi responds to queries raised by animal lovers across Mumbai.

Q: My cat attacked me as if I was a dog or another animal! I ran out of the room. Should I have done something else?
A: Lay down the law. If the cat hisses at you, grab it by the scruff of the neck, pick it right up and give it a small shake, and raise your voice with a strong ‘no’.  Remember, if you care about your pet, you need to make sure he/she knows who is boss and will not tolerate a direct challenge to your authority. Also, retreating and running out of the room is irresponsible. The cat was testing the water, playing with you as with a mouse. If you act like a mouse, it will treat you like one.  However, it may not be that because cats rarely get so cross with their humans that they attack them. She may have reacted to your holding her badly or stroking her in a place that she had been hurt or she was just hungry and you hadn’t fed her or she simply wanted to leave the room and you were preventing her. So, first examine the pain option.

Q: Why does my cat lick me?
A: Your cat licking you is a sign of affection. Another way she may do this, is by gently biting on your nose or your face. Also, looking at you and slowly blinking her eyes is a way of saying “I love you.” You can respond in the same way, if you want.  If her action irritates you, gently discourage her actions by putting her on the floor when the licking begins. In addition to this, you can also give her a toy to distract her. If you’re consistent, you should be able to curb the licking and she will eventually give it up, but you will lose one of life’s few pleasures!