My Cat Bit Me, When He Freaked Out, Advice?

[saleri]

So I have a little 11 month old Orange Tabby Male, he's very affectionate and is always there when I open the door to come home, comes when called, and constantly looking for affection from me.

He's generally very good with other people not being afraid. So I decided to try and leash walk him. He took to it fairly well, however I wasn't able to do it consistently.

Yesterday I took him out again after a few week break. It was really late and pretty much completely dark except for the lights out. He was taking to it very well, enjoying walking in the grass and scratching at trees. After 5-8 minutes, I thought I decided I didn't want to push it and we were going to go home. I was going to have to pick him up and carry him home, cause it would take forever to do so otherwise.

Just then my neighbor who is moving out, was carrying his fridge to the transport vehicle. My cat noticed. I didn't think much of it considering he has seen my neighbor outside in the past. However when he got near, my cat freaked out and tried to go underneath a neighbor's wooden fence. I picked him up and carried him closer to our apartment. Then I placed him down since we were pretty much home.


However it was at this point something else spooked him, possibly the sound of the fridge landing in the vehicle, but he bolted. I was able to keep up with him. But then he started jumping, and contorting his body. Not sure how to describe it, but it was like he was having a seizure in the air. He got out of the harness and bolted. After chasing him for a few minutes, I corned him in some of my neighbors stuff.

I panicked in the moment and grabbed the only part of him I could reach which was his back leg. He hissed and bit my right hand. Was pretty shocked, so I probably held on for a few seconds before I scruffed him. I took him back inside. The bite was pretty bad, but I'll get treated later today.

My cat was visibly a bit scared, but within the hour he seemed fine, and was playing at playtime with his toys and seemed fine with me in the morning.

So my question is, in a situation like this what should have I done?

I assume the best thing was to have let go of the harness?


Also do you think I should try walking him again, but take things slower??

 

[AmyFluffyMom]

Yes start the leash training over. I would start by just having him look at the harness and get a treat. Then move on. To see how he will react. I think that it was the sight of the refrigerator that freaked him out. What style of harness was he in? Figure 8 style they slip h style is better and the newest ones the vest are the best .both cats I have are leash trained. Tiger who has passed loved the leash. Fluffy is trained but dislikes the outside so we don’t go on walks. If your boy seems fine I wouldn’t worry to much. Just go super slow and you will be ok.

 

[saleri]

Yes start the leash training over. I would start by just having him look at the harness and get a treat. Then move on. To see how he will react. I think that it was the sight of the refrigerator that freaked him out. What style of harness was he in? Figure 8 style they slip h style is better and the newest ones the vest are the best .both cats I have are leash trained. Tiger who has passed loved the leash. Fluffy is trained but dislikes the outside so we don’t go on walks. If your boy seems fine I wouldn’t worry to much. Just go super slow and you will be ok.

Not sure what a Figure 8 style is?

This is the one I use.

Puppia Harness

It's the smallest one they have, he's around 9 pounds.

He normally takes to it pretty well, this was the first time he went out.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/iotqifsv558p4z5S7 (I didn't put the harness on him correctly that time)

But yeah I think it was the fridge, given it was a very large object and he probably didn't like the sound.

 

[AmyFluffyMom]

The collar in the pix is good. What I called the vest. Figure 8 they probably don’t make anymore. It was one continuous strap that looped like an 8.