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Those of you, who signed up and receive free updates and those, who just visit this site often and read my posts regularly, know that I have 3 cats, which I adore. So, here is the story.

 
On Saturday, June 21, the weather was extremely hot (for San Francisco): burning, scorching 100 degrees felt much hotter, than it was, the trees or other outside shade provided no visible relief and the ever present wind made itself scarce.

 
On that fateful day, in the morning, when the indoor temperature was still somewhat bearable, I left the door outside open: all that heat must’ve affected me that much. I was doing some housework, when I heard a cat’s cry. I stopped all the activities and went to investigate.

 
My 3 cats were sitting in the corridor facing an unwelcomed visitor - some neigborgh’s innocently looking, medium sized gray cat. I came closer. They were quietly staring at each other and seemed to be firmly connected to the floor. 

 
My reaction was fast and moves - swift: I grabbed my biggest, but most shy and timid cat and carried him to another room. He allowed it with no protests. I dropped him on the floor and was going to leave for the further rescue efforts, when, while I was unbending, he with a lightning speed with all his 15 pound might, suddenly launched at me: grabbed my right hand with both his paws, plunged his claws deep into the flesh and hang there for the eternity, which was probably, a few seconds. At the same time with a strong bang, he plunged his teeth into my hand, as well. When the shock of the pain registered, I screamed his name, he let go off me and just sat there looking somewhere past me.

 
First glance at my injuries almost made me faint: deep, blood sipping lines of sliced skin with jugged edges and puncture craters in between them all over my wrist on the inner side and the upper side of my hand below the knuckles were getting darker and uglier by the second. I grabbed a towel, draped it over my hand and returned back to the other battlefield. Two of mine and the other cat were still there, eyeing each other. I made some war-like, commanding sounds and they all dispersed, with the invading party unhurriedly leaving the house in a very dignified manner.

 
I washed my hand and once again looked at the damage: it looked terrifying and started to hurt. My next move was to the computer: I googled “cats+bites+scratches”. The information was in abundance and to the point: the open wounds by cats are dangerous, may get infected and lead to problems. I knew that, of course, but in my many years of living with cats, nothing even remotely resembling this massacre, ever happened to me. I attended to my hand some more by cleaning it with vodka and applying ice, and in an hour my state of denial was replaced by a doubt and fear: things happen.

 
I pondered my options, “admired” my rapidly swelling hand and drove to the hospital.Three hours later I came out sporting a tastefully designed “hand piece”, which prevented the painful movement of the wrist, a bottle of antibiotics, a bottle of prescription painkillers and a slight feeling of a discomfort on the upper part of my other hand, where a very sympathetic nurse lovingly administered a tetanus shoot, while another one made me comfortable by explaining how to keep my arm elevated and promising a fast and trouble-free recovery.

 
As you can see, I was too preoccupied with my injuries and thus could not write a coherent post. On Sunday the heat was not as bad, I felt reasonably comfortable, albeit in pain, but avoided the computer nevertheless.

 
Fast forward: things looked worse on Monday, before they got to look better on Tuesday (I leave some gory details out). I visited my regular doctor, who explained me all the possible consequences of these things, what to expect in a future, expertly and tenderly examined my hand and assured me, that I am on my way to recovery and he will watch me as a hawk. I left happy.

 
The moral of the story: don’t just get yourself in a middle of a fight, even if your intentions are noble. First, estimate the situation, the level of emotions and the parties involved, then make an intelligent decision on the intervention and proceed with caution to execute it by the best method possible.Also, don’t ever forget: since animals’ bites and scratches are dangerous and could be lethal, don’t wait, seek medical help.

 
By the way, same applies to the human scratches and bites.

 
And now, have a pleasant day!