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That was interesting...thanks for that link. I am a big believer, as a human, in reading the language of animals...we are soft, comparatively speaking, and if we fail in this respect we can pay the price.

I have always felt I could read dogs and cats well (dogs are comparatively easy, but once you know cats, they can be read pretty well too)

I got bit by my friend’s cat who I had lived with for about a year, and I knew the cat well. The cat and I had spent a lot of time together and were well acclimated. After I got married, I went over for a New Year party at his house which was full of people, noisy, etc. The cat (Attilla) came over to me, and I picked him up as I had done many times before, and when I scratched his head, he turned and sunk a tooth into the back of my hand.

I didn’t take into account the environment...it was full of people the cat didn’t know, it was loud and noisy...and he nipped me.

I washed it out and gave it no more thought, and went with my wife to stay at my brother’s house. I woke up at 6 AM and my hand was swollen to three times its size. I went to the ED, they gave me antibiotics, cleaned it, and sent me home, but it got worse, and I ended up spending a week in the hospital and nearly lost my hand.

Apparently, the tooth had penetrated a tendon sheath, and the antibiotics couldn’t penetrate there, and the infection spread.

I have owned cats my whole life and have been comfortable with them, but I treat them with respect and watch them carefully.

I never mess with dogs (except puppies) if they are not smiling and openly wagging their tail. They can do too much damage. I cringe when I see people shove their face towards a dog and get it real close...a recipe for disaster, and the poor dog would end up getting put down because of a stupid human.