Foster cat viciously attacked me. I’m afraid to foster again
I was fostering 4 y/o female cat rescued from the streets.
This was my second time fostering and with a different rescue center than my first foster. I decided with a different one cause it was recommended by a friend who had fostered and adopted with them.
They had told me the cat was very hostile towards other cats but fine with people, in which I was a perfect fit for this cat as I had no other pets at home (my first foster had gotten adopted).
We were almost inseparable the first days. She was my little shadow, followed me everywhere and even slept with me. There were a couple of times she hissed but after giving her space, she wanted pets again.
On the fourth day of fortering her, I went to visit my aunt who has a dog. I played with the dog, went home to get some things done and when I was getting ready to go to the gym, she started sniffing the shoes I was wearing when I visited my aunt.
I took them and put them on and as soo as I stood up her demeanor changed completely. She wouldn’t stop hissing, arching her back with her ears back and she LAUNCHED at me while letting out the most vicious sound I’ve ever heard.
She bit me and scratch me on my legs, then she got both of my hands when I was trying to get her off me and finally she got my head and face again.
I was able to briefly get her off me and ran to hide in the kitchen (it has a door And a window that connect to the balcony). As soon as I got inside the kitchen I closed the windows and thank god I did cause the cat was trying to get inside from there. I will never forget how demonic she looked while banging her entire body against the windows. She truly wanted to kill me.
After she left, I was dripping blood from my head, face, hands and legs. I was terrified but after calming down I was able to call the rescue so they could come and help me get her inside a carrier.
I had to wait around an hour to sneak out of my apartment so she wouldn’t see me and attack me again.
The shelter people took her and she was deemed too dangerous to even be at a foster home. I agreed.
They called me an ambulance as my wounds were nasty and the paramedics cleaned them and prescribed antibiotics.
I think what triggered this reaction was the smell of the dog on my shoes. While I understand this and she just redirected her aggression to me, I am quite traumatized from going through this attack and I am scared of ever having another cat inside my home.
I know I still like cats but I am terrified something like this could ever happen again.
Any tips on how to cope after a vicious cat attack?