The first time I started taking care of a cat and was in the process of winning her trust, I observed that she maintained a conscious distance from me at all times.
Except when she knew it was time for dinner.
The moment she saw her food was coming she used to start meowing and come very close to my legs and a couple of times I almost stepped over her.
Being as quick and elusive as they are on their feet, you must have observed cats don’t have a problem in letting their guards down once they know you.
So, let’s say its meal time and if your cat sees you coming up with food, she may rush towards your feet by dropping all her concerns.
Because they are so small, quick and muscular they are capable of performing rapid manoeuvres.
Which of course isn’t the case with humans as our feet under normal circumstances are conditioned for a simple straight locomotion.
Because of this difference in movements, it may happen that you may step over your cat.
Most of the time, it won’t be your fault, that’s just how they tend to respond to their humans sometimes.
Maybe they trust their humans enough to feel that they know where they will land their feet.
Or maybe cats get blinded out of need or affection, attention or food that they totally abandon their sense of security.
Not just that, cats love falling asleep in weird places.
They may be sleeping smack in the middle of a kitchen, high vantage points or on one of the steps of your stairs.
Whatever, the reasons might be when you step on a cat it isn’t a pleasant feeling.
Most of the time, owing to their agility, they will react to protect themselves and will be fine, still, if you have stepped on your cat by accident this is exactly what you should do.
Respond to the whole situation calmly, in most cases, your cat will be fine. Allow your cat to calm down and readjust to normality and during this period pay close attention to any changed mannerisms, injury reactions, and the way she is walking. If you find any deviations, consult your veterinarian immediately.
Now as I said, in most cases your cat will be fine, but in order to ensure that your cat isn’t under any discomfort or hidden injuries, you need to keep her into your observation.
In the upcoming sections, lets me share with you, certain actionable steps that you can take in order to make your cat feel comfortable if you accidently stepped on her.
Actionable Steps To Take After You Accidently Step On Your Cat,
But before we go ahead with that, let me reiterate, I have been with pets for almost all my life and I have a lot of experience in dealing with pet emergencies, but nothing will give you more peace of mind than letting a medical professional have a look at your cat.
I am going to relay every actionable step that you can take if you accidently stepped on your cat here and I know they are going to be very beneficial.
But it remains my duty to let you know, nothing you read here or any internet source for that matter must be used as an alternative to a medical professional consultation.
Okay so here are the 5 actionable steps that you need to take, if you have accidently stepped on your cat
1.Maintain A Calm Demeanour And Approach Your Cat
I understand this may not be easy. But I hope being with cats you must have realized they are very perceptive of your energies.
If you approach her by being anxious, it may just lead into multiplying her already scared state.
One way to do that is by understanding that having accidents like these are a part of the process of living together.
Its just like living with kids you see. You do everything to protect them and care for them but sometimes things happen that you can’t control.
The best you can do is respond to the situation as calmly and with as much poise as you can.
It’s entirely possible that your cat owing to the sudden panic may choose an isolated corner to make sense of what just happened.
This is okay. If in your approach towards her she expresses some kind of resistance via meowing, yowling or hissing, take a step back.
Don’t be too quick to approach her. Let her settle. But all through this process don’t take her out of your observation and attention.
In some time, if the discomfort isn’t too significant, she will settle herself into normality and you will be able to approach her.
Talking to her in a tone that you know she associates as love will help calm her down.
Or you can even try and entice her with her favourite treats. But I recommend that you do so by ensuring that she isn’t exuding any anxious or erratic behaviour.
If you successfully entice her to come to you, caress and pet her in loving way that lets her know it’s okay.
And while you are doing so just keep checking for any visible injuries, bumps or areas of discomfort.
If you can indeed find a visible injury, don’t wait for one second and rush to the vet immediately for consultation.
2.Diagnose For Any Physical Abnormalities Or Painful Reactions
Once you have successfully approached her. Allow her to relax in your presence and check if your cat keeps returning her attention to a particular spot on her body.
Usually when pets get hurt they tend to attend to it by licking it.
See, if you can see such a pattern.
And while you have her attention fixed on her treat softly check for any physical injury, bump or wound on her body.
Here you need to be a bit careful and very through with your checks.
Because what happens is many a times if you accidently step on your cat, her agility will protect her from your weight but the sudden panic can cause her to hit a wall or a similar heavy object.
You can try and gently pet her near the area you perceive might have taken the hit and observe for any sudden reactions.
If she meows, yowls, hisses suddenly or flinches a little bit you have most likely located the area that is causing her discomfort.
So, if you figure out that she is indeed in pain, I recommend getting her to the vet immediately figure
However, if she seems okay and resorts to her normal behavior let her walk and play freely to reconfirm there is no discomfort or internal injury.
3. Give Her The Necessary Comfort
A sudden accident like getting stepped on can lead your cat into a flurry of confusion.
So, at a time like this it is important for you to handle the situation with utmost care and responsibility.
Because I don’t know whether you have observed this or not but cats are very impressionable.
In addition to being highly territorial they also don’t want their daily routine to see any kind of disturbance.
This is usually why cats need a lot of time to readjust when you shift houses.
So, situations like these can cause her to create bad memory associations within herself.
The best way to deal with this situation is to let her know that everything is alright.
You need to pamper and comfort her in ways that she understands best.
You can try cuddling her if she allows it or even bring out her favourite toys to bring her back into a zone of security and comfort.
4. Take Her Outside For Some Fresh Air.
Cats by nature are exploratory beings.
So, a good check that your cat is alright and at ease within herself is to let her loose in your backyard garden where she can interact with nature.
Plus, after experiencing an uncomfortable accident of getting stepped over, it would do a world of good if she gets some fresh air.
It will help her relax and come back to her original state of feeling secured and normal.
You can carry her in your arms if she isn’t too comfortable walking on her own.
Sit with her for a few minutes till she feels okay to take in the fresh air and the environment.
5. Continue Monitoring Her Mannerisms For At least One Week
Now, sometimes it may so happen that your cat isn’t showing any visible injury or discomfort after she got stepped on.
But that doesn’t close out the possibility of subtle internal injuries.
Therefore, it is essential that you keep a close eye on your cat’s mannerisms for the next one week at least.
You don’t have to make it into a separate task, just look at how she behaves and whether she is approaching a particular part in her body repetitively.
Does she flinch or panic when you pick her up or pet her at a particular place?
Do also keep an eye on any change in her eating habits or litter box rituals.
If you observe any obvious changes in her mannerisms, her approach or any deviations from what you know to be her normal behaviour, consult your vet immediately.
I know I have reiterated taking vet consultation at different places in this post, but I hope you understand why I am doing it.
Unlike us, our pets do not have any way of clearly communicating that they are in discomfort.
It is we who have to take the responsibility to respond to any deviations that we observe from our pet’s normal behaviour.
Secondly, if the impact has indeed caused any kind of discomfort to your cat, a vet’s consultation supersedes all the collective knowledge or experience that you have as an owner.
So, if you feel even the slightest of need to consult the vet. Do so at the earliest.
Major Injury Prone Areas In A Cat’s Body
There is no metric that can show how awful an owner feels when they accidentally step on their cat.
Now, saying that you must maintain your poise and balance if to be honest too simplistic.
When it happens, the owner too undergoes a huge conflicting surge of feelings and emotions.
So, although, I want you to have a certain sense of balance, let me quickly relay to you the main injury prone areas that you need to pay attention to when you step on your cat by accident.
Stepping On Your Cat’s Tail
A cat’s tail is the part of the cat’s body that is the most likely to get stepped on.
Stepping on your cat is likely to happen when she isn’t on her limbs and is in a resting position.
Although we may not perceive a cat’s tail as a vital part of a cat’s body, but it really is and any injury to a cat’s tail can become a serious health concern.
This is because a cat’s tail contains around 21 bones, 6 muscles that help in locomotion and manoeuvring, and is also contains a plethora of vital nerves.
While it is true that a cat’s tail is less likely to receive any serious injuries but it is important that you observe it keenly to check for any cause of concern.
The reason being a cat’s tail may not be a vital body part but it is closely connected with aiding in proper functions of urination, locomotion and defecation.
Its rare that a cat’s tail gets a sever injury because of someone stepping on it, but one cannot rule out the possibility.
Injury To A Cat’s Stomach
Relative to a cat’s tail, a cat’s stomach is more prone to severe injuries if it happens that you accidently stepped on your cat.
The reason is pretty obvious of course as this part of a cat’s body encapsulates most vital organs.
So, the risk of internal severe injuries is too much.
Once again in most cases, cats will be quick enough to react and get out of the harm’s way and chances of a severe injure is very small.
Additionally, their rib cage does a pretty good job protecting their stomach.
In most cases, a wound to the stomach will be a result of your cat rushing and bumping into your legs like I explained above.
Most accidents that happen as result of getting stepped on primarily involves extremities like tail or paws.
But owing to the randomness of these kinds of accidents you need to be aware of the possibility and take the necessary steps needed to ensure your cat’s safety.
If you step on your cat’s stomach and feel that your cat is in pain, don’t waste a moment and take your cat to the vet.
Stepped On Your Cat’s Paw By Accident
A cat’s paw is a place that is hold a lot of little sensitive bones called ‘digits’ that help her with jumping and general movement.
And once again as cats are sensitive to other parts of her body, they are sensitive towards their paws to and will protect them by instinct.
Plus, it takes a lot of weight or impact to cause any damage to her paw bones, but it’s a possibility in sudden situations like these.
A direct indication that your accidental stepping on your cat’s paw has cause discomfort or injury, is that she will start limping.
She will resist let you touch her paws if that is the case, and it may also happen that her paw gets swollen.
If that is indeed the case, call your vet and explain to him or her the exact scenario.
The vet may prescribe something to aid in relieving the pain or may even ask you to get your cat to the veterinary hospital.
Don’t ignore the vet’s advice at the cost of your understanding or experience and do as directed.
FAQs
Accidently stepping on your cat is an unpleasant experience for both the cat and the owner.
Unfortunately, accidents like these happen when you are living with pets and no one can really be blamed for the whole situation.
Now the best thing will still be to visit the vet if you are unsure of of your cat’s health status.
But allow me to do my part and make you acquaint you with as much knowledge as I can by answering a few very important questions that you might be having.
Is My Cat Going To Be Okay If I Stepped On Her?
In most cases yes, cats are very responsive and agile creatures and they will move away to protect themselves rapidly. However, the potential for injury cannot be ruled out. Give her some time to relax, call her close, diagnose for any discomfort and take her to the vet if needed.
Owing to their quick, responsive, and agility usually they will perform rapid manoeuvres and move out of the harms way when they realize they may get stepped upon.
However, in accidents like these there are just so many things that may happen all at once, that you can’t ignore the possibility of injury and discomfort.
That is why I urge you to maintain a certain degree of balance if it happens, and consciously and cautiously diagnose for any injuries at your end and consult a vet if the impact of the incident seems serious.
I Stepped On My Cat And It Screamed, What Should I Do?
First off, in order to analyze and assess the situation properly, don’t panic. Screaming may just be an involuntary threat response. That being said, an injury is definitely a possibility. Allow her some time to relax, call her close to you and asses for potential injuries. Take your cat to the vet immediately if you find an injury, bump, swelling or if you find she is flinching when you touch her at a specific part of her body.
An emergency situation always demands that you respond to the situation in a calm manner.
I know its a very difficult thing to do, but if not done, it can make a bad situation worse.
Usually, screaming happens when prior to the accident the cat was wither resting or was in a comfortable state where she let her attention and guard down.
The sudden unfolding of situations can lead her into a flurry of confusion and screaming may just be a panic response from her.
However, out of panic she may run and hit some other strong element like a wall or a vase in her process of responding which may injure her further.
Thus it is very very important for you to remain calm and check her body thoroughly for potential injuries.
Take her to the vet if you indeed discover that she is hurting or showing signs that she is in pain.
I Stepped On My Cat And She Is Now Hiding From Me, What Should I Do?
Don’t rush. Allow her some time and space to make sense of the situation and come to normalcy. She is likely in shock from the sudden unfolding of the serious of events. After a while try to call her to you using any of her favorite treats and when she does pamper her lovingly and check for any potential injuries.
Consult the vet immediately if you are unsure or if you discover any injury thereof.
The hiding response is generally triggered as a self protecting mechanism where your cat is ensuring that she is protected.
The quick serious of events may also produce certain degree of shock in her. Therefore, you have to maintain a certain level of balance and attention throughout.
You need to allow her time to relax and once you observe that she has retained a certain degree of normal behavior, lovingly call her to you, make her relax and look for any potential areas of discomfort and injury.
In Conclusion,
Well, its like this. When you live with pets, you include them into your zone of responsibility.
And when you live together mishaps, accidents and diseases happen and they are a part of living and growing together.
Just as is the case with kids.
The important thing is to learn how to respond to these situations and find a way to ensure that the safety, security and healthy state is restored.
I dearly hope that if you have indeed stepped on your cat by accident, it isn’t anything serious and she is back to her healthy, happy self ASAP.
Still in any case just take some more time and revisit the 5 points that I shared above in addition to the different injury prone areas I relayed so that you have an insight into how to respond to the situation immediately.
Take great care of yourselves and your cat and I will see you in the next one!
Bbye!
