A sleeping cat owner nearly lost an eye after the pet maimed her in the dead of night – but she doesn’t blame him.
Vanessa Contreras Ruiz has been left with prominent wounds across her face from her cat’s claws.
The 19-year-old said she awoke in agony and covered in blood on 6 March and her moggy Otis leaving the scene.
READ MORE: Woman handed 10-year pet ban after dogs abandoned in squalor horror
Despite the injuries, the retirement home worker doesn’t hold a grudge against him.
Sharing her experience online, the clip has racked up over five million views.
“I was asleep and suddenly felt a sharp pain on my face that woke me,” Vanessa of Santa Rosa, California, USA, told Need To Know.
“I was confused but heard a thump as my cat landed on the other side of the bed.
“It seemed like Otis was sleeping near me and used my face to get off my bed.
“I was scared and confused.
“I had a burning pain and I didn’t realise I was bleeding until I felt drops of blood coming down my face.
“It felt like a lot of blood, I had never experienced anything like it.
“It was a complete accident.
“Otis showed no signs of aggression or abnormal behaviour.
“He is the most charismatic and outgoing cat and knows what his boundaries are.
“It was just a freak accident.
“I don’t want people to feel discouraged about owning a cat.”
She said that from now on, Otis won’t be sleeping in her room.
But he is still the apple of her eye.
Vanessa said: “It’s a wonderful bond to have a feline companion, they’re cuddly and still playful but know how to be independent as well.
“Any accident like this can happen with any pet.
“Having a pet is like a commitment to taking care of a family member.
“They rely on you to care and protect them.
“For me they are my family and I can’t see myself without them.”
Viewers online were left shocked by the scars.
“Please go to the doctor to just make sure it isn’t infected. Cats claws carry a lot of bacteria,” said one person.
“Reminds me of the time I was sleeping & my cat got her claw stuck THROUGH my eyelid,” shared another cat lover.
‘That’s gonna be a gnarly scar,” said Stacie.
Cola said: “Maybe I’m not ready to adopt a cat yet I would’ve been overly irritated.”
“One of the many reasons why i keep my babies in an overnight enclosure. Sorry about your luck girl,” said someone else.
READ MORE: Evil pet owner dumps entire family of dogs at rescue before driving off
