I accidentally hit my cat and now she is scared of me

Advice

I came back from work tired and pet my cat before pouring her dinner, but she didn’t seem to want to eat. I turned to get her some treats and added them to her bowl but still she didn’t feel like eating. This usually happens when she wants me to keep petting her before a meal but I was very tired so instead I just decided to coax her into eating by holding out a treat for her to eat (something I have done many, many times without issue). For some reason, she bit me harshly and reflexively I hit her head hard.

I felt bad instantly and she ran away from me hissing and upset so I went after her to console her. In hindsight, I should have given her space but I wasn’t thinking about that, I just wanted to make things right. Eventually, I left her alone and tended to the bite on my hand, but she has been avoidant and scared of me for a few days now. It truly was an accident and I never would have done it consciously, it was just a reaction to the sudden pain. She is already an anxious cat but it seems like now whenever I move or do anything she gets startled and runs away. I fear that I have irreparably scarred her and I feel awful.

Will she forgive me? Would it be best to rehome her?

Posted Jun 3, 2025, 7:41 AM UTC

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