ACC claims for injuries involving cats in Otago and Southland have clawed their way up to a four-year high.
Injuries involving cats cost ACC about $1.5 million a year and include harm to about 300 Otago residents.
In New Zealand over the past four years, ACC has paid nearly $6 million for injuries involving cats.
Of more than 24,000 claims, nearly 1200 were from Otago and nearly 450 were from Southland.
Brent Baguley, owner of Allandale Cattery & Kennel in Dunedin, said he had not had a severe workplace injury from a cat but his wife, Donna, had not been so lucky.
A bite from a "moggy'' tore flesh from her hand.
"It sunk its teeth into her hand and pulled a bit of flesh out. The doctor thought a tooth had broken off but it was just the flesh hanging out,'' Mr Baguley said.
Mrs Baguley said she did not blame the cat because she was helping it free a foot caught between a sleeping box and a shelf.
She went to help the animal and it panicked and attacked.
"It wasn't the cat's fault.''
Another attack in the cattery was unprovoked.
"I went to walk past it and it grabbed me. I had thick jeans on and it bit right through.''
The bite from the big, black fluffy cat left three puncture marks on her calf.
Both wounds healed well because she got immediate medical attention in Mosgiel, including a tetanus vaccine and antibiotics.
Cleaning the wound immediately was important to stop it becoming septic, she said.
Dunedin City Council environment health and animal control team leader Ros MacGill said animal control had never euthanised a cat because it injured a person.
In fact, the council had never had a complaint about an aggressive cat.
However, wild cats had been euthanised by the council due to sickness.
In New Zealand last year, the 5917 claims for injuries involving a cat cost ACC $1.26 million.
Dunedin Hospital emergency department charge nurse manager Kathy Jansen said it was "extremely difficult'' to provide accurate information about injuries caused by cats because there were several ways to record injuries in the database.
However, a manual search revealed 30 injuries involving cats last year.
What happened
Accident description on ACC claims
• "Bitten by pet cat when brushing it.''
• "Accidentally stood on the cat - he lashed out and got my leg.''
• "Cat got a fright and dug claws into me.''
