I think my cat scratched my chin

[Jasper77]

I left my sister to watch my chin yesterday while I was on a trip and came home to notice that Jasper was acting odd. He's staying on his chinchiller in the corner and has tiny patches of fur pulled out. He's usually very active and lively but he hasn't left the top section of his cage so I've been putting a few treats, hay, etc. up there to make sure he gets them. Jasper barks at me when I go to pet him or even put my hand near him :/ he isn't squeaking or being his usual social self...

I made a temporary structure to keep the cats away from the cage but I'm not sure what to do about Jasper. Any advice is appreciated!!!

 

[Amethyst]

I know he wont like it but check him over, see if you see any scratches or bite marks. If the cat did scratch or nip the chin you need to get the chin seen by a vet, cats carry bacteria which will make the chin sick and/or can be deadly to chins.

 

[Airyn]

It sounds like your chin is in pain. They hide it well, but that large of a behavioral shift is definitely a reason to be concerned. Is he eating, drinking and pooping? Did you find any blood droplets in or near the cage? If you can't check him for an injury yourself, I'd definitely get him to a vet asap.

The bigger concern is that cats can carry pasteurella, which is deadly to chins. It's transmitted through bites and scratches. Some cats will leave chins alone, while some won't. It sounds like yours is having an issue fighting his instincts, so I'd definitely consider a permanent separation for the future. I have two cats and four chinchillas. My cats can't fight their instincts either, so the chins have their own room. It's common.

**EDIT** I was drafting when Amethyst was posting. Sorry for the duplicate info.