ACC pays up for over 2000 scratched by cats

Over the past three years more than 2000 New Zealanders have received ACC treatment after they were scratched by cats, according to figures from the corporation.

Figures released to the Herald on Sunday also showed 299 people received taxpayer-funded treatment after run-ins with sharp plants.

The newspaper said figures showed there were 2148 ACC claims for cat scratches which cost a total of $352,530, between mid-2005 and mid-2008. More than 600 of those claims were still active as at June 2008.

More than 4700 New Zealanders claimed for cat bites in the same three-year period at a total cost of more than $600,000 with 1619 of these claims active at June 2008.

The worst pets seem to be dogs - 17,359 people received ACC payouts after they were bitten by canines in the three years, at a total cost of almost $3.5 million.

ACC covers anything that comes under its definition of ``injury', including wounds, burns, strains, sprains, fractures, choking and poisoning.

But before pets get all the blame there were 101 active claims for human bites last year, costing just under $25,000 in ACC claims.

- NZPA