A postman who refuses to put letters through a family's door for fear of being attacked by their cat has said: 'You have to be careful.'
As reported yesterday, Carl and Carol White, of Chichester Road, North End, were told their postie could no longer use the letterbox because their pet Lana had scratched him on the hand.
The couple now have to open the door to get their mail delivered so there is no risk of their pet - nicknamed Lana Banana by the family - attacking the postman.
Postman Andrew Goater today spoke out to defend the decision by Royal Mail bosses to write to the couple informing them that they could be banned from receiving post if they do not keep Lana away from the door.
Mr Goater, 53, insisted the measures were necessary.
'Normally you hear about postmen being attacked by the dog but this cat just came out of nowhere,' he said . 'It was a really vicious scratch.
'The cut was bleeding for two hours and customers complained their mail had blood on it. I went to hospital and got a booster jab for TB. The staff said that cats have more diseases than dogs so you have to be careful.
'Now I deliver the post by hand in person and I am a lot happier with the situation.'
Mr White, 36, who lives with wife Carol, 26 and sons Jack, 10 and Connor, seven, previously said the cat was just being playful when she scratched Mr Goater's hand.
Lana the cat reacts as the mail arrives
Mr White, a cleaner at Portsmouth Dockyard, said: 'This was the first time she had done anything like that and she's not done anything like it since. I think it's a bit much to say they might take us off the mailing list if it happens again.'
Royal Mail says it has a duty to protect employees and says animal attacks are a serious issue affecting delivery men and women.
The organisation says it Our main aim is to prevent attacks, supported by an on-going campaign to raise awareness of the issue among our customers.'
