Now, Ketchn ... don't you know better than to lip a kitty

Left thumb under the left pectoral fin ... left trigger & middle finger on either side of the right pectoral fin ... while palm of hand is against the belly. Catfish Handling 101

Hopefully, you rubbed those thumb abrasions with Catfish slime, in the event you didn't have any Triple Antibiotic Ointment readily available.