to think the dog owners should help pay for my cats vet bill?

[pinkfluffysheep]

I don't normally post anything so please be gentle with me!!

My cat was attacked by my neighbours two dogs as she tried to run for cover. One of the dogs, a rottweiler, grabbed her and shook her. My cat scratched him on the nose and somehow got free.

The dog owner came to my parents house to apologise and, after my dad had said she was okay, offered to pay for any vet bills.

When I got home the next day I decided to take her to the vet who told me she needed emergency surgery for a ruptured abdomen, a torn diaphragm, two broken ribs, two ribs completely dislodged, massive internal bleeding and fluid loss. Including overnight intensive care the bill came to a whopping £1462!!!

I know that she is insured but because she is over 9yrs I have to pay 20% as well as the excess meaning I stand to lose about £350 and my cat was almost killed while they carry on as normal.

I know I sound very bitter, that is because I am. Would anybody else ask the dog owners to contribute something?

They've offered to pay any vet bills. Why are you bitter about it? Are you on good terms with your neighbours?

They've already offered to pay. Go round and say you are struggling to pay the excess on the insurance and would appreciate in the circumstances if they'd help you out.

You don't sound bitter at all. I hope your cat recovers well

Oh how awful for you and your cat - I'm glad she's OK and I hope everything goes well with her recovery.

Definitely ask for a contribution towards the costs. They've already offered and should totally help out. If my dog hurt any other animal, I would certainly consider it my responsibility to contribute towards any resulting vets bills.

Good luck and strokes to your furry purry

Where was your cat when it got attacked? I think that makes all the difference.

You are quite fortunate that they came round and offered to help you pay, I think it would be ok of you to accept 50% of the charges you have to pay.

What more do you expect from them?

I'm not on bad terms with them, but I feel as though the offer might have been an empty one, once they thought the cat was okay. My dad (given his age I suppose) assumed she was just shaken up because there were no external injuries.

I'm bitter because their dog nearly killed my cat. I know that it's a touch irrational but at the moment I just can't help it.

Thanks for the replies.

When she was attacked she was at the top of my driveway - a very small cul-de-sac.

Please don't get me wrong curlymama, I don't expect anything from them, I was just wondering if others thought it would be reasonable to ask them to contribute.

I would pop a note though the door saying "I took my cat to the vets and it seems the dogs caused more damage than we first thought. The total bill was .... and I have had to pay out x amount because of excess on insurance. As Im sure you can understand this is a lot of money and i know you offered to pay so I hope you dont mind if I take you up on your kind offer"

My puppy was attacked by another dog and the lady offered to pay the bill and she did.

It's a horrible feeling when something like this happens to your pet, but at least you are able to recognise that you are probably feeling a touch irrational. But you love your cat, so that's to be expected.

If their offer was empty or not, they still made the offer, so you could take them up on it if you want to. The dog owners were bound to ask about the welfare of your cat first, before they made an offer, if they didn't you could just as easily be on here saying 'all they wanted to know was how much it was going to cost them, they asked how the cat was but it sounded empty because they didn't ask that first'.

I hope your cat is ok.

That is a really good suggestion lisad, I might just do that. Thanks.

do what lisa suggested. they obviously feel bad to have already offered. when our cat was attacked in our front garden by a neighbours dog, we were told to f* off when we asked about the owner contributing to the vets bill.

I totally see your point curlymama. It could well have been sincere and I'm just taking it the wrong way.

This is why I need a sounding board!!

Thanks for your help and suggestions. I'm not normally this irrational, honest!

It's not irrational at all to feel upset. Lisad's idea is a good one. I misunderstood, and thought you meant that you felt bitter because you had to pay so much. I didn't understand because you'd just said that they offered to pay. Sorry, I misunderstood.