Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

I’m not responsible for someone else’s cat, am I?

267 replies

PoppliosBubble · 25/04/2020 13:51

On Monday I was in the garden and heard a noise in the garage. I opened the garage and a cat shot out and disappeared up the road. I knew the garage hadn’t been opened since the previous Thursday so the cat had been stuck in there for 4 days without food or drink 🙁.

I posted the above on our local FB page with a brief description of the cat, asking if anyone had lost one. A lady replied saying her cat had turned up at hers incredibly weak, she’d taken it to the vet who had given fluids and was keeping it overnight. I messaged the lady my email and asked her to let me know how cat was doing, that I was really sorry and that it was only due to lockdown that the garage hadn’t been opened in so long etc.

This morning she emailed me to say cat was home, seemed much better but that she was keeping him in from now on. The cat had to stay at the vets for two days and the cost was nearly £800, vets bill attached to the email. I think this is a bit odd but reply ‘glad to hear cat is better. I’ll keep an eye out for him once he’s out and about again. Hopefully your insurance will cover the fees and you didn’t have to pay too much of an excess.’

She’s just replying say she doesn’t have insurance against someone locking her cat in their shed for nearly a week. She’s been furloughed and absolutely cannot afford to pay this bill at the moment. She thought that I’d offer to at least pay half of the bill after the harm I’d caused her cat but as I haven’t she’ll ask me outright or be posting my details on the local FB telling everyone what I’ve done. The same FB page that I posted on saying I’d found a cat in my garage in the first place.

This isn’t my fault is it? I have a cat and if someone accidentally shut it in a shed/ garage them I’d consider that my responsibility as I’m the one that allows my cat out. I’m just ignore the email as I’d quite like to see what she posts online.

OP posts:
GoodbyeToCare · 25/04/2020 14:16

Gone, not fine.

mumsie8 · 25/04/2020 14:16

If she does post anything, maybe a screenshot of her threatening to 'blackmail' you into paying for her uninsured cat should also be shared on the fb post. Plenty will be said about that.

whoami24 · 25/04/2020 14:17

Not your problem, if you hadn't posted on Fb she wouldn't have known where her cat had been.

You were being nice and concerned but don't pay it, it's not ur fault.

Bigbrowproblems · 25/04/2020 14:17

Absolutely agree with everyone above.

I have three cats and in that situation I'd be so pleased to have my cat back and be really touched that you'd cared.

Agree that you shouldn't have a pet without insurance. You can get even a basic policy for around a fiver a month...!

Also.. As previously mentioned the PDSA will usually treat your pet for either free or massively reduced if you're on a low income or on certain benefits.

I'm amazed at the cat above who mentioned theirs being locked in for 10 weeks. That's incredible that she survived. You must have been so relieved!

Love a happy ending.

WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll · 25/04/2020 14:17

Hmm, so she's struggling for money having been furloughed and a kind stranger has shown compassionate interest in her cat, having been an uninvolved third-party to the cat's misadventure. Also, as has been confirmed, getting itself trapped for a few days is very unlikely to really harm a cat.

This invoice: does it look like something you could easily knock up at home? Or maybe amend the date? Or does the vet have the same surname that she does?

Either way, she must be stark-staring bonkers to think you would pay half/all of the bill for her cat. I know it was meant as a joke, but the suggestion upthread of taking the cat to small claims for trespass is actually significantly LESS crazy than what she's suggesting Grin

ilovedjerrymore · 25/04/2020 14:17

Don’t pay! What a cheek! I would sort out your settings on Facebook so she can’t tag you or even block her. If I saw that on Facebook I would laugh.
She is crazy and trying it on. I would reply sorry not my problem the cat should not have been in my garage. The garage I am now having to clean after the mess you cat has made in it. Grin

wonderrotunda · 25/04/2020 14:18

@ MashedPotatoBrainz that made me laugh! I can just see him now weighing it up ...’Felix now or heaps of Dreamies later...’

Bingeslayer · 25/04/2020 14:18

Ignore and get the group administrators to remove the post if she does carry through,you are not responsible for someone else's cat that wanders in garages.
when I was younger I adopted a cat from a neighbour who only liked the kitten stage and not long after he disappeared for a week to return much thinner,assumed he'd been stuck in a shed or garage while someone was on hols.
Certainly didn't blame them,was more worried about the mess he would have left after a week.

Theultimatecatlady · 25/04/2020 14:19

Absolute rubbish!
Perhaps you could tell her the amount of damage her cat has caused In your garage. That would shut her up !

whoami24 · 25/04/2020 14:20

What did it have done for £800! My cat had to have his leg removed and that cost £1000.

But don't pay it she's a CF

redwoodmazza · 25/04/2020 14:21

Not your responsibility.
Maybe sue her for her cat trespassing in your garage!!! Smile

Weregoingonanadventure · 25/04/2020 14:22

Is it even the same cat? It could just be someone with a similar cat who had to take it to the veg and got hit with an £800 bill, saw your post and decided to pretend it was her cat and get you to pay for it.
A cat stuck in a shed for a few days doesnt need to be kept in for 2 days by a vet and get an £800 bill.

KnobwithaK · 25/04/2020 14:22

The cat's not stupid.. the cat is a cat.

The owner however..

If you have a cat that goes outside (as I do) you have to accept the risk of something like this happening. And if you can't afford big vet bills you get insurance or go to a charity for treatment.

julybaby32 · 25/04/2020 14:22

Was it even her cat or is she just exploiting the situation?

thegcatsmother · 25/04/2020 14:23

One of mine was in the vets being dehydrated for a couple of nights (I took in meds and food), and that was about £400 7 weeks ago. She's taking the piss.

PrincessHoneysuckle · 25/04/2020 14:23

No way would I pay this!

PrincessHoneysuckle · 25/04/2020 14:23

If she doesnt know where you live dont give it a second thought

Ginkypig · 25/04/2020 14:24

Almost the same thing happened to my friend except instead of a garage a cat had sneaked into their house and ended up in a spare bedroom before the door had been shut. My friend had no idea the cat was there and infact neither did friends dog who also lives in the house!

About 4 days later a neighbor (who had been looking for the cat) knocked on my friends door and said my cat is in your house, my friend replied no to which the person said actually yes Iv just seen it in your upstairs window.
My friend and the neighbor went upstairs, opened the door and sure enough there was a very thirsty unhappy cat!

My friend was mortified but absolutely genuinely had no idea it was there! The owner was ok about it as she could see it was just a genuine accident and she was just happy to have her cat back.

thegcatsmother · 25/04/2020 14:24

Rehydrated, not dehydrated. Duh!

LisaSimpsonsbff · 25/04/2020 14:25

Of course she's a CF - and it doesn't even sound like you have any proof that it was her cat?!

Weregoingonanadventure · 25/04/2020 14:26

@Ginkypig
Every cat I've ever had would have meowed their wee heart out in that situation. How could none of them hear it?

fedupwiththisshitnow · 25/04/2020 14:26

She sounds bonkers.

I don't know why you apologised or gave her your email address though along with an explanation about why the garage was closed.

A simple 'hope the cats ok' would have been enough.

Sallycinammonbangsthedruminthe · 25/04/2020 14:27

Copy and paste her message and demands to the orignal facebook page you posted on....I would say beware decent people this is what you get for trying to be kind and helpful... let it be aa warning to others...show her up for being the cheeky twat she is...do not pay Op,do not feel obliged ,,do nothing except block ,You are not to blame for any of this at all and to suggest you are held accountable is insane,l

HedgehogHotel · 25/04/2020 14:27

Not your bill to pay.

Had she gone door to door asking people to check their sheds and garages and explaining why and you'd refused, I'd say otherwise (and that you were an arsehole for refusing to at least check), but that didn't happen, so her cat bill.

If she can't afford big unexpected cat bills, then she should have had pet insurance.

strawberry2017 · 25/04/2020 14:28

The only people who would agree with the women are her friends coz that is crazy thinking!