My dog bit a cat 😪

[Bluetoybear]

Please be kind as I am so stressed over this.. name changed for this I have a 7 year old dog which is only walked on a lead 3 times a day in local park and let out in my back garden throughout the day for a wee etc. My back garden has a 6 foot fence around it so my dog can't get out. Yesterday the neighbours cat jumped into my garden and my dog ran after it and bit it on its leg. My neighbour has taken the poor cat to the vets and has had a big vets bill for it and neighbours husband has came round at tea time demanding I pay it all. He was very vocal about it and said if I don't pay it he will 'sue/take me to court/get in touch with authority's saying my dog is dangerous etc. I am so worried as the cat has awful injuries. I have offered to pay half out of goodwill but neighbours telling me I need to pay all of the bill which I can't afford.

I own cats and if this happened I'd expect my insurers to cover the bill. It's a natural instinct for dogs and it was in your back garden. They might have terrible insurance coverage and are trying to be CF. My DH accidentally insured our 2nd cat on the standard insurance instead of the premier version. Naturally she was the one who broke her leg and the insurers only covered £1k of the £3.5k bill but we had to live with that.

As others have said I also don’t think you’re liable and they haven’t got insurance and are wondering now how they’re going to pay it. My neighbour’s cat come in our garden all the time, don’t mind her in the garden but if she gets hurt she is not my responsibility.

If your neighbour carries on be prepared to speak to the police about harassment.

Wishing you a speedy recovery from your operation.

I wouldn’t call your insurance, they’re a pain for increasing premiums at the best of times.

I’m a dog and cat lover. They are both predators. The cat has potentially killed multiple small animals. The dog was following its instincts but in your garden - you keep it leashed on walks, as you said.

Honestly, if he’d been nice about it you could have considered half, but in these circumstances I’d tell him to fuck off. Plus your husband having a go too… sounds like your dog is the best of your companions!

The cat came into your garden so you're not responsible for its vets bill. It's really nice that you've offered half.

It was in your garden. Animals are territorial.
Don't pay a thing.
Sorry for your distress. But you made a decent and kind offer. I doubt he will get very far if he tries to take you to court but may be worth consulting a lawyer to verify where you stand. Keep in mind, even if you pay the whole thing he could still sue you.

[quote noirchatsdeux]@summerfun12 I think dogs are vile, and if one seriously injured my cat, it wouldn't be biting anything ever again.[/quote]
Cats are natural predators too. What's the difference between a dog biting a cat on their own territory and a cat biting/eating mice, birds etc on theirs?

I wouldn't pay OP, you were very generous to offer but cats will be cats.

My cat torments the poor dog next door. He knows full well what he is doing.

If people get away with this then everyone with a ring doorbell would be able to dictate who started the fight between the neighbourhood cats when they come back in a sorry state

@KindergartenKop

Hmmm. If this was in the park then the cat's owner might have a point but the dog was in its own garden. If the cat attacked another cat on its territory then would he pay the bill?

I'd be sympathetic to the cat and owner but ultimately you didn't invite puss in!

I'd make this point to the neighbour

Also - my cat had a fight with a fox, wondering who I can send the bill to.

I wouldn't pay. I don't have a dog, but I have a cat. If my cat went into someone else's garden and got bitten by a dog, there's no way I'd expect the dog owner to pay

Under the dangerous dogs act it is an offence if your dog attacks a person in the dogs home/property but not if it attacks an animal. Don’t pay, don’t call your insurance.

I don’t think you should be paying anything at all. I have a cat. She is an indoor cat (her choice, she hates going out!) but I have her insured so that if she did get injured outside that I’d be able to cover the vet bill. While it is sad that the cat was bitten that is the risk you have with a roaming animal.

My neighbours dog killed my cat a few years ago. While I was out in the garden. It was awful but I didn't expect them to cover the cremation cost. It didn't even cross my mind. Unfortunately it's the risk you take letting a domesticated animal outside to roam free.

@I8toys

Is the cat not insured? I have cats and would expect them to be treated and paid for out of that. If its not I think half is fair.

So the OP has to pay half because they haven't been arsed to insure their pet?

Surely if the dog is secured on your property and the cat entered - you aren't to blame? Your dog was safely in its territory. Hopefully the cat learned a valuable lesson ... I wouldn't pay a penny

@Bluetoybear

Thank you so much for everyone who has taken the time to comment on this I am going to bed now with a book (and my little dog sleeping on my bed) neighbour has been banging on front door for last 5 minutes but I am not answering him tonight.. I will let my husband deal with it when he gets back tomorrow night. So bloody stressful! And I am off work at the moment recovering from an operation.

I’d phone the police on him. I have cats and love them very much. However, I allow them outside and accept the responsibility if they’re injured. It sounds like their cat is uninsured and he’s looking at a costly bill. This is not your fault. If his cat had been injured by a car or got trapped somewhere, he wouldn’t be chasing anyone for payment.

Phone the police if he continues to harass you

Also it's not a reportable offence unless the dog attacks another dog or a person.

The onus is on the owners of the cat to keep their pet safe. It came into your garden. While sad, it is not your responsibility to pay.

Not your fault. How does he even know it was your dog anyway? Get him to prove it.

I wouldn’t get a cat because you have no idea where it is or what it’s up to. He should realise this.

@emilylily

I would definitely pay as the alternative might be your dog being put to sleep if considered to be a dangerous dog.

I can't work out if you're being deliberately spiteful or are just really clueless but OP doesn't need to read stupid comments like that.

Best wishes for a good recovery, OP. Enjoy your book and hope you have a good night’s rest. Your neighbour is trying to intimidate you and deserves nothing but contempt. As an animal lover, I totally understand your concern for the poor cat. What a pity its owner hadn’t the same concern. Cats allowed to wander freely are a real nuisance, and, where young children are concerned, a source of potential serious infection.

I don’t think you’d be classed as responsible. If I cat gets injured by a car, that car driver isn’t liable for loses. If you have a cat and it’s allowed to roam free, then that’s one of the risks you take. Hope you’re ok OP and feel better from your op soon x

@Bluetoybear

Thank you so much for everyone who has taken the time to comment on this I am going to bed now with a book (and my little dog sleeping on my bed) neighbour has been banging on front door for last 5 minutes but I am not answering him tonight.. I will let my husband deal with it when he gets back tomorrow night. So bloody stressful! And I am off work at the moment recovering from an operation.

I’d be tempted to call the police if he carries on. What a twat.

A cat jumped into your garden and your dog bit it? Yep, that tends to happen! Too bad.

I think your offer to pay half was more than generous.

@Whatamesssss I think they watch one too many Law & Order reruns!