Page 17 | My dog bit a cat 😪

Bluetoybear · 2021-07-08T17:00:41+00:00

Please be kind as I am so stressed over this.. name changed for this [sad]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[sad]. 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.

ForeverSausages · 08/07/2021 22:21

I'm truly shocked that people think you should pay the vet bill. Obviously you're upset about the cat being hurt, I would be too but the dog is allowed in the garden. Why on earth should it be muzzled in its own garden??!! Maybe the cat should have been kept indoors??!! Honestly, if this a lesson to anyone, get your pets insured.

Phantasmo · 08/07/2021 22:22

@Sillawithans

If your dog bit a cat and it has awful injuries why wouldn't you pay! Personally, I think your dog should be put down. This is why I hate dogs, they bite. Last August a dog killed my sleeping cat and the dog was put down. I hope the neighbours report your dog to the relevant authority.

The cat came into the dog's territory, you twit.

Report a dog for being in it's garden. What a moronic thing to say.

Hopefully you'll take better care of your next cat.

GreyhoundG1rl · 08/07/2021 22:23

@Sillawithans

If your dog bit a cat and it has awful injuries why wouldn't you pay! Personally, I think your dog should be put down. This is why I hate dogs, they bite. Last August a dog killed my sleeping cat and the dog was put down. I hope the neighbours report your dog to the relevant authority.

Oh, bore off, ffs...

Timeisavirtue · 08/07/2021 22:23

Don’t pay anything. Cat shouldn’t have been In your garden. My dog would do the same, it’s natural for dogs to hate cats, there’s a cat that taunts my dog up, it comes in our garden meows and meows until my dog comes running over and then it runs off. She’s been very close to catching it several times, I will not be paying any bills if she does catch it.

Bubbletiers · 08/07/2021 22:24

Your neighbour is clearly just upset at both the cats injuries and then the vets bills. You are in no way obliged to pay a single penny- if you can afford to pay some then do- my dog would do the same and cats don’t come in our garden for that reason!

Did their cat get stuck in your garden due to the high fence?

If it had been your dog escaping or off the lead in a park then yes you should pay - but it wasn’t!

If someone accidentally runs a cat over- they don’t have to pay the cats vet bills!

rosalie11 · 08/07/2021 22:26

A dog which was the same breed as my dog bit him, it took ages to get the other dog off him as he “locked on” to my dog. I took him to the vets (Rscpa) and it cost £75
I didn’t even pressure the woman just wanted my dog to get to a vet.
The others who saw it wanted to cal police, I think someone did but nothing come of it.

They can sue in civil court (and the excuse their cat shouldn’t be in your garden won’t work! You can’t tell a cat off!) but it is unreasonable and I think if you write them a letter with the apology and half the money in cash it may change their mind. People always act different when they see cash!

Good luck

ButterPie1 · 08/07/2021 22:26

if your dog bit a cat and it has awful injuries why wouldn't you pay!
Personally, I think your dog should be put down. This is why I hate dogs, they bite. Last August a dog killed my sleeping cat and the dog was put down. I hope the neighbours report your dog to the relevant authority

Give your head a wobble

Essentialironingwater · 08/07/2021 22:28

I'm a cat owner and think this is bonkers. I wouldn't even dream of asking a dog owner to pay in the same situation. Animals have instincts and these things happen. It's no reflection on either parties pets or ownership thereof. And it's completely on him to pay if his cat got injured.

rosalie11 · 08/07/2021 22:28

Erm it’s not “natural” for dogs to hate cats wtf I have two of these dogs which live with an 12yr old cat which bullies them!
Dogs can be trained, cats can to an extent

Grapewrath · 08/07/2021 22:33

@Sillawithans

If your dog bit a cat and it has awful injuries why wouldn't you pay! Personally, I think your dog should be put down. This is why I hate dogs, they bite. Last August a dog killed my sleeping cat and the dog was put down. I hope the neighbours report your dog to the relevant authority.

What relevant authority? Can’t people read?! Someone specialising in Dog law has already stated OP isn’t liable Also it’s very rare a dog will be put down for killing or injuring a cat- this is an instinctive and not a dangerous act. To those with cats getting uppity-dogs wouldn’t have the opportunity to injure your cat if you controlled it and it didn’t roam onto other peoples property. Someone’s cat killed a nest full of birds in my garden and injured the mum. It’s unpleasant but the circle of life

userxx · 08/07/2021 22:33

@rosalie11

Erm it’s not “natural” for dogs to hate cats wtf I have two of these dogs which live with an 12yr old cat which bullies them! Dogs can be trained, cats can to an extent

Is that your actual dog?

Pudmyboy · 08/07/2021 22:37

@MayLeaveADentInYourSofa so sorry to hear what happened to you and your beloved pet
Op: your dog was in its home, I am sorry for the cat but it is not your dog's fault. Sounds like you have the stress of dealing with your feelings on top of your bullying neighbour. Keep strong. I love my little cat but I know if he went into a dog's garden, I would have to accept the consequences. BTW I see a lot of local cats teasing dogs in gardens by walking slowly along the top of the high fence while the dog is barking itself silly below. Cats have good hearing and sense of smell (maybe not white cats or dogs?) so the neighbours cat should have been alert to the presence of your dog.

Timeisavirtue · 08/07/2021 22:37

@rosalie11

Erm it’s not “natural” for dogs to hate cats wtf I have two of these dogs which live with an 12yr old cat which bullies them! Dogs can be trained, cats can to an extent

That may be your situation, but for the most part most dogs hate cats. Especially ones that trespass on their property. I’ve lived with dogs my whole life and they are the most tamest dogs on the earth but the minute they’ve seen a cat, that changes.

Nogardenersworld · 08/07/2021 22:38

I can’t believe this man keeps knocking at your house when he knows you’re home alone
I wouldn’t pay anything for that reason alone
And I’d have debated calling the police myself

They can’t prove it was your dog
Your dog was secured and supervised

Was their cat?

Their cat should have insurance

I would refrain from talking to him. Certainly Do not admit guilt. You have tried to be nice and they are being awful. Now you should deny all knowledge and let them try to prove it was your dog (they can’t I presume since they do not have cameras looking into your land). Then after that they can prove that somehow makes you liable, even though the cat was on your land.

The cats had help, so it will make no difference if you pay for it or not.
If you get a cat, and you let it roam anywhere it wants, and you enjoy the perks of that, then you accept the risk too.

SecretSpAD · 08/07/2021 22:41

FFS I have had cats and always made sure the little buggers were well insured because they got themselves into really stupid situations including annoying the hell out of a neighbours poor dog by playing "it". Luckily my cat was too fast to be caught, but the twat then fell off a wall that it jumped onto getting away from the dog and broke his leg. It was no ones fault but my stupid twat cat.

My retriever also tries to play with cats that come into our garden. He's also too slow to catch them, but if he did then it's nit his fault - his garden is his territory and they are invading it. He also barks at the birds because he's thick as shit and doesn't like them flying over and into his garden. I keep telling him that one day he'll break a leg, but if he does it's his fault.

This is why we have let insurance. Bloody stupid animals are a liability but we love them 😂

Beautiful3 · 08/07/2021 22:43

Because he has been so rude, I wouldn't pay a penny. You legally do not have to.

Branleuse · 08/07/2021 22:43

@rosalie11

Erm it’s not “natural” for dogs to hate cats wtf I have two of these dogs which live with an 12yr old cat which bullies them! Dogs can be trained, cats can to an extent

Hopefully you havent got your dogs ears mutilated

Doodlebug71 · 08/07/2021 22:44

@Timeisavirtue

Don’t pay anything. Cat shouldn’t have been In your garden. My dog would do the same, it’s natural for dogs to hate cats, there’s a cat that taunts my dog up, it comes in our garden meows and meows until my dog comes running over and then it runs off. She’s been very close to catching it several times, I will not be paying any bills if she does catch it.

It's not natural for dogs to hate cats. Some breeds eg terriers) will go after anything, including cats. Some won't Some dogs are soft as grease, and will roll over and let the cats groom their bellies. Plenty of dogs live with cats quite happily, and they all (cats and dogs) curl up together for sleep.

FlyingPandas · 08/07/2021 22:44

@Sillawithans

If your dog bit a cat and it has awful injuries why wouldn't you pay! Personally, I think your dog should be put down. This is why I hate dogs, they bite. Last August a dog killed my sleeping cat and the dog was put down. I hope the neighbours report your dog to the relevant authority.

And if a cat caught and killed someone's small furry pet (rabbit, guinea pig) should the cat also be put down? Of course not, because it's nature for cats to kill small furries, and the owners of said small furries should take all necessary steps to ensure that they are kept safe from nasty predatory cats.

Cats bite and maim and kill. Often for the sheer merry hell of it, for fun. Because they're, like, cats. It's their nature.

Dogs will defend their territory and if provoked may bite. In their own gardens this is entirely understandable because they're, like, dogs. It's their nature.

Implying that dogs going for cats is somehow outrageous is a bit like getting angry with a rabbit for eating lettuce.

Elnetthairnet · 08/07/2021 22:50

I have a cat and a dog. If your dog attacked their cat by breaking into their garden fair enough to pay, but in your secure garden? No way would they be getting a penny from me. They’re CF.

Doodlebug71 · 08/07/2021 22:52

@Nogardenersworld

I can’t believe this man keeps knocking at your house when he knows you’re home alone I wouldn’t pay anything for that reason alone And I’d have debated calling the police myself

They can’t prove it was your dog
Your dog was secured and supervised

Was their cat?

Their cat should have insurance

I would refrain from talking to him. Certainly Do not admit guilt. You have tried to be nice and they are being awful. Now you should deny all knowledge and let them try to prove it was your dog (they can’t I presume since they do not have cameras looking into your land). Then after that they can prove that somehow makes you liable, even though the cat was on your land.

The cats had help, so it will make no difference if you pay for it or not.
If you get a cat, and you let it roam anywhere it wants, and you enjoy the perks of that, then you accept the risk too.

One does not "let a cat roam anywhere". Cats are cats. They roam.

Your point 3 needs re-wording. Cats don't have insurance. People do. Even with that, I wouldn't expect a dog to savage a cat.

@Timeisavirtue "Dogs hate cats". No, they don't. I grew up in a household where dogs and cats coexisted happily. It's pure ignorance to insist that dogs hate cats. They don't. That's taught behaviour.

WheresMySnackPack · 08/07/2021 22:54

Their cat jumped into your secure garden where you dog was. You don't owe them anything. I say this as a cat lover.

The authorities wouldn't do anything I'd assume. It's not like your dog broke into their garden!

The man is a dick and actually a CF.

floatingboater · 08/07/2021 22:54

If your dog bit a cat and it has awful injuries why wouldn't you pay!
Personally, I think your dog should be put down.

FrangipaniBlue · 08/07/2021 22:55

@floatingboater

*If your dog bit a cat and it has awful injuries why wouldn't you pay! Personally, I think your dog should be put down.*

Another numpty comment

floatingboater · 08/07/2021 22:55

Posted too soon (why doesn't MN have a bloody delete button?) anyway to that poster...get a grip.