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.

@FrangipaniBlue it wasn't my comment...I was quoting it in all it's ridiculousness

@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

I hope you haven't mutilated your poor dogs ears. How cruel.

It's pure ignorance to insist that dogs hate cats. They don't. That's taught behaviour

When a dog attacked our sleeping cats the person from the council said that 70% of dogs who haven’t been exposed to cats will attach them. It seems like it’s innate behaviour

Some dogs can co-exist happily with cats. But dogs that live in moggy free homes will often go berserk at the sight of one. Certain breeds more than others.

Oh thanks @Doodlebug71 no one understood what I meant. Thank goodness you were here to correct me

There are indoor cats and there are cat fences. So yes, you do ‘let’ your cat roam. Just as if I left my dog somewhere with a low enough fence, he too would choose to roam

I wouldn't be paying it. The cat was free roaming- your dog wasn't. The cat entered a garden with a dog in it- your dog didn't enter their yard. It's unfortunate an animal was injured but you bear no responsibility at all.

One does not "let a cat roam anywhere". Cats are cats. They roam.
Cats can be contained in their own gardens. It's a very simple thing to do. I think it should be mandatory, tbh.

I can not believe the number of people who think that she has any responsibility, for a cat trespassing in her garden and her dog biting it!!!! And aye right- she should muzzle her dog in their own garden in case a cat fancy a wander through.......the mind boggles.......

I can't believe their cheek. The cat should be insured. Totally not your fault or responsibility.

Echoing nearly everyone else. Your dog was on your property in a secure garden. You didn't invite the cat in. You are not responsible.

As someone who owns indoor cats for the very reason that I wouldn't want them to be injured by another animal or a car I think it was irresponsible of your neighbours to let their pet roam.

@Bluetoybear OP, I haven’t seen someone mention this but maybe I missed a comment. Have you checked your dog over very, very carefully? With fur, you can sometimes miss scratches or puncture marks if the cat scratched or bit your dog. The fact is, unless you saw what happened, you have no idea, so you don’t know your dog is responsible.

For all we know, the cat got too close, the dog barked, the cat took offense so swiped him in the nose with claws, so the dog thought it was defending itself by kicking off. In fact, you don’t even know for sure that the cat wasn’t injured when it jumped into your garden (it’s possible - if it’s never entered your garden before, it could have been struggling to get home) and all your dog did was get very upset at its presence, chase it, and possibly nip at it. I’m more of a cat person than a dog person, usually, but your neighbors are being complete arseholes.

Oh, and I’m sure there’s no way Mr. Neighbor would have yelled at you or tried to knock on your door forever if your husband had been home. What a bullying prick. Don’t give him two pence.

I'm a cat owner, my cat did the same I didn't expect my neighbour to pay my cat ran through their garden it's what I have pet insurance for.

Don't allow them to intimidate you

Hope you're ok OP and have had no more visits from your bully of neighbour. I'm a cat owner (well, lets be honest, I'm the house slave to a cat) and she's the most precious thing to us. Luckily she goes no further than our garden and occasionally next doors, who haven't got a dog but if this did happen with her in their garden I would not blame the neighbours or expect them to foot the bill.

@HJ91 What color is the sky in your world? The cat went into her fenced yard-there is no moral or financial or legal responsibility to pay for the cat's injuries! Cat proof her backyard?!! Really? How about have an indoor cat? I've had four indoor cats-they live far longer lives.

Madness! Don't give them a penny. I have 3 cats but only 1 goes outside. She delights in annoying the neighbours' dog by parading along the fence. But if the dog ever gets hold of her and hurts her it wouldn't even occur to me to think the neighbours were financially responsible. Their garden, their space. It'd be my problem.
I hope your husband puts them in their place.

@EKGEMS I have a strong moral centre and would do anything to protect a neighbour’s beloved pet in future if my pet nearly killed theirs. That’s the ‘world’ I prefer to live in, regardless of whether I am ‘liable’. Sometimes it’s not about whether your liable, it’s about the right thing to do. Or - you’re right about cat proofing their garden to keep kitty safe in future - maybe it would be a good idea for OP to contribute towards this instead. That would be a lovely olive branch.

I believe OP’s neighbours are upset and hurt and that is why they are acting this way. It doesn’t excuse aggressiveness, but withdrawing offers of payment and insisting it’s nothing to do with them will not heal relations (or the poor cat).

Your dog was in your garden. The cat entered your garden. I have outdoor cats- if you allow them to roam, then one of the risks is they get injured. It would be different if your dog had got loose and chased the cat in a public place or into your neighbours garden or something of that ilk. The owner should have insurance. If they don’t, that’s their problem.

The police will not care- your dog was not out of control in a public place. It was in your garden. It did not attack a person. Your neighbour could try to sue, but I doubt they’d get far.

Your neighbour sounds like a dick. Don't engage with him any further and log any harassment with the police.
He wont be able to sue or insist your dog be PTS. The cat was in your garden... your dog's territory. There is no way any fault can lie with you.

I have a greyhound, and if a cat were stupid enough to come into my garden then I just hope the cat can run, because my dog can too.

@emilylily maybe try actually reading the relevant legislation first before spouting total makeup shit? it doesn't mention about biting cats, funnily enough.

OP listen to the dog warden, vet nurse and most sensible folk on this thread, you are NOT liable in any way and they can't get a penny from you.

Also, cats can inflict pretty nasty injuries too. I know someone who nearly lost an arm due to a cat bite.
Your neighbours cat could well have ended up injuring your dog in self defence... imagine a scratch to the eye. I have known dogs to lose eyes to cats. Would your neighbour be happy to cough up for that? I doubt it.

[quote Cushionsnotpillows]@emilylily maybe try actually reading the relevant legislation first before spouting total makeup shit? it doesn't mention about biting cats, funnily enough.

OP listen to the dog warden, vet nurse and most sensible folk on this thread, you are NOT liable in any way and they can't get a penny from you. [/quote]
I mean if someone wants 'relevant legislation' then they probably wouldn't be asking on AIBU though?

I'm sorry I was obviously wrong about this- it was my gut reaction and what I probably might have done if my dog was involved in this incident.

I'm very glad to hear that the OP's dog is in no danger of being treated as a dangerous dog. The whole thing sounds really upsetting.

'Spouting makeup (made up?) shit' is a bit of a rude way to refer to my post but maybe you've had a hard day and at least the OP knows she has nothing to fear now.

You shouldn't pay.
If you had a pet mouse or rat and it went into your neighbours garden and their cat attacked it I bet they wouldn't pay!!

@emilylily YOU said in your post "as a dangerous dog" so you ought to know what the "dangerous dog" legislation is about before mentioning it and upsetting the OP further with threats of her dog potentially being destroyed!

Think of the consequences to the OP before you post random and yes, completely made up shit! I may have had an autocorrect but at least I'm not typing incorrect, inane and possibly very misleading rubbish.

Don’t let them bully you into paying anything your dog has done nothing wrong the cat should never of been in your garden so it’s on them to pay the vets bill not you. If they knock on the door again I would phone the police it’s harassment and intimidation.