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Original poster

My dog bit a cat 😪

982 replies

Bluetoybear · 08/07/2021 18:00

Please be kind as I am so stressed over this.. name changed for this SadI 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 legSad. 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.

OP posts:
JamMakingWannaBe · 09/07/2021 01:39

Don't phone your insurance. Even if you don't claim they will class it as an insurable event and put your premium up. If you do claim, your dog will be classed as "dangerous" and your premium will go up. Third party cover is for events that happen in public spaces (dog runs into road and causes a traffic accident). It happened on your private property, you are not responsible and the suggestion your dog should be muzzled in his own garden is frankly ridiculous.

Boredoutmymind · 09/07/2021 02:13

You are not in the wrong.
DO NOT PAY FOR THE VET BILL.

The authority will do nothing as your dog was in you garden secured and an intruder (cat) came in uninvited.

It is perfectly legal for a dog to attack or bite an uninvited intruder that comes into your secured property.

REPORT NEIGHBOURS FOR HARRASMENT, if they continue to bang on your door and cause distress.
They are just bullying you.

Do not claim on dogs insurance and no need to report it to anyone.
Please take my advise and don't give into bullies.

eekbumbler · 09/07/2021 02:15

I dont recall suing the foxes that attacked my cat when he decided the cubs looked fun to play with.

eekbumbler · 09/07/2021 02:17

@Boredoutmymind

You are not in the wrong. DO NOT PAY FOR THE VET BILL.

The authority will do nothing as your dog was in you garden secured and an intruder (cat) came in uninvited.

It is perfectly legal for a dog to attack or bite an uninvited intruder that comes into your secured property.

REPORT NEIGHBOURS FOR HARRASMENT, if they continue to bang on your door and cause distress.
They are just bullying you.

Do not claim on dogs insurance and no need to report it to anyone.
Please take my advise and don't give into bullies.

This absolutely.
Cailleach1 · 09/07/2021 02:31

@ChardonnaysPetDragon

How do you prevent a cat entering a garden? Asking for a friend.

How is that OP responsibility?

If you want to make sure your cat doesn't leave your property, you cat proof it. You basically fence it, quite high with an angle at the top. You can see this on youtube.

That is not the op's responsibility. It is the cat owner's responsibility if they want to ensure their cat doesn't go into other people's gardens which might have resident dogs.

KTB19 · 09/07/2021 02:37

@Bluetoybear

He has stopped knocking now.. I have my bedroom window open as it's so warm tonight and he had been knocking and saying to his wife who was outside 'I know she is in there!' my husband was fuming on the phone and is going to come home a couple of hours earlier from work tomorrow to go straight round and see him! I have had surgery on my shoulder so was resting in bed with a book as it's still very sore. Little dog was barking and was no help whatsoever Grin
First thing I would do (as soon as you can) is write everything down and then call your local council and ask to speak to the dog warden. Please do not agree to anything at the moment until you have taken advice.

My 33kg dog is terrified of our indoor cat who weighs 9kgs and would beat the shit out of him. However, if a neighbours cat was to come in our back garden, my dog would more than likely attack it - and badly.

I spoke to our local ranger (we are in Australia so its done a bit differently here) and was told that it is perfectly natural for dogs to not tolerate other cats or dogs in their garden, they can see them as a threat.

I have warned one of my neighbours to keep her cat out of my garden because if I am at work, then who knows what may happen.

Please talk to the council, I know you are upset and worried and I dont blame you but do not agree to anything yet until you have taken advice. If this man keeps at your door then call the police, he is bullying you and that is not fair.

I would hate the thought of my dog attacking/killing a cat but he will defend his garden and if I am at work, there isnt much I can do to stop it. So I can imagine how distressed you are.

JeansShirtJeansJacket · 09/07/2021 02:48

I understand why you feel bad, I think that's a natural reaction to seeing your pet harm someone else's pet. That being said, you have no responsibility to someone else's pet if it climbs into your back garden. This is the risk that people take when they have outdoor cats.

Don't pay a penny towards their vet bills, and ifthey turn up again ranting at you I would probably advise them that you will be calling the police if they continue to harass you.

CharlotteRose90 · 09/07/2021 02:53

Do not pay any medical bills for their cat. They need to claim on their own insurance. I get why you feel bad but you have protected your garden for your dog and their cat has jumped into it. Cats aren’t stupid they scan smell and sense dogs and still did it. My dog bit a cat once on the tail in my garden and I wouldn’t pay. Not a chance. They need to sort it. They also can’t report you as you or your dog haven’t done anything wrong

LunaAndHer3Stars · 09/07/2021 03:00

@Bluetoybear

He has stopped knocking now.. I have my bedroom window open as it's so warm tonight and he had been knocking and saying to his wife who was outside 'I know she is in there!' my husband was fuming on the phone and is going to come home a couple of hours earlier from work tomorrow to go straight round and see him! I have had surgery on my shoulder so was resting in bed with a book as it's still very sore. Little dog was barking and was no help whatsoever Grin
If he comes back please call the police. It's not ok for him to harass and intimidate you. It's their cat who was roaming, their responsibility. We have cat containment suburbs here. People have to use a cat run or have certain fences or keep cats inside. So it is possible to contain them.

Your offer to pay half was lovely, but given this man's subsequent behaviour I wouldn't be giving him a cent. It's not your fault their cat got bitten and not your responsibility to pay any of the bill.

GiantHaystacks2021 · 09/07/2021 03:14

Do not pay those CFs a penny.
Their cat should not be in your garden.
Let your DH sort it out but definitely do not pay them a cent.

Ratalie · 09/07/2021 03:17

I like cats. I am terrified of dogs and honestly would be quite happy if they were banned as pets.

You are absolutely not liable.

Your dog should not be put down.

It's understandable that your feel bad about it, but you should not give those owners a penny.

Somanysocks · 09/07/2021 03:20

You would also be wise to ensure this doesn’t happen again, either by muzzling your dog when it’s in the garden or supervising it.

Hilarious

TheGobhoblin · 09/07/2021 03:27

I feel bad for the cat but your neighbours are being knobs. Hopefully it's just their shock, but I was getting angry reading about him repeatedly knocking on the door.

Maybe you need to sic the dog on him! 😂

bpirockin · 09/07/2021 03:42

I'm pretty sure that the cat entering your garden is negates your responsibility. Sad as it is that the cat is injured, I think that offering to pay half is generous and what I'd do if I were able to afford it.

Saoirse82 · 09/07/2021 03:50

@noirchatsdeux If you came for my dog you'd be thinking you'd be wishing you got off as lucky as your cat!

MoppaSprings · 09/07/2021 03:55

Don’t pay a penny, tell your neighbour to stop harassing you or you will need to report them.
Your neighbour should be keeping his car indoors or cat proofing his garden.
I don’t understand why cats need to be allowed out and have a right to roam. I did ask on another thread but no one could tell me. Im in Australia and cats are kept in a lot especially evening and if you let your car roam you are generally thought of as irresponsible as cats kill a lot of the native fauna ( and shit all over the place).

StoppinBy · 09/07/2021 03:57

My old dog once killed a cat that came in our yard.

While I did feel bad I did not consider myself responsible, the cat came in to my yard, I am not responsible for keeping other people's animals out of my property, only keeping my animals on my property and preventing them from harming or hassling anyone or any other animal when off my property.

If people want to ensure their animals safety they should keep them safely at home. End Of Story.

galaxyfairy · 09/07/2021 03:59

I have cats and dogs and I'm just adding to the echo that it's completely not your fault, and you shouldn't be paying anything. If they harass you again please report it to the police, it's not on. Their cat came into your property. If your dog had escaped it would be a different situation entirely but that's not the case.

WickedWitchOfTheEast87 · 09/07/2021 04:00

@Bluetoybear crazy cat lady and cat owner here and whilst its unfortunate what happened YOU ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE the cat came into your garden so its your neighbours responsibility towards their cat and this is the down side of owning an outdoor cat they wander and are likely to get injured. Your neighbours are being cheeky fuckers for demanding you pay the vet bills it was lovely and generous of you to offer to pay half but after the husband's intimidating and bullying behaviour and then harassing you I wouldn't be paying them a penny!! And I'd be telling them to piss off after their behaviour!! As for threating to report and sue you tell them to crack on because if they can't afford vet bills they certainly can't afford the legal cost of trying to sue you its probably an intimidation tactic to get you to pay.

I agree with other posters they didn't have the cat insured and now have a massive vet bill they can't pay maybe going forward they'll have the bloody sense to insure their cat. I didn't have insurance and when my cat became seriously ill I was landed with hundreds of pounds in vet bills its a harsh lesson to learn but that's life lesson learned in future insure your pets!

As for your husband going round there when he returns I wouldn't do that those twats sound like the types to report you. So pre-empt them and report the husband for intimidation and harassment and don't pay them a penny the cheeky twats!

Cormoran · 09/07/2021 04:15

There was no negligence, there is no fault on your side. Your dog was secure in your garden, the cat jumped in your garden and in the same way a cat would go after a mice or bird, your dog went after the cat.
Very sad, but not your fault. You offered half, they refused and became aggressive. DOn't give a cent

TheGobhoblin · 09/07/2021 04:38

Your neighbour should be keeping his car indoors

🤔

Hm2020 · 09/07/2021 04:40

Wow op what your dog did was not illegal harassing and intimidating you is if call the police if he does it again I’m sorry your going through this op your neighbours are arseholes let’s see how brave they are when there faced with your husband not just intimidating a loan women.

GiantHaystacks2021 · 09/07/2021 04:43

@TheGobhoblin

Your neighbour should be keeping his car indoors

🤔

Yes - he can give it a wee drive up and down the hall and that.
blisstwins · 09/07/2021 05:13

@GreatBigBird

As a cat owner, I’d say that if your dog is secure in your own garden, then they can’t really ask you to pay. The cat came in to your garden. If your dog went into theirs, then I’d say something else.
I agree with this. It is upsetting, but not unusual behavior for dogs. I don’t think you are legally or morally liable.
Nothingyet · 09/07/2021 05:23

@Branleuse

I think id offer to pay half as a gesture of goodwill if you can afford to. You arent obliged to though as the cat came into the dogs garden. I dont think insurance would pay out because of this.

My kitten got into my neighbours garden years ago and their dogs went for it. It was lucky to be alive. My neighbours did cover it thankfully. They didnt have to do that, but their kindness about it all probably saved our friendship

I certainly wouldn't offer to pay anything. It the risk with cats that they can put themselves in danger.