Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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:
Sillyduckseverywhere · 09/07/2021 07:30

I'm glad your husband agrees with the majority on this thread. (The minority saying pay up, WTF? Are you batshit?)
It's your dog's garden, the cat shouldn't have been there.
My favourite phrase is "do not engage" I wouldn't even be calling my insurance. It's their problem.

youvegottenminuteslynn · 09/07/2021 07:33

Oh and 100% retract your kind (but unnecessary) offer to contribute to the vet bill - he has behaved in a threatening and aggressive manner. He doesn't deserve your genuine kindness.

Terhou · 09/07/2021 07:47

@Mrstreehouse

Any news OP? Did your DH go round?
He's not due back till this evening.
anon12345678901 · 09/07/2021 07:56

@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 a stupid comment.

Cats do roam but it would be the responsibility of the owner to ensure they have insurance in case something like this happens. As owners of pets who like to roam and go places where they may not be welcome, you need to insure them. OP it is not down to you to ensure their cat does not go into your garden. If anything the owners should feel responsible for their animal.

The dog has done absolutely nothing wrong and would not be put down for this. Not a chance.

StrongLegs · 09/07/2021 07:56

Hi @bluetoybear I just looked online and found this:

forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6001911/dog-attack-on-cat

I think it answers your question from a legal point of view at least.

skodadoda · 09/07/2021 08:01

[quote HJ91]@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).[/quote]
OP was prepared to pay half of the vet bill, but neighbour is being aggressive and irrational. She doesn’t have to be bullied and the neighbour needs to be put in his place.

ChargingBuck · 09/07/2021 08:05

@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.

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

Somethingsnappy · 09/07/2021 08:10

I hope you feel OK this morning OP. How did it go last night? I hope the many sensible comments on this thread have helped to reassure you.

diddl · 09/07/2021 08:11

If I had been thinking of paying something I certainly wouldn't now.

I also don't think that your husband should go round either.

HalfTermHalfTerm · 09/07/2021 08:12

@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.
So you also hate all cats because they scratch? All horses because they kick? All cows because they trample people?

Let’s not even get started on how much you must hate people for all of the things that we do to each other and to animals...

I hope you’re doing OK OP, and the cat is too. I completely understand why you’re upset (I would be too, I love cats) but I really don’t think this is your fault in any way. I’m sure others have suggested calling your local police station to double check the legalities, but if your neighbour continues to harass and intimidate you then I would call them anyway! Your vet might be able to offer some advice too.

TheTallOakTrees · 09/07/2021 08:15

The cat was in your garden. Don't pay the pest shouldn't have been there.

As a previous poster said @Bluetoybear "The dog was in a secure garden on its' own property. The cat was the one who came into the dogs' territory. The cats' owners chose to take the risk of letting their cat out to roam unsupervised, and unfortunately this is what can happen."

TheTallOakTrees · 09/07/2021 08:16

PS if it wandered into a road as cats do and was hit would the stupid owner then want the car driver pay as well - again it's the cats fault.

Glittertwins · 09/07/2021 08:17

Hope you slept okay last night with all this going on.
We have a cat too and if it goes off out of our garden, then that is the risk we have to bear and that is why we have insurance for her.
Their car coming into your garden - it's their problem and insurance to cover, not yours.
Your dog was safely contained inside your garden.
I'm surprised a dog managed to catch at cat though as cats a re generally quicker and more agile but regardless, it's the cat's owners bill /insurance to cover.

TheTallOakTrees · 09/07/2021 08:17

PS Record the conversation with him since he has issued threats that he will make things up if you don't pay. Does he not have cat insurance for when his cat enters private property and gets into trouble.

Justilou1 · 09/07/2021 08:17

@diddl - I don’t either, but I think they should have called the police when Neighbour was banging on the door previously trying to intimidate OP… it’s probably a bit late for that (unless Neighbour escalates). I now think that DH probably needs to go over and state that the cat was on THEIR property, they have no legal obligation to pay for the vet bills. Further conversation about this will be considered harrassment. If they are going to let their cat out to wander, they should consider all of the possible consequences and have it insured.

Trinacham · 09/07/2021 08:22

As a cat owner (indoor only though) I'd say a 50-50 split should suffice. Both animals were 'at fault'. They are being unreasonable to expect you to pay the bill!

TheGumption · 09/07/2021 08:26

Tell them to claim on their pet insurance. If they cba to insure their roaming animal that's their problem.

anon12345678901 · 09/07/2021 08:30

@Trinacham

As a cat owner (indoor only though) I'd say a 50-50 split should suffice. Both animals were 'at fault'. They are being unreasonable to expect you to pay the bill!
Why are both at fault? The cat went into a garden other than it's own. The dog was in its garden. The only animal at fault is the cat, if you let cats roam you accept there maybe consequences to that.
mygenericusername · 09/07/2021 08:31

My cat was killed by a dog that barged it’s way out of my neighbours front door. I was pissed and the dog was banished back to its owner (neighbours were looking after it).

Would I have been annoyed if it had wondered into their garden. No. It’s a chance cats take.

Tell your neighbours to get lost.

MrMucker · 09/07/2021 08:33

Nobody wants to resort to legalities with neighbours.
Sure, the dog owner is not at "fault" legally, but it does not stop them feeling bad about what happened. It is their dog who has agressed, ,and as a pet owner they have empathy for the neighbour seeing their cat badly hurt.
Offering to pay half is what they consider morally correct, so that is a nice thing to do. Some posters have advised to retract the offer, but that will only exacerbate tensions. They offered to pay half, they wanted to, so they should do that. Then they could also point out to the neighbour that the offer is based on compassion and had they resorted to the law, they'd find that actually nothing is due.
It is the neighbour who is being unreasonable in the eyes of the law, however, they are angry because it is so awful to see their cat hurt. It's not really about blame, I think it's more about distress.
Perhaps this will simmer down later as the cat begins to heal.
One good thing's for sure, it wont be going back in that garden!

jackstini · 09/07/2021 08:35

Hope you got some sleep OP

Not your fault at all - your dog was safely in your garden and their cat entered its territory

I've had cats in the past and anything happening to them whilst they are out I would accept is my responsibility. If your dog had entered their garden that would be different, but he didn't!

If he bangs again, tell him to stop harassing you and leave or you will call the police. Video him too

Rest up today and glad your DH will be back soon

FlyingPandas · 09/07/2021 08:36

@Trinacham

As a cat owner (indoor only though) I'd say a 50-50 split should suffice. Both animals were 'at fault'. They are being unreasonable to expect you to pay the bill!
No, a 50:50 split would ‘not suffice’!

(A) the cat owner is liable, as so many others have said, and should claim on their insurance. Non house bound cats will roam and there is a daily risk of injury when they roam. That’s why you get insurance. The dog was safely secured in its own garden and was behaving like a dog. Same logic would have applied had it been a cat on cat fight.

(B) the cat owner has threatened and bullied the OP in an unnecessarily aggressive way and frankly deserves to be reported to the police for intimidation. He deserves no contribution to the vet costs whatsoever.

I would be willing to bet that the nasty little man has no pet insurance and is simply trying it on to avoid paying out.

Stand firm OP and do not pay!

diddl · 09/07/2021 08:37

"I now think that DH probably needs to go over and state that the cat was on THEIR property, they have no legal obligation to pay for the vet bills. Further conversation about this will be considered harrassment."

As long as it wouldn't lead to an argument!

Trinacham · 09/07/2021 08:42

@FlyingPandas I haven't read the whole thread so didn't know about (B)
@anon12345678901 Was just saying that is what I would do, if I was the dog owner and they were good neighbours on good terms. He does not sound like one so I would not pay him. I don't let my cats out for reasons like this. It just isn't safe.

Bonjourfern · 09/07/2021 08:54

@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.
Dogs don't get put down for injuring or killing cats. Only humans or other dogs. So I smell bullshit.