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AIBU?

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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:
brushlaptop · 09/07/2021 14:49

A well behaved dog would not just bite a cat, but that doesn't mean you need to pay all their vets bills.
I think half is fair and kind of you to offer.

Coulddowithanap · 09/07/2021 14:49

This is not your responsibility. The cat owners should have insurance. Fair enough if it happened when out on a walk etc but this was your garden.

You were very generous offering to pay half the bills. I'd probably feel very bad in your situation too, that's understandable when someone's pet gets hurt.

Andrea87 · 09/07/2021 14:53

It is your dog‘s garden and hopefully the cat will heal and have learnt it’s lesson not to go there again. Owners must realise that if you let the cat roam freely this may happen. It could have been a fox or a car.
I assume the owner will somehow make sure now that the cat never comes into your garden again.
As for him harassing you , that is awful. You have done nothing wrong. Don’t stress and best wishes.

Cailleach1 · 09/07/2021 14:55

@brushlaptop

A well behaved dog would not just bite a cat, but that doesn't mean you need to pay all their vets bills. I think half is fair and kind of you to offer.
I'm not sure that is true. We always had dogs and cats, growing up. Our dogs accepted our cats as part of the pack, but would chase off any other cat intruding on our property. Our cats would sometimes happily join in chasing away the interloper.

Some dogs have strong instincts. I fostered a dog while living in the country, beside a farm. It took all of my strength to keep him from his instincts 'to herd' the cattle. Lovely sheepdog, but needed to be fenced in and watched.

Micemakingclothes · 09/07/2021 14:55

Cat owner here. Also feel very strongly about dogs on leads etc.

I wouldn’t give them anything towards the bill without consulting a solicitor and making sure you have a legal obligation to do so. The cat was in your dog’s territory. Your dog responded like a dog.

Cailleach1 · 09/07/2021 14:57

Our dogs were rabbit mad too. One dog was a fool, and always hindered the other dog. They never caught any, thank goodness. Our cats, on the other hand used to bring home rabbits. And then happily tuck into their whiskers, the little monsters.

Fiddliestofsticks · 09/07/2021 14:58

I'm a cat and dog owner.

This is the risk you take as a cat owner if you let your car out to roam. You keep your dog under control and contained. Their cat entered your garden. Not your fault. If it was a child that would be a different matter but it was another animal coming onto your dog's home patch.

If the neighbours had been kinder then I would maybe be more inclined to offer some help but he has been a complete arsehole, he's intimidated you and now he is going around the neighbours in the street talking about you? I wouldnt be paying a penny to the bill unless a court told me to, and I would be calling the police to make an harassment complaint if his behaviour continues or escalates over the next few days.

Cailleach1 · 09/07/2021 14:59

Whiskas.

VeryLongBeeeeep · 09/07/2021 15:00

As countless others have said, you are not liable here and he needs to claim on his own pet insurance.

Both my last two dogs lived with my cats quite happily, but if a strange cat had run across the garden in front of them they would have chased it from pure instinct.

Incidentally, while you don't need your insurance in this instance because you and your dog are not at fault, it is worth checking that you have third party liability cover (that goes for all dog owners). If a dog causes an accident - say it gets loose, runs across the road and causes a car crash - the owner would be liable for any loss or damage caused, and if someone suffered life-changing injuries the costs awarded could be very substantial.

callmeadoctor · 09/07/2021 15:01

[quote noirchatsdeux]@summerfun12 I think dogs are vile, and if one seriously injured my cat, it wouldn't be biting anything ever again.[/quote]
Wtf?

ClaudiaWankleman · 09/07/2021 15:05

A well behaved dog would not just bite a cat

Untrue. You don't know what happened in the garden (and neither does OP). My dog was injured by a cat who attacked him in our garden, and maybe our dog would have fought back at the cat were he not so old.

It's normal behaviour for dogs to have some degree of protection over their home, just as it is normal for humans to.

PurpleFlower1983 · 09/07/2021 15:06

Don’t pay anything OP, they should have insurance to cover this, the cat came into your garden and your dog became territorial, they are animals and we can’t always predict their behaviour. I am a cat owner btw, mine have always been insured for injuries etc.

Notaroadrunner · 09/07/2021 15:06

As a cat owner I would not expect the dog owner to pay a penny. I take the risk of allowing my cat to leave our garden. I do hope your Dh tells your neighbour to fuck off and keep his cat indoors from now on if he doesn't want to take responsibility for it being out and about. Take back your offer to pay half.

LST · 09/07/2021 15:11

@brushlaptop

A well behaved dog would not just bite a cat, but that doesn't mean you need to pay all their vets bills. I think half is fair and kind of you to offer.
Don't be silly.
Shade17 · 09/07/2021 15:12

A well behaved dog would not just bite a cat

Ha! Good luck with that!

Funguy · 09/07/2021 15:14

Technically, you are responsible if it can be proved your dog was out of control or that you were negligent in not restraining it.

And yes, you could be held liable for the vet's bills in a Civil Court action.
I am very sorry for you though, just quoting some facts.
I just wondered how anyone KNOWS it was our dog attacking this cat.
Was it witnessed? Did you fail to prevent this happening?

Shadedog · 09/07/2021 15:15

My cat was attacked by a dog in our garden and we got absolutely nowhere trying to get the dog owner to pay. Dog was on a lead but was too strong for the owner. Cat was standing by our front door, dog came down our drive past two parked cars to get her.

1987qwerty · 09/07/2021 15:15

Please withdraw your offer to pay half. The way they have behaved towards you indicates paying half would make no difference. Not your fault, not your responsibility. Also tell them any more harassment and you'll call the Police.

DynamoKev · 09/07/2021 15:18

@MissMaple82

Actually you could very well find yourself in trouble under the dangerous dogs act. The dog is considered to be out of control of it harms anyone or any animal even on your own property. I lost my cat due to a dog attack under the same circumstances and I regret not going ahead and pressing charges.
Utter Bollocks
LST · 09/07/2021 15:18

@Funguy

Technically, you are responsible if it can be proved your dog was out of control or that you were negligent in not restraining it.

And yes, you could be held liable for the vet's bills in a Civil Court action.
I am very sorry for you though, just quoting some facts.
I just wondered how anyone KNOWS it was our dog attacking this cat.
Was it witnessed? Did you fail to prevent this happening?

If it was a person yes. Not a cat.
Phantasmo · 09/07/2021 15:18

@Funguy

Technically, you are responsible if it can be proved your dog was out of control or that you were negligent in not restraining it.

And yes, you could be held liable for the vet's bills in a Civil Court action.
I am very sorry for you though, just quoting some facts.
I just wondered how anyone KNOWS it was our dog attacking this cat.
Was it witnessed? Did you fail to prevent this happening?

Rubbish
thereisnophalange · 09/07/2021 15:23

@MyAnacondaMight

Referring to your dog as “little dog” does nothing to change the fact that it was capable of causing significant injuries to a cat. Size is largely irrelevant here.

You’re not liable for anything, as it was your own garden and your dog attacked a cat rather than a child, but your dog isn’t safe to be off leash in public spaces or around small children.

How bloody ridiculous! My dog chases cats and will chase any that dare come in our garden, it's instinct. (and I wouldn't stop him either..I don't want cat shit in my garden) This doesn't mean he's a dangerous dog who's likely to chase and bite a child, quite the opposite in fact... jeez, some people really need to get a grip!
dollophead · 09/07/2021 15:24

@brushlaptop

A well behaved dog would not just bite a cat, but that doesn't mean you need to pay all their vets bills. I think half is fair and kind of you to offer.
Just like a well-behaved cat would never catch a bird Hmm
BountyIsUnderrated · 09/07/2021 15:26

This reply has been deleted

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GoldenBlue · 09/07/2021 15:26

If you are worried you can report it to your house insurance as generally this covers 3rd party liability insurance. However they would only deem liability and pay out if you were negligent.

I am sure that they will advise you that as the dog was in your own garden and the cat entered uninvited there was nothing that you could do to prevent the incident and are therefore not negligent.

But at least if you put the neighbour in contact with insurers it takes you out of the picture. It stops being you choosing not to pay and instead becomes the insurers advising that you're not liable and therefore payment is not warranted.