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.

You could fit rollers all around your fencing... however!...

If your neighbour gets pissy and damages them from his side, you do have a the risk that the cat will be able to get IN your garden, but far LESS able to get out again...

So unless you are certain he won't meddle with them and they can be put up so the cat absolutely cannot get in... I'd probably leave it - hopefully cat has learned not to get into your garden now.

I'm so pleased the cat is OK. Your neighbour sounds dreadful.

I hope you're OK 🌻

I will do another thread 'The ongoing saga of cat with 9 lives and bully neighbour'
I dont know how to make a link but someone clever might be able to do it for me

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable

“Bluetoybear

@DogsSausages...Yes we own all sides of fence (we put a new high fence up when we moved in ) ..so you think the cat would get in again even with the cat proofing on sad“

The cat-proofing I have seen requires metal bars angled inwards at a certain height and fastened to a fence. A special net is fastened all the way up and along the angled bars. The net is too difficult for the cat to grip, but if it could, it would be sort hanging up-side down when it reached the angled bars.

No trees or branches should be near the cat fence or it could use those. It there were any near your boundary fence, there is something you can put around the trunk to stop the cat climbing beyond that point; or, an inner cat-fence in front of the tree would need to be erected.

@Sunbird24 thank you for putting lik on

Sorry- I just saw you asked if you could put the cat fence up from your side. The inward facing angled bars with net attached which I tried to describe before needs to be on the cat’s side.

This spiked - fence top solution evidently doesn’t work.

I wouldn't put the spike things on..they look too dangerous ☹

@summerfun12 I think dogs are vile, and if one seriously injured my cat, it wouldn't be biting anything ever again!

Then don't let your cat into a 'vile' dog's garden. How would you respond if a 'vile' dog made it's way into your garden?

After reading your initial posts OP I was going to say: As pp have said I don't think you're at fault here because the cat came into your garden. The neighbour should not have come round to your house to bully, intimidate and threaten you. Don't pay him anything and don't even offer to pay half. Was he concerned about the welfare of the cat or the cost of the vet's bill?

After reading the full thread it's clear he was trying to con you and will probably back off now that your DH is home. I would phone the police and report concerns for Mrs Next Door's welfare (after hearing the screaming row) and drop in that 'only a few days ago he was round here screaming and threatening me too. Could you send someone around to check on Mrs please?' This is a good opportunity to get the police around to question his behaviour and log it without making it an 'official complaint' which you'd need to declare if you want to sell. I would think having the police around could also keep him in check because he knows you're prepared to call them iyswim. TBH I wouldn't want to live next to him and would seriously consider moving.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/4294020-The-ongoing-saga-of-cat-with-9-lives-and-bully-neighbour

We once had a dog that killed a neighbours cat. I was heartbroken. The cat came into our secure garden though and they fought, and our dog won. The cats owner actually apologised to me! It’s horrible, but if your dog was in your garden I can’t see how it’s your fault.

@FrangipaniDeLaSqueegeeMop

Gosh the poor cat!

I'm with the neighbours OP you need to pay this Bill. Your dog shouldn't be attacking anyone not even animals. Be thankful they haven't demanded anything more severe

Bollocks! Dog was in his own secure garden , cat owner fully responsible

@MrsSkylerWhite

PraiseBee

“I'm curious, do you think if cats had to legally be kept on their own property like other animals that less people would have them as pets?“

Wonder if figures are available on dog ownership going way back? Probably not. When I was a child, in England, early 60s, dogs were put out in the morning like cats are now and wandered about on their own. Most had their regular route. Don’t recall huge numbers of dog bites (but as a child I suppose I wouldn’t necessarily be aware).

Wonder how numbers reacted when that was banned and licenses introduced? Might give an indication for cars?

I must be of the same era as you.

Dogs went out and came home for their tea.

There were rarely fights (the occasional one over a bitch in season - not much else) - I think because the dogs socialised and formed "packs" where each knew their place in the hierarchy. There were often packs of around six dogs trotting about. More if there was a bitch in heat.

Not many families had multiple dogs (I have 3 myself BTW) and most dogs had a "job" - even if that job was telling the owners that there was someone at the door - dogs weren't (on the whole) treated as children, so boundaries weren't blurred.

It was accepted that dogs would chase/kill cats and small furries - upsetting, but that's what nature is.

There was, however, an horrific amount of dog poo!

Oh - and there were rarely children being bitten by dogs - I think because we were all taught.

a) don't touch a dog you don't know (if it's with its owner, you can ask, but otherwise, just don't)

b) don't tease a dog

c) don't try to take food off a dog

d) don't startle a dog

e) if a dog you are playing with moves away - don't follow it, leave it alone

Common sense rules that seem to be rarely adhered to these days.

@SMaCM

When I was a child our cat was badly bitten by the dog next door and had to be put down in the end. We claimed on our cat insurance. Your dog insurance might cover it, but I'm not convinced your liable. Can you speak to your insurance and get their opinion.

How long ago were you a child? Where did this happen; your garden, their garden, where? A lot changes over time and we have a clearer understanding of the law.

Well well well! 😎
Took dog out for his walk this morning and got talking to the lady who lives on the other side of next door neighbours...I was telling her about the 'problem' with my dog and their cat. She didn't know anything about that, but she told me the previous week they had the cat to the vets as it had an eye infection and they were moaning about the cost for seeing the vet, eye drops and antibiotics! I wonder if neighbour was just going to show me receipt for that bill being paid and try and pass it off as the one for 'badly savaged cat'

That's the risk you take as a cat owner of you allow them out of the house to roam. They should have pet insurance. I'm a cat owner and I wouldn't expect you to pay.

They sound like they were just trying to get money off you, did you see your dog attack their cat or is it just a load of shite.

The scamming buggars!!

did you see your dog attack their cat or is it just a load of shite.

Seeing as the OP says 'They wouldn't tell us if the cat had been bitten or had injured itself trying to get out over the fence.' I'd say your second possibility is the more likely.

That's very high level cheeky fuckery. He must have been watching you in the garden until you went inside and left your dog alone for a short while.

Discuss it with ALL the neighbours. I'm glad you're getting cameras, get them for the front as well, otherwise next time he scrapes his car or other mishap he'll be claiming that you or another neighbour did it.

What a bellend!
Glad the truth has come out.

Next door neighbours are now having a shouting row with each other! I hope the woman neighbour is ok as the man is a bully! ☹ I want to move house 😥 I don't think I have heard the last of this...I have never had any trouble with any neighbours before.

Imagine the row was about the fact she let the cat out and you've seen for yourself the cat is perfectly fine. Not to mention you've also discovered the cat's eye infection was expensive and they were clearly looking to get someone else to cover the bill!

Shocking behaviour.