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 aren’t responsible OP. Outdoor cats sometimes do come to harm and this is always a risk when having outdoor cats. If your dog was in the street/park and went for the cat, then that’s a different story altogether but this wasn’t the case. I get that your neighbour is upset as his cat has been injured, but that doesn’t excuse his dick like behaviour towards you. Let him go to the police/animal welfare officer, both will tell him that he’s on to a hiding for nothing.

Can’t believe some of the answers on the this thread 😂 don’t pay a penny op

Paying half as a good-will gesture is certainly a reasonable thing to do...however, I believe that legally, you are not constrained to pay anything, as your animal was properly restrained and contained, as theirs was not. I would check with a solicitor about this, as laws can vary from place to place, and some places consider that cats cannot be expected to respect boundaries...while at the same time, saying that they OUGHT to roam at will (which I consider madness...and I have cats!)

Present him with a bill for teaching his cat a valuable lesson. Maybe now it'll be a bit more cautious about straying into other people's gardens - it could easily have ended up falling foul of a much stronger or more territorial dog.

Pay nothing

@Bluetoybear

My dog is a small type dog.. Not a hugh dog.. He has never bit or went for anything/anybody ever before... He is so friendly. I have managed to get in touch with my husband who has been working away and he is so annoyed the male neighbour had a go at me and has told me if he comes back to tell him my husband will go straight round to see him when he gets back. Going to phone my dogs insurance place up first thing tomorrow.

OP are you not listening? It is NOT your responsibility. You have been told this by a dog warden on this thread. You do not need to speak to your dog’s insurers. You need to ignore the bullying neighbour and report him to the police if he attempts to intimidate you further. Yes, feel sympathy for the cat and it’s owner but get real-dogs chase and bite things. Cats are usually sensible enough to stay well away from them.

@sunshinesupermum

their cat should be insured and not in your garden

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

Sorry OP but I'm guessing the responsibility is all yours. [flowers}

So if the cat came into the house through an open window and the dog bit it, do you still think the dog owner should cough up? What about coming in and sitting in the dog's bed or crate? At what point would you say, well the cat shouldn't have been there? The garden is as much the dog territory as the house is.

That neighbour needs muzzling. How dare he come and harass you like this. It was their responsibility to keep their cat safe. Cats, by their very nature, wander. That's on them, not you. Your dog was in your garden and no risk to anybody not in it.

Do you have a friend who can sit with you for a bit, OP? That man needs the threat of police if he comes back to you again. Don't put up with that. I know you feel sympathetic but I would rescind that offer to pay - for his big mouth, harassing a woman on her own. Twat.

You could do with a bit of real life support so if you have somebody who can come over to be with you, call them.

Vet nurse here. Pay nothing.

As much as I'd be devastated if I was the cat owner, they're animals they can't be stopped or told to not attack a potential threat like that. The cat probably spooked the dog and the dog reacted as all animals do. It's no human's fault and OP you should not be paying anything, even as a goodwill gesture.

It's usually dog owners that over-react to every tiny thing but your neighbour certainly has too! They should've let you know but not blamed you.

@FrangipaniDeLaSqueegeeMop Have you ever met a dog? They're territorial and natural instinct is to defend their home and garden! The neighbor was rolling the dice having a roaming cat! You are dead wrong legally and morally

Ooh dear, sounds stressful.
Just to check… did you (or someone in your household) witness the biting incident? If not… I think that makes things all a bit less certain. Do you get on with your neighbours otherwise/ trust that they would not pin this on you unfairly? Just a thought…

If it definitely was your dog who bit… well, I’m afraid I don’t really know where you stand. I am very surprised at others saying it is the cat’s fault (or the cat’s owners’ fault)… I don’t even like cats but how is one supposed to keep a cat out of another’s garden. Cats roam… (at least that’s what I thought).

Poor you OP- hope you're ok. I wonder if the neighbour would be as vocal with your husband??
I was brought up with cats (and dogs) and had cats myself. They like freedom, they love to be out and about and its a risk you take as a cat owner.
Poor cat, but its not your fault or responsibility. Don't see how neighbour could sue you. For what? Having your dog in your own garden?
Hope your dog isn't hurt OP.

Ignore the threats op. The cat owner chose to let it roam freely. This involves certain risks and It is their responsibility to pay the vet bill if it gets run over, attacked by other cats, foxes or dogs in their own garden. You are not liable for injures caused, although it is natural to feel sorry for the cat.

If your dog was in a secure, fenced garden on private property, then you've done nothing wrong.

If he wants his cat to be safe, he shouldn't let it out to wander around. Cats who do so might well be injured: by dogs, by foxes, by cars, by bicycles, etc. He's taking an assumption of risk by just letting his cat out unsupervised.

Frankly I think you're kind to offer half.

I abhor the practice of just letting cats wander into other people's yards, etc. I'm not sure why we've decided this is the only domesticated animal for which this is acceptable. If I just let my dog, or my horse, or, I don't know, a pet snake or a pet rat wander around the neighborhood, people would look at me like I was at best irresponsible and at worst crazy. Cats, apparently, are fine. Baffles me.

What the heck Frangipani???????

You are not liable for this. If the cat comes jnot YOUR garden. If your dog escapes into THEIR garden you would be liable. This happened to a friend of mine who’s beloved moggy decided to go into the garden of a vicious dog. No case unfortunately.

@sunshinesupermum

their cat should be insured and not in your garden

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

Sorry OP but I'm guessing the responsibility is all yours. [flowers}

You can keep cats indoors. Let them out on a harness. Get a garden tent/cage set up for cat.

It's not OP's fault that the cat was unsupervised and on her property. I'm a cat owner and love my cats but this is not her fault and I wouldn't be paying (or expecting someone to pay if it was the other way round).

OP should be able to do what she pleases in her own garden!

PS: don't blame your dog, who I'm sure is absolutely lovely. He was protecting his garden (and you) from what he saw as a predator and a threat. He's done nothing wrong, and frankly neither have you.

I say this as both a cat and a dog owner:
They can fuck off to the far side of fuck.
Your dog is not dangerous, it didn’t madly dash into their garden to attack. The cat came into the garden and your dog acted like a dog in its own territory.
There’s no way if any authority is involved you would have to pay any price.
They choose to let their cat roam.
Their cat chose to roam near your dog.
If they chose not to have pet insurance it’s entirely their bad choice.
End of.
Next door’s cat comes frequently into my garden to attack my dog, and I wouldn’t dream of asking them for any money if my dog got seriously injured. Or my cat.
Animals have to do their thing.

I am a cat owner and I strongly dislike dogs, but I shouldn't think you're liable here, OP. If the owner had been reasonable about it, I would probably maintain my offer to pay half, tbh, but not after he 'had a go at' you. He doesn't get to intimidate you into giving him his way. He won't get any joy if he does make good on his threat to sue/report you. What happened to the cat is unfortunate but one of the hazards of roaming cat life, I think.

As an aside, now that you have seen your dog can and will bite, I assume you'll be supervising it particularly closely in future, particularly around children/wildlife/other dogs.

It’s not your fault, dogs chase cats. It’s not the dogs fault.

Listen to the Dog Warden OP! You are not liable.

Your dog is not vile - it is doing exactly what it was bred for and is defending your home against an intruder. The actions are natural and reasonable... just unlucky for the cat.

The cat will stay away from dogs in future and this injury might save it from an even more serious one from a bigger dog.

You should not engage with the neighbour any further on the matter. He is upset - but that is not an excuse for bullying you. Stand firm.

@FrangipaniDeLaSqueegeeMop
really?!

@OverByYer

Why are you ringing your insurance OP? You aren’t liable

because if she does have 3rd party and the neighbour tries to sue the insurers would handle it all with shit hot lawyers. The OP wouldn't have to do a thing.