To tell the neighbours the cat isn’t my problem

[Miniminxymoo]

We have neighbours who own a cat. The cat is a bit of a pain in the backside and continually came in our garden. Obviously, we couldn’t stop it and it treated our garden as its own causing some damage to toys and crapping in the flower beds.

We have recently got a lab from a rescue who, as we quickly discovered, doesn’t like cats. As soon as we brought our dog home and let it in the garden it immediately chased this cat down. The dog didn’t catch the cat and is likely never going to but likes to terrify the cat. Thankfully, the cat seems to be trying its luck a little less and our garden isn’t suffering so much mess and damage. Most of the other houses have had dogs for a fair while so cat hasn’t gone into the other gardens, ours was the only one it went into because of the dogs.

The neighbours have now complained that they are worried that my dog is going to harm their cat and possibly kill it. Now, as I’ve said, the dog is likely never to catch the cat and my garden is very secure so will never escape. The neighbours have said they will charge us for any vet bills if their cat gets injured and they will complain to the council.

neighbours have also said that if the cat is in my garden then I shouldn’t let the dog out for a pee. The issue is, I often don’t see the cat before I let her out.

My dog is pretty chilled, never any bother in any other way other than when the cat comes in.

AIBU to tell the neighbours that it isn’t my problem if their cat is scared. It’s my garden and my dog’s home and if they have an issue then they’re the ones who should keep their animal in? I’ve suggested for them to put rubber spikes or similar on their fence to hopefully prevent the cat, who is a twat, coming in but they have said the expense to do that should be on me and they don’t like to do things like that!

I have 2 cats and a dog and I agree with you OP. This is their issue. Chances are your dog will never catch the cat. Cat will soon get the message and avoid your garden. I never see a cat in my garden since having a dog. Could a compromise be that before letting the dog out you will open the door a crack and shout a warning to any hidden cats? Not sure what you’d shout! 😁. But they’ll soon associate the noise with an imminent dog.

While cats have a protected right to roam dog owners cannot be liable if a cat gets injured while trespassing in the dogs space, it would be different if your dog attacked it on the street, but your dog is in a secure garden. You will probably find they will come to some sort of accord after a while, your dog will get too close and get its nose swiped making them wary or the cat will realise the dog is getting too close too often and scarper sooner. I have had cats and dogs and the cats owners are batshit if they think you should pay vets bills for their wandering feline.

If your neighbours were in other countries, they would have no choice but to keep the cat in their garden due to preditors. Where I have a home in USA, very rarely see cats, most are indoor cats for that reason. Taking a bit of a liberty to try to make you responsible for their roaming pet. Its their responsibility.

So, my cat got attacked last year (and now has a permanent limp, was lucky not to have been killed because I intervened so quickly). It was on the street in front of my house, and the dog had escaped due to carelessness so I did hold the dog owners liable for the vet bills. But if the dog had been it its garden, and my cat went in, I would have accepted I was liable. If they are worried about the cat, they need to take steps. End of.

Your neighbours are the unreasonable ones. What an absolute nerve to tell you how to conduct your and your dogs life in your own property. I own two cats and if they are stupid enough to go into a garden with a dog then that's their bad choice and I would never hold anyone else responsible for their actions. As for charging you for vets bills maybe you could do some research to make sure that you are not legally responsible. Print the information off and post it through their door.

As a cat lover and owner myself, I absolutely agree with this. Tell them to get lost and good luck trying to get the council involved. Their cat is their responsibility and absolutely nothing to do with you.

And as for the people saying your dog is reactive. I have cats and dogs, all live together perfectly well, and the dogs are very gentle with cats. Except the arsehole cat from next door who beats up my cats if he manages to corner them in my garden. Him they will chase out as soon as they see him. And quite rightly too.

Your garden ... your dog...your property.
If the cat is silly enough to try its luck then that's the cats and its owners problem not yours.
And if the cat uses your garden as a toilet , I know not nice but put its mess back in there bin .

Actually toxoplasmosis is carried by warm blooded vertebrates, humans and birds as well as cats etc. Whereas dog poop is known to be highly toxic to humans and the envionment which is why people are now required to pick up after their dogs.

Some dogs will eat poop from other animals or birds, and roll in it.
We had a dog who loved to roll in duck poo. It's all part of life's rich tapestry and why we have medication and vaccinate.

The cat will learn that your garden is off limits from now on but obviously if you see the cat in your garden before letting the dog out give it a heads up like clapping! Also if you see the cat in your garden any time, keep clapping to get it out so it learns that way as well. 👍

Back in the late 80's I lived in a house that had a paddock at the end of my garden. It was my paddock and I owned several dogs that had access to the paddock - I'd let them loose in there several times a day. The paddock was fenced securely with double height stock wire, and my dogs were unable to go through/over the wire. However, the neighbour across from me whose garden butted up to the fence, had cats, and they used to sometimes be in my field. They weren't always visible - I had stables, a dung heap, patches of nettles and thistles that they could easily conceal themselves in. My Labradors used to chase any cats they came across - in sixteen years they never caught one, but I had a little Jack Russell Terrier who had a different approach. He'd quietly go round the field on his own, check all the hiding places, look in the stables. Sadly, his method worked, and he did kill (extremely quickly!), a cat. I was extremely embarrassed, and more than a little upset - I had to take the dead moggy and present it to the neighbours, and explain what had happened. They were wonderful about it, said that they had to have a few cats around to keep the rats and mice down (we were in a rural location), and as long as I always informed them if it happened again, so they at least knew why they were missing a cat, all would be fine. I was really concerned that if they changed their minds, my dog could be in a lot of trouble, so I 'phoned the police myself and reported the incident. I was told by the police that as long as I wasn't encouraging the dog to catch the cat, delaying the cat's efforts to escape, or actually releasing the cat from a box with my dog hot on its heels, then I had nothing to worry about. As I said, this was back in about the early '90's, and the law may now be different. Before I get absolutely slaughtered on here, I would like to add that from that day, I would always let the Labradors out first to circuit the field and hopefully scare away any cats before letting the terrier out.

Cat owner here, it’s their responsibility to keep their pet safe. So long as your dog can’t get out of your garden and you have it on a lead when outside you’re behaving responsibly.

No. The cat isn’t your problem. Your garden is your dogs garden and they don’t get to dictate when your dog gets to enjoy/pre/play in the garden!

It’s not your problem. If they don’t want their cat getting injured they need to keep it indoors and walk it on a lead and/or build a catio. Cats kill millions of birds and shrews etc, it’s time they weren’t let out like that.

Do they want you don a lollipop lady outfit and escort it if it wants to cross the roads too? I think far more cats get killed on the roads than by dogs. We’re so built up now and drivers are so distracted, plus cats territories are compromised, it’s cruel to let them roam. Better for the cats and birdlife to have “catios” and indoor cats.

Be clear with them that you do not see any signs of aggression in the dog, that it's common for dogs to chase cats out of the garden, and that you expect them to take steps to prevent the cat from entering your garden given that they have concerns. For example, they can net their garden to prevent its exit, leash the cat for its walks, or keep it inside.

It is a bizarre that a human car owner is expected to hit a cat with impunity, but someone can bring a civil case under the Animals Act for a dog on its own property hurting a trespassing cat. Whether the cat owner could win the civil case is up for debate at least, the key is to prove that the dog was not dangerous at the time of attack (e.g. human can recall without problems) and if possible some cat owner negligence.

I’d continue to let the dog out and chase the cat away. The cat will stop coming in and problem solved. It’s highly unlikely dog will catch the cat or that he would do anything if he caught it. It’s far more likely that the cat will scratch him if he gets too close

You’re right, but the cat isn’t a twat - it’s just a cat, doing cat things. What do you want it to do - sit on the patio & play guitar? You love your pet, they love theirs and aggro with neighbours is never worth it. There demands are unreasonable, but if you can handle it more diplomatically, you will be better off in the long run 🤷🏽‍♀️

My dog will chase cats in the garden. She doesn’t hate cats as we own one as well but is very territorial. One day she chased the wrong cat who turned around and attacked her (she is a small chihuahua) and actually sliced her tummy with its claws. Did I go and track down the cat’s owner and get them to pay for the operation to sew her back up? No - because that’s just life with pets unfortunately!!

1. they started it
2. I tried diplomacy with a bully neighbour, they just got worse.

I'd love to know what they do when a fox chases the cat?!

There isn't a chance that they'd have any kind of claim against you if their cat trespassed into your garden and got injured as a result.

None whatsoever.

I've advised on maaaaaaany doggy legal battles (as a dog behaviourist, often making recommendations to courts for control orders) - it wouldn't even get that far. First question would be 'where was the cat/where was the dog' and as soon as you say 'cat was in the dogs secure back garden' thats it, end of story, you're not liable.

I do the same as you - check if I can see a cat before I open the door. There are several blind spots in my garden, I am not going out there to check each one just in case there is a cat lurking there, it isn't practical for me to do that and its my fucking garden. There should not be a cat there.

If they are so concerned about their cat then they should keep it in their own home/garden. There are more dangers than your lab. There are other dogs, there are cars, there are foxes, poisons both accidental and deliberate.
Your pet is your concern, their pet is not.

As a rabbit owner i am appalled at this. She sounds a shite rabbit owner. Poor bunny :(