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!

Having had a cat that was killed in its own garden by a neighbours dog, i can quite categorically say that the law in regard to cat vs dog violence is classed as "nature".

The Council don't care, the police don't care. No one cares about dog on cat violence. They can try to charge you vet bills, but they would have to take you to small claims court.

Your neighbours are batshit if they think you're going to do a "catcheck" before letting the dog out.

Tell them to do one. The cat will soon learn to either be fast enough to wind up your dog, or to stay away

The neighbours are the feline world equivalent of the expression 'When you've only ever known privilege, equality will feel like oppression to you'.

YANBU. Your garden, your dog. Cat shouldn’t be there. Cat owners need to cat proof their gardens. What a cheek!

I am personally sick of other people’s cats pooing in my garden where my children play. My children have trodden in this disgusting stuff! So I have recently netted off the bottom of my gate and put plastic spikes all along the top of my fence. This has improved things (tried things that emit noise, granules, citrus peel, all sorts). I’m actually annoyed I’ve had to pay for this.

I have chosen not to have pets- keep out of my garden!

If my dog hurt or killed an animal in the animal’s own garden I would be devastated and would do my upmost to pay for vets bills and support the owners. It’s terrible that that happened to your cat.

I wouldn’t ever want my dog to harm another animal and do try and prevent the situation as much as possible but also can’t fully control the situation when I don’t see the cat.

I’m so sorry that happened 🙁

You don't need to shoo it out, if its your garden and the cat comes in and the dogs out tough shit. It will soon learn not to come over. I have a dog and a cat, the cats owners are insane. Most dogs and other cats will chase out another cat that comes on its property. There is absolutely nothing wrong with it.

I read the link and it's true that a cat doesn't 'have the right to roam'. However, if you read the whole section you will see that it explains what this means and that actually, it's cat owners who have a responsibility to ensure that their cat doesn't harm other people's property.

As a cat lover and owner I don't think this is your problem. I probably would suggest checking your garden before letting the dog out initially just to make sure the cat isn't an inch from the back door though I doubt it will come back anyway. That suggestion is not because I think it's your issue but just so the cat isn't in the dogs direct line.

If my cats wander into a dog's garden and get chased it's their own fault. You need to keep the dog on a leash though outwith the garden if it really doesn't like cats though.

I was thinking this. Even if it’s in your garden, if the dog kills the cat isn’t that your responsibility?

They need to keep the cat out of your garden if they're worried. Not your problem.

So your neighbours are trying to claim your garden as a play area and toilet for their cat? Tell them to jog on.

Absolutely not the dog is free in roam in it's own garden for goodness sake.

As far as I know, there is no law against dogs attacking or killing cats. Not that I think it’s right at all and not that I want my dog to do it. However, my dog is in a secure garden. When I say secure, I mean secure in the fact that the dog cannot escape.

You sound like a true animal lover.
That aside no it's your garden but I'd definitely be trying to train my dogs not to chase as he'll likely chase small dogs or animals on walks which puts him in more of a dangerous situation as you have the responsibility of keeping control of dog at all times.

I am a cat person. I love them and have 4. I don’t really like dogs, I’ve been scared of them from an early age.

However even I think your neighbour is totally unreasonable! How dare they tell you what to do in your own garden?! What’s your dog supposed to do when their cat is in your garden wrecking it or whatever? Cross its legs? Pee in your house? It’s your garden! YOUR garden!!

Cats are fast and the dog is most likely just going to bark and chase the cat off. My dog can’t stand cats and we get 2 in our garden all the time, usually sitting on the shed or the back wall. Soon as my dog sees them she barks and runs towards them and they run off. If they were too scared or thought the dog would get near I’m sure they would stop coming in. Cats aren’t stupid

There isn’t. We live opposite the public green in our neighbourhood and watched a lurcher dog bolt across the green toward a cat and throttle it until its neck broke. The police did nothing. Only concerned if it was another dog or a small child.

Also, if their cat has learned not to go in the other gardens because of dogs, surely it will learn not to go in your garden because of your dog??

https://law.stackexchange.com/questions/61877/what-happens-if-my-dog-kills-a-cat-in-my-garden-uk

Oh well it seems it's not that straightforward. The neighbours might be right because although the dog owner would avoid criminal charges, maybe not civil.

Cat needs to run not jog!!

That's criminal laws but not civil.
Owner of cat has a civil case apparently

law.stackexchange.com/questions/61877/what-happens-if-my-dog-kills-a-cat-in-my-garden-uk

I’m hoping it will learn, it seems to be taking a while now. The other neighbours already had dogs when they brought the cat home. When the cat was a kitten it quickly learnt not to go in their gardens and this hasn’t changed. Don’t know if it’s habit or a territorial thing that it now sees my garden as its own.

Yes cats are very territorial, and when part of their territory is removed such as a dog appearing, they find it hard to adapt and try to hang on to the territory, but eventually it'll realise it's a losing battle. They're stubborn little bar stewards!

Right now my only cat is in an on-off battle with a local cat because the local cat is older and our garden was its territory before mine arrived. However my cat thinks that it's his territory (well it should be!). In their feline minds both are right and they have fights over it every so often but neither wins. The crazy thing is they are related so it's like family in-fighting! 😂However I don't go to the neighbour who owns said cat and complain, as cats roam free and I understand why that cat thinks our garden is his. But it does show how tenacious they are about territory and are very unwilling to give it up!

bit of trellis on top of your fence to make it harder for the cat to get into your garden, not your problem its what dogs do its the dogs garden the cat will get the message

The fence that is between our properties belongs to the neighbours who don’t want anything added to it. The fence currently has a trellis but the cat often just walks on the top of the trellis. It also jumps from their shed into the garden. I know it’s not likely to be possible to physically stop the cat but they’re unwilling to try anything other than me stopping the dog going in the garden.

If their cat comes into your garden, it’s not your problem, and not your expense. Hopefully cat see’s sense and stays away.