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Woman was letting her dog attack a cat because she needs to let her dog “defend itself”

54 replies

Zaina89 · 21/05/2025 19:07

So this morning I was dropping my kids off at school and walking back to the car. There is a little cat who is there daily who loves getting all the attention from walking to school. I do know who owns this cat and wasn’t sure if I should bring this up to her. So I was at the corner of the street about to cross over to my car and the cat stayed at the car, I noticed he was scared and went to hide behind a bush and could hear noises, when I looked around I already saw this lady’s jack Russell dog was extremely aggressive and making weird noises ( sorry don’t own dogs but it just seemed like a very aggressive dog even before this) she had the dog on a lead at this point. Next minute I was getting in to my car and heard noise and turned around and the dog was no longer on its lead ( the owner had let it go) and it was attacking this cat and throwing it around. I obviously got quite disturbed and told the woman to grab hold of the lead of her dog and to stop letting it attack the cat and watching it and letting this happen ( I also had my 1 year old with me who was close to this happening so was also worried in case the dog got more aggressive) the woman got aggressive and came up to my face and started threatening me and spat on me and started telling me “ the cat attacked my dog first, I NEED to let my dog defend itself” meanwhile she has still not grabbed the lead of her dog and is letting the dog attack the cat and not trying to stop this from happening. Whilst she was threatening me I told her I would call the police and also told her that she can see my small child with me and lots of young children walk this road daily to school and that her dog is clearly aggressive, she said she “ didn’t give a sh*t” and that her “ dog would never hurt someone” meanwhile whilst all of this she was not attempting to get her dog under control and was letting the dog drag the cat around and kept saying “ the cat attacked my dog first I need to let my dog defend itself”. She finally grabbed her dog and the cat ran away and I couldn’t find the dog. Another woman who was walking past was asking me if I was ok and I told her what happened and the woman started walking back to me and pushed me back and told me to “ stop telling rumors about her and her dog and that the cat attacked the dog first” blah blah. Am I in the wrong? I told this woman that even if the cat attacked the dog first ( which I don’t believe it did because it was already hiding behind a tree before the dog actually approached because it was ALREADY acting aggressive before seeing the cat) that it wasn’t right of her to say she needs to let her dog defend itself and watch this dog attack this cat and drag it around whilst it was hurting it because obviously dogs are much more capable of doing damage than cats are.

I just find her behaviour unacceptable that she was not attempting to get her dog under control and grab its lead and was instead defending what she was doing by saying “ my dog needs to defend itself” and letting her dog dragging the poor cat around and the cat couldn’t get free from it.

I am going to look for the owner at school tomorrow and will ask how the cat is and if it was badly injured or if she even knows what has happened, I just think no wonder the dog was so aggressive when the woman herself was aggressive and pushing me around and coming close to my face and threatening me. I wasn’t shouting at her and I’m not a confronting person usually I was just worried about the dog and now I’m feeling like I was in the wrong but it just seemed so wrong to me she wasn’t attempting to take control of the situation and wanting her dog to seriously injure this cat because it “ apparently did it first”

OP posts:
Valeriekat · 21/05/2025 19:46

Oldraver · 21/05/2025 19:24

So you saw this happening at school drop off, it is now 7pm and you have done NOTHING ?

If you know who's cat this is why the fuck have you not contacted them about their cat being attacked, please tell me you haven;t just walked away

This woman has been really brave. How DARE you criticise her.

AcquadiP · 21/05/2025 19:49

Bloody hell!

First of all, the woman assaulted you. Frankly, she sounds unbalanced.

Secondly, and I say this as a dog owner, her dog was out of control in a public place which is illegal under the Dangerous Dogs Act.

Thirdly, there is absolutely no excuse for that woman to drop the lead and allow her dog to rag the cat. Clearly it wasn't an aggressive cat because if it were the dog's face would have been ripped to ribbons.

I do hope the poor cat is OK. I would have reported this incident to the police.

DoNoTakeNo · 21/05/2025 19:50

Clearly this is cruel and criminal.

I wonder, do you feel intimidated by this woman?

Auroraloves · 21/05/2025 19:50

Oh my gosh this has upset me. Our family cat was attacked by an off lead dog and he was badly hurt. Hope cat survives.

LowDownBoyStandUpGuy · 21/05/2025 19:54

This is upsetting to read OP so must have been horrible to witness. I would call the police.

I have a big dog and if a cat attacked him I would obviously try to separate and then quickly remove my dog to prevent him hurting the cat, not just let him off lead to do his worst. I cannot fathom this mindset at all.

ScholesPanda · 21/05/2025 19:58

This is so awful OP. Please get in contact with the cat owner- a badly injured cat may have hidden itself away and they need to know what has happened.

Report this terrible woman to the police for assault and animal cruelty- she should be locked up (but almost certainly won't be).

MasculineProviderEnergy · 21/05/2025 20:04

I think the most important thing is to let the owner know ASAP. This cat needs to be checked over by a vet.

Hapagirl48 · 21/05/2025 20:12

She's a huge asshole and I say that as a dog owner. Poor cat. I hope it's okay.

HelsBell25 · 21/05/2025 20:13

What on earth, I am so sorry this happened to have but why you not reported this, she pushed you and spat at you! Well she assaulted you and her dog assaulted the cat.

Can you post anonymously on a local Facebook group - just wrote what you've written here with a description - you'll likely get a name for the police.

WiddlinDiddlin · 21/05/2025 20:42

Bloody nora - no, she was absolutely outrageous in letting her dog attack the cat and making no attempt to stop it!

Yes, there are some cats who will launch at a passing dog - this has happened to me on a number of occasions. Trying to peel a really angry cat off a German Shepherds face, whilst the Shepherd is screaming and trying to run away is not top of my list of fun things to do... but I did!

At no point, if that happens, is 'letting the dog go' a good idea, even if its the biggest nastiest cat in the world you're just increasing the risk to absolutely everyone.

It doesn't sound for a second like thats actually what happened anyway, it sounds like she let her dog drag her to a cornered cat who probably did a big hissyslappy at it to defend itself and then she dropped the lead.

Please do let the cats owner know, because theres a near certainty this cat has got internal injuries and even if he/she has gone home, the owner may not spot the signs of illness until its too late. Or the cat may be hiding somewhere, as injured cats often do.

If you know where the woman lives you could inform teh police - a fight with a cat is not itself an offence, however actively setting the dog on the cat, not attempting to stop things, and assaulting/attacking YOU are all offences.

sandrapinchedmysandwich · 21/05/2025 20:44

MaximusPaddimous · 21/05/2025 19:12

What have I just read? Why haven’t you reported this woman to the police? What an awful thing to do, and outside a school too. Jeez.

This. The whole thing is incredibly disturbing

BethDuttonYeHaw · 21/05/2025 20:46

Did you go ahead and report this to the police?

if not then you really should.

BlueMum16 · 21/05/2025 20:48

I agree with PP to ring 111 and report this.

The dog and woman were both out of control.

Leeds157 · 22/05/2025 10:10

Hi Op, is there an update on the cat from this morning at all? Been thinking about it since I saw your thread last night, hope it is okay x

Outrageistheopiateofthemasses · 22/05/2025 10:14

Dangerous dog (jack Russells were bred as rat catchers and can be bitey as fuck)
Irresponsible owner would be bad enough but this is a willfully malicious owner
Threatening you and spitting at you

I think this does warrant a police report (not 999) and also the dog warden

caramac04 · 22/05/2025 10:24

WiddlinDiddlin · 21/05/2025 20:42

Bloody nora - no, she was absolutely outrageous in letting her dog attack the cat and making no attempt to stop it!

Yes, there are some cats who will launch at a passing dog - this has happened to me on a number of occasions. Trying to peel a really angry cat off a German Shepherds face, whilst the Shepherd is screaming and trying to run away is not top of my list of fun things to do... but I did!

At no point, if that happens, is 'letting the dog go' a good idea, even if its the biggest nastiest cat in the world you're just increasing the risk to absolutely everyone.

It doesn't sound for a second like thats actually what happened anyway, it sounds like she let her dog drag her to a cornered cat who probably did a big hissyslappy at it to defend itself and then she dropped the lead.

Please do let the cats owner know, because theres a near certainty this cat has got internal injuries and even if he/she has gone home, the owner may not spot the signs of illness until its too late. Or the cat may be hiding somewhere, as injured cats often do.

If you know where the woman lives you could inform teh police - a fight with a cat is not itself an offence, however actively setting the dog on the cat, not attempting to stop things, and assaulting/attacking YOU are all offences.

Exactly right.
The woman was , at the very least, stupid to let go of the lead as she has lost all control. Her defence shows she deliberately loosed the dog. Occasionally a cat can attack, more usually if they feel cornered, and can injure dogs but a JRT is a ratter and will fight to the death.
The woman sounds unhinged. She has assaulted you OP. Anyone who allows animal fights is cruel and sick in the head.

Doncarlos · 22/05/2025 10:29

I’d be reporting this to the police. Not only for the dog but if she spat at you that’s assault.
in addition I’d share the incident on your local Facebook group so hopefully the owner can identify themselves (their cat) and find it asap to check it’s ok. You may also find someone else witnessed it.

Toddlerteaplease · 22/05/2025 10:31

”Snarling people have snarling dogs” (Sherlock Holmes)

ItWillWash · 22/05/2025 10:33

caramac04 · 22/05/2025 10:24

Exactly right.
The woman was , at the very least, stupid to let go of the lead as she has lost all control. Her defence shows she deliberately loosed the dog. Occasionally a cat can attack, more usually if they feel cornered, and can injure dogs but a JRT is a ratter and will fight to the death.
The woman sounds unhinged. She has assaulted you OP. Anyone who allows animal fights is cruel and sick in the head.

Agreed, however, I would argue that unless you have an exceptionally small chihuahua or the cat involved is a main coon, the injuries a cat inflict on a dog are likely very mild. Whereas the dog could easily kill the cat.

From a behavioural standpoint, letting your dog "defend" itself is ridiculous. A calm, confident, and well-socialised dog would look to its handler for conflict resolution. A dog who needs to defend itself is likely to be anxious and fear-aggressive. Dogs do not like conflict and have no sense of being "bullied" or whatever bullshit this woman thought she was protecting her dog from.

abracadabra1980 · 22/05/2025 10:34

She's just one of life's many cunts - and I don't use that word lightly. I adore both dogs and cats but in this scenario I would have kicked her JR hard. And as for spitting on you? No words. I hope your child is ok.

Greyhound98 · 22/05/2025 10:38

She sounds nuts and you need to report her to the police for shoving you and spitting at you. All in front of your child? She sounds unhinged without allowing / encouraging her dog to attack someone’s pet.

Maverickess · 22/05/2025 10:52

I'd be reporting her to the police, she was aggressive and has effectively assaulted you.

As for the dog, we have a neighbourhood cat who does actually attack dogs walking past wherever it may be, and it's a big bugger though not always easy to see because he likes to sit under cars and in hedges until the last minute. It's a similar size to my JRT and has had a go at her before, she's not cat aggressive because she lived with one for many years and likes them, but she will now refuse to walk past certain cars or gardens if this cat is hiding there ready to pounce!
The other dog is bigger and yes she'd hurt the cat if she got hold of it because she's had it wrapped around her face leaving claw and teeth wounds, and that was in her own garden. The cat had the element of surprise, attacked and then legged it before the dog got her wits together.

So cats are very capable of attacking dogs, and a dog is not going to just submit to being attacked without some sort of reaction, either at the time or next time they encounter each other, because it might be someone's pet or because they're stronger than a cat, animals don't work like that.

But you don't just let go of the lead, in a public area and let the dog have at it next time you see the cat, even if the cat is the one doing the attacking, you wouldn't (well I wouldn't) just let your dogs fight another dog if you could possibly avoid it, so I wouldn't with a cat either. I don't want either animal hurt if it can be avoided!

Theroadt · 22/05/2025 10:53

Given her aggression, report to police

Springtimehere · 22/05/2025 10:57

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mbosnz · 22/05/2025 11:07

That evil bitch. Please tell the owner what happened.

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