Dogs attacked Neighbors cat (please read)?

Question

I just moved about 2 months ago to a really nice town house on 5 lots. I have had the whole property fenced with chain link and wooden fencing. It looked nice and does its job well. I have 3 dogs right now and will be getting a forth. Its a 4 dog limit where i live now. I have a 4 year old male intact heeler(ACD) 2 year old intact male border collie. 2 year old JRT spayed. All my dogs are very well trained and are excellent around other dogs. Cats are a different story. They are fine after being PROPERLY introduced. I have 2 indoor cats that i have no problems with my dogs and the cats. I told the neighbors that i put the fence up for a reason (to keep dogs in and cats/other animals out) She basically said yes i understand. I told her my dogs don't do well with strange cats. For the past 2 months she has been tethering her 2 cats outside/or letting them loose when i am at work so my dogs are in kennels, inside. No danger to her cats from my dogs then. However, This morning she let them loose while my dogs were loose in their yard. Her cats for some reason have NO fear of dogs. While i was doing my house chores i guess one of the cats jumped the fence. I heard this commotion and ran up the stairs and outside. Called the dogs off (they are working stock dogs so they came immediately) However with having 3 dogs, one of which (my cattle dog) has killed badgers, and coons. The cat is in bad shape. I told my boyfriend to get ahold of the neighbor. I brought the cat immediately to the vet. Its ribs are all broken, 1 leg, and LOADS of punctures. The vet is also thinking internal damage. I have paid for all of today's treatment. And offered to pay HALF of the total vet bill when everything is done. Either if the cat passes away/PTS/or gets well. I feel so bad for this. I had no idea that she let her cats loose while she went out today. When my bf got ahold of her, she said i thought that after 2 months they would be fine (my dogs and the cat). What else can i do?

Answer 1

i think it is sad for the cat but the owner should have kept her own pet in her own yard ... i am sure it was traumatic but to be honest i think you have already gone beyond what is right by paying for the vet ... it was not your responsibility to pay and by doing so was very generous ... the neighbour is freaking right now because her cat is dead but hopefully when she calms down and other people talk to her, she will be a bit more reasonable ... and it is frustrating people with cats and even when you warn them they don't take it seriously ... which is probably one of the reasons outdoor cats do not live full lives ...

Answer 2

You have gone above and beyond the call of duty. You told her to keep her cats off your property and if she cared about them she would have done so. She knew full well they were at risk if she let them roam.



I'm fairly sure my dogs would kill a cat if it was stupid enough to jump into my yard. I put up 9ft fences all the way around my yard but still I see cats walking along on top of the fence and my dogs go nuts. Though my dogs are trained to advanced level I'm not absolutely sure I could call them off a roaming cat the way you did with your dogs.



I would not pay one red cent of her vet bill. She's darn lucky to have you for a neighbor who is caring enough to take her cat to the vet. Please don't feel bad. None of this is yours or your dog's fault. The cat shouldn't have been allowed to roam. Your neighbor is stupid and took a calculated risk with her cats life that didn't pay off. There is nothing else you can or should do. You've already done more than enough.



Unfortunately because she put her cats at risk, good neighborhood relations will be a thing of the past. This is in no way your fault. I would be telling her under no circumstances will your obedient, well behaved dogs be muzzled in their own yard, let alone being put down, and to keep her other cat inside her house or build a cat run like responsible cat owners do and keep her cats off your property.



Don't spend any more money helping this ungrateful neighbour with the vet bills. Most people wouldn't do half of what you've done to help her out.

Answer 3

What a nightmare. I suppose that firstly, your dogs did nothing wrong. It's unfortunate but it's instinct. If a cat like the one you describe came into my yard I would be hard pressed to keep it un-bothered and probably un-maimed with my two JRTs. I'd be willing to bet the shih-tzu would help too. I could call them off and they're quite well trained, sure but they're in a securely fenced area and my house doesn't clean itself.



Secondly, the neighbour is an idiot. You told her you had stock dogs and you put up a fence to prevent issues. Short of running through the neighbourhood every day shrieking at people to keep their pets out of your yard, there's not much more you could have done. That she ignored it and let the cats out is her fault. The yard is securely fenced (I presume) and of a reasonable height. It's her responsibility to keep her cats out of it. As outdoor cats there's an assumed risk. The cat could have been snatched by a predatory bird, hit by a car, killed by a raccoon, eaten by a coyote, killed by a dog wandering into her property etc. She was reckless and unfortunately her cat paid for it. Not to be cruel, but if she cared that much she should have taken your warnings seriously.



If I were to suggest anything I might say you consider adding something to the top of the fence to keep cats off but the only thing I can think up is electrical fencing which I think may be overkill.



I really hope for your sake that after she's had a cooling off period she'll be more reasonable beyond "Evil vicious mean dogs". If she doesn't then the law is still on your side. You're nice to offer to pay for half but I'm not sure that will help your relationship with her in the long run. Personally I wouldn't pay for half the bill if she kept pressing euthanasia. She'd obviously be beyond distressed and well into unreasonable territory.



The whole situation is a nightmare really. I'm compelled to go check my dogs fencing in the morning. The last thing I need is that nasty little dog who runs through the neighbourhood to turn up dead in my yard.

Answer 4

The cat trespassed onto your property. Your dogs were 100% confined within your property. End of story. The cat-owner's fault entirely, and you are very generous indeed (and a good neighbor) to offer to pay half the bill.



Nothing else you could or should do. Hopefully she is just overreacting from shock right now, but if she keeps insisting that you put your dogs down, withdraw any future support for the vet bill.

Answer 5

The dogs should not be put down,they are not a danger to people so i see no reason.Same for the muzzle.If her cat jumped the fence its not your fault.You even brought the cat to the vet and paid for the initial treatment,she should be thankful because most people wouldn't do that.There isn't much else i can think of to do.She was also given fair warning that they were not good with strange cats,again NOT your fault and you've done the right thing to help correct the situation. She should have kept them leashed like she did in the beginning.

Answer 6

Well the dogs should not be put down because you did give her a fair warning saying your dogs do not get along with other cats. Not only that why would she put the cats outside to begin with when they should at least use a litter box. The cat was on your property so it is not entirely your fault. The lady shouldn't keep cats loose especially since she knows she has neighbors with dogs who do not get along with cats. So they should not be puting down the dogs and she should put more responsiblity with her cats. You are already paying for half the pet bill and now she wants ALL THREE of your dogs to be put down. Crazy cat people bug me. GO DOGS ALL THE WAY

Answer 7

Honestly? I wouldn't have offered to pay half of the total bill. Sorry but when you have outdoor cats you knowingly take on the risk of your cat being attacked by any dog whether roaming dog or a dog in its own yard. Why the hell would your dog be fine with cats they have zero interaction with?



You do what's best for you but personally the minute she said my dogs should be put down or muzzled for being dogs I'd have rescinded the offer and gone on about my life.

Answer 8

You didn't do anything wrong.



If the dogs were confined to their own yards, then you are within the limits of the law. However, if this dog ever attacks a small child or neighbor that comes to visit, you may have a different story on your hands.



I'm sure the woman is uber upset, but that's why we have leash laws, and even though you can't really leash a cat, that doesn't mean they should get free roam of the neighborhood. That's how they end up dead. Just politely remind the lady that you have talked to a lawyer (my fiancee is a lawyer and I just asked him) and you hold no legal responsibility towards her cat's death. While you are sorry it happened, you aren't going to comply with her demands unless they are upheld by your local court of law. And they never will be. She will be laughed out of her own hearing.

Answer 9

It is rather simple. She decided to take a risk. She was warned that it was a risk to let her cats roam free and go into your yard. She chose to take the risk! You did not have to pay for her cats vet. bills. As long as your dog stays in your yard, then you have no legal responsibility.

It is sad, but this is a lesson that cat owners need to learn!

The dog is a hunter, that is totally legal and alright. There is not reason to put a dog down for doing what he has been bread to do!!!!



As long as the dog is friendly towards humans, there is no way he should be put down and there is nothing that can legally force you to put him down for attacking a cat who intruded upon his territory!!!

Answer 10

Sorry to say but I don't think they should be put down but its just not safe to have dogs that will kill/ attack cats like that unless you have your own piece of land and then it would be the owners problem entirely.she shouldn't have to be a nervous wreck that her cats might get killed should they happen to get out.I have cays and dogs as well sojourn please don't think I'm partial I'm trying to be very impartial.you're doing the right things as far as paying half etc.there's no easy answer SORRY SORRY SO SORRY FOR BOTH OF YOU