Neighbors' dogs attacked our cat. Are we being too harsh?

[gate_pourri]

Look, my 19 y.o. cat has never set foot outside. But if a cat is minding its own business in its owners unfenced yard, then it should be safe from attack by roaming free range pit bulls. I say they are lucky the OP only wants compensation for the vet bills. I'd want two euthanized dogs.

Seriously? If you care about your animal, than fence in your yard or keep your cat inside! Especially if your yard is unfenced! It isn't like a dog, or a fox, or some other animal can tell that it is your yard and it is off limits! These are animals were talking about.

And this is coming for a cat person...

 

[FlightlessDuck]

I think cats should stay inside.

 

[denisem]

I'm still not clear if there is a fence. If so, what kind?

My personal opinion? No fence = no liability. Animals don't recognize "property lines".

A 4 ft. chain link fence? Still no liability, as most cats & any motivated muscular dogs can jump it, ensuring no safety.

A 6 ft. solid board fence? You might have a case.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

Of course they should be safe from attack if they are on their own property

I agree that the dogs should not have been on OP's property, but there are other kinds of wild animals that can attack cats.

 

[ReneeA]

Look, my 19 y.o. cat has never set foot outside. But if a cat is minding its own business in its owners unfenced yard, then it should be safe from attack by roaming free range pit bulls. I say they are lucky the OP only wants compensation for the vet bills. I'd want two euthanized dogs.

This. (except my cats are 4 & 13 years old)

 

[Scurvy]

I agree that the dogs should not have been on OP's property, but there are other kinds of wild animals that can attack cats.

Yes, I mentioned that in the rest of the post you quoted.

 

[C.Ann]

Had those dogs been kept on their property and not been allowed to get out, they could not have attacked another pet on its property. If the tables were turned and a roaming cat somehow managed to claw the crap out of a dog in its yard, then I'd say the cat owner needed to be responsible for that as well.

I agree..

To the OP - no, you are not being too harsh and yes, they should pay the vet bills.. $600 may serve as a reminder to them that they need to keep their dogs restrained or under control at all times and indoors when they're not home..

 

[Kelrykengab]

I am a dog owner with an invisible fence. Cats, squirrels, other dogs etc come into our yard (there is a leash law and I am referring to the other dogs, not the squirrels ). My dog is not fond of these visits and will chase them out but has never attacked anything. I have owned 4 dogs in my life and have never seen any of them kill or attack anything and have to say I would be very leary of a dog that did, instinct or not. If my dog left my yard and attacked something I would be mortified and would expect to pay for whatever bills he made necessary. I guess the only way I wouldn't feel responsible would be if he was somehow defending himself against an attack, but then again if he is roaming around free then that would be my responsibility too. Obviously, it is safer to have your cat inside, but my dog shouldn't be mauling anything either. I think you are being reasonable and should report it to the dog officer. Good luck to your kitty.

 

[alliecats]

This is a good example of why cats should be kept inside.

Yup. And a really good example of why dogs should also not be allowed to roam free.

 

[disykat]

Then yes the owners of the dogs are responsible.

I do disagree with the pp about if my dog was in my yard but not in the fenced part and a cat came in my yard and was attacked them I would not feel the need to pay. The reason I say that is b/c the cat obviously was not in a fenced yard and everyone seems to agree that the owners of the dogs are responsible. So why would I be responsible if they were not in the fenced area of my yard. does this make sense? It seems a double standard to me. I feel the cat should be kept up with just as much as the dog. So if the cat went into someone elses yard then the owners of that cat is responsibility weather the dog was in the fenced yard or not it is still that dogs yard not the cats.

So you allow your dog to attack anything that comes on your property? I feel sorry for the mail carrier!

 

[cheermom1]

So you allow your dog to attack anything that comes on your property? I feel sorry for the mail carrier!

That is SOOO not what I said. WOW you got that from my post??

I was just trying to point out the double standard is all.

 

[DMRick]

Have they checked with their homeowners insurance to see if they will pay the bill? In our area most insurance companies make you have a codicil if you have a pit, so it may not cover it. In any case, if the law says he should have control of his dog, and you do not have a law saying your cat must be leashed, then I think he should pay the bill.

Two weeks ago, one of our cat rescue people was in her driveway (the end near her house). She had her older cat out with her, enjoying the sun and her cat was attacked right in front of her. Two boys were walking their pit and let it off the leash and it ran up, grabbed her cat and it appeared to die instantly. The dog owner was walking with a baseball bat, and hit his dog with it to get it to let go. The dog than ran. The police did get the dog, but there was no saving her cat.

This week someone in church asked for prayers for her friends young child, who was attacked this past week in our city by a pit while walking on the sidewalk with her mom and seriously injured.

Yes, I know other dogs bite, but the damage some of these dogs have caused is heart breaking.

I'm so sorry about your cat. Please be sure to report this.

 

[Sparx]

I think all pets belong inside. That said, if the dogs were on my property and damaged my property (my cat) I'd be out for blood.

Please keep your kitty inside. Today it was a dog, next time it could be a car.
And the same goes for the dogs. Today they attacked a cat. Tomorrow they could attack a child.

 

[dimimi]

Yes, the dogs were on our property.

Then I wouldn't even think twice. I would give them the bill and expect it to be paid.

 

[irishtigger]

Look if their dogs attacked your cat regardless of his limited income or not I would for sure go with the legal action to amke them pay. Some homeowners INS will not cover you if you have a pit bull for this reason so if you go through his homeowners he could possible loss his homeowners. If you have a dog and 1 that is as vicious as a pit bull than you need to know how to control them and keep them locked up when they are outside. If you can't than you shouldn't have the dogs to begin with. What if the dogs attacked you when they were loose woudl you question taking legal action? I do have to agree please keep cats indoors. My uncle just ran over a stray kitten tonight and he is really upset about it. I am very sorry about your cat and I hope he gets better soon.

 

[cheermom1]

To clear a few things up, I do not let my dogs attack anyone or any animals in my yard or in my home. I have dogs and cats with one cat outside. With that said I do not expect for someone to foot the bill for my cat if he goes into someone elses yard and gets attacked b/c he was NOT in his yard. On the other hand I refused to pay a mans medical bills b/c he was in my yard without me knowing he was there and took it upon himself to try to take my dog that was on my porch and in my little fence area instead of knocking on my door. She bit him b/c she felt threatened my him. For some reason he thought she was not mine and was going to take her to the dog catcher???

So NO I will not pay your med. bills

all I was trying to say was that why would you expect the owner of a dog to pay vet bills or anything like that IF your cat went into the dogs yard weather the dog was in a fence or not, it is still the dogs yard and he did not leave his yard. I was just trying to point out the double standard that cats are normally not in a fenced yard but dogs are. I was simply disagreeing with a pp about that I wouldn't feel like I had to pay the bill if a cat was in my yard and my dog was not in a fenced part of my yard and the cat was attacked before I could get to them. the point I was making is that owners of dogs are expected to keep them up so why aren't the owners of cats? But then when the cat gets in someones yard the owner of the that yard is expected to pay.

 

[Luvchefmic]

Are your neighbors willing to pay or not? When you started this thread you said you talked to them and then went on to say you would go about legal steps if not (not quoting verbatim here) Have you talked to them since first approached? All this upset may be a moot point.

 

[Princess&CowboyMommy]

Is it possible that you let your cat out and it went into the neighbor's yard first, and then the dogs chased it out of their yard into your yard?

do you or your neighbor have a fence? if so, what kind? chain link or solid wood (non-see through)?

It just seems like we don't have all the facts here.

I do know that pit bulls are a very aggressive breed of dogs (this coming from an owner of two German Shepherds). But, I'm also a lawyer by training and would be very reluctant to start ANY legal action again a next door neighbor unless it was the absolute last resort and all the facts, or at least most, were completely in my favor and mostly verifiable. Your best course of action, or course, is talking with them in a calm manner about the issue and finding a solution that works the best for all of you. Unless your cat sustained injuries more than $10,000 in most jurisdictions, or she/he passed away, you'd most likely be in small claims court. Most attorneys would not take your case, imho, sadly because of the small dollar amount (yes, I know that's a sad problem of my profession, but just being honest about most of the attorneys that I've met/went to law school with...). You would be out filing fees in small claims court, time to adjudicate (ie, taking time off work), time, etc). And yes, it's the principal of the issue, but I really, really hope for your sake and sanity that you can resolve this with your neighbor through discussions without elevating it to legal action.

If your relationship is even a little strained with your neighbor before this happened, wait until you add a law suit into the mix

 

[Jool-e]

This is a good example of why cats should be kept inside.

If that's true, how is it not equally an example that dogs should be kept inside too? Personally, I think it's cruel to keep a cat cooped up inside all the time. They are an animal that is by nature inclined to be outdoors, just like dogs. Uh oh though...now I've started a debate. Sorry!

 

[Jool-e]

Are your neighbors willing to pay or not? When you started this thread you said you talked to them and then went on to say you would go about legal steps if not (not quoting verbatim here) Have you talked to them since first approached? All this upset may be a moot point.

We haven't heard from them yet. I was just wondering people's opinions on whether or not even asking them to pay is acceptable.