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Am I responsible?

Fiddlesticks99

I have a tomcat he is about one year old. He is not neutered. I let him roam as most cat owners do. My neighbour has been complaining about damages allegedly done by my cat. My neighbour has chickens which she lets Roam around her garden. She claims that my cat killed one of her chickens. She also has a brand-new Audi A4 and she claims that the paint work has been scratched by my cat.

I'm wondering is my neighbour over reacting. After all, she did leave her chickens unattended roaming in her garden. Most people know that there are birds of prey, foxes, and cats roaming around at all times. It's only natural for cats to do what they do. You can't blame a person after their cat attacks another persons chickens. When the chickens are left unattended in the garden they could be attacked by any number of wild animals that roam. Such as foxes, Birds of prey or other domesticated or feral cats.

In my opinion it is the same issue with the Car. It's just a means of transport. It's bound to get some scratches and Knocks here and there. I think my neighbor is being very petty.

To be honest with you, I am very scared of the prospect of being legally obliged to pay damages caused by my cat. I did some research on line And it appears that cats don't have owners Per se In the same way that dogs do. Cat owners are not obliged to microchip or control their cats.

My neighbour is threatening to capture my cat and bring him to the pound or cat rescue in the same way that a stray dog would be brought. This is abject cruelty in my opinion. It is totally unnecessary.

Could we perhaps reach a compromise where my neighbour will let me know in advance when her chickens are out so I can keep my cat in.
Can the chickens not be kept in an enclosure?

Thanks for reading.

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El_Duderino 09

CalamariFritti wrote: »

As for scratching a car thats more than unlikely, it makes no sense at all. A cat wouldn't scratch a car it might scratch a tree or a sofa but not a hard smooth surface like a car. If anything a cat might jump onto a car but even then it would make no sense for the cat to use its claws. Cats are amongst the most gracious and physically aware animals and they know very well what surfaces they need claws for and what surfaces they need a smooth grippy paw for.

Explain to her the car makes no sense at all and apologise and pay for the chicken and thereby keep the peace.

Cats scratch for a number of reasons including to maintain their claws, it relaxes them and Because scratching releases scent from their paws. It's marking territory in the third case and is perfectly likely in someone else's garden. It's more likely to scratch to maintain its claws and relax when on their own patch.

A cat might not particularly enjoy scratching a smooth surface like a car, as opposed to a tree. But if it becomes part of their routine when they enter the garden then it's likely they will continue to do it.

Not really buying the OP though. Just responding to this point about cat behaviour.

odyssey06

Zenify wrote: »

I remember somebody saying to me that cats are wild animals and you are not responsible for their actions as they cannot be controlled. Unlike a dog.

A pet cat is property, not a wild animal. A feral cat is a wild animal.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/law-and-order/9968640/How-the-law-views-cats.html

Cats Protection also says that it is a commonly-held view that cats have a right to roam wherever they wish. This view is largely based upon the fact that certain duties imposed upon the owners of dogs and livestock to keep their animals under control do not apply to cat owners. The law in these respects recognised that, by their nature, cats are less likely than some other animals to cause injury to people or damage to property. However, cat owners do have a general duty under law to take reasonable care to ensure that their cat does not cause injury to people or damage to property.

Given our common law heritage with UK, I think assume same legal status as UK unless hear otherwise with something ROI specific.

percy212

Get the cat neutered. End of story.

Alternatively:
Let the neighbour prove your cat is the culprit. Otherwise they have nothing and you can ignore them.

Or:
Tell your neighbour to keep the chickens in at night and to put the car in an enclosure.

Yer Da sells Avon

None of this would've happened if your neighbour had been sensible and kept her car indoors.

odyssey06

Fiddlesticks99 wrote: »

How exactly am I "Utterly irresponsible, ignorant and arrogant"?? You would swear I lost a child while drinking or something. Unless I keep it locked up 24/7, the cat will roam, as it should.
Get over yourself

What kind of person posts a question on an internet forum, then tells everyone who comes up with an answer he doesn't like to "Get over yourself."

Ignorance, arrogance and irresponsibility are only the start of it here.

If the cat has any sense it won't bother coming back.

borderlinemeath

Fiddlesticks99 wrote: »

How exactly am I "Utterly irresponsible, ignorant and arrogant"?? You would swear I lost a child while drinking or something. Unless I keep it locked up 24/7, the cat will roam, as it should.

Get over yourself

You have to be on a wind up.

Given your posting, you couldn't be any more irresponsible with the pet you choose to keep. Neuter the cat before it creates any more unwanted cats/kittens. Go onto any animal rescue website and see just how many bloody cats a single tom cat can impregnate and just how many kittens will be needlessly created because you are a lazy, ignorant irresponsible pet owner.

Then again, if you leave him unneutered, you will most likely end up with a big vets bill anyway. Unneutered toms will fight. A lot. Your cat will get scratches, bites, infections, FIV, FELV, you name it.

As for the chickens, it's possible. As for the car, highly possible this time of year. Cats love sitting up on the bonnet of a car.

I really hope your neighbour gets CCTV. That would soften your cough if there was evidence of your total lack of regard for her property.

Zenify

I remember somebody saying to me that cats are wild animals and you are not responsible for their actions as they cannot be controlled. Unlike a dog.

Autosport

One of my neighbors cat used to scratch my car and I bought a car cover and it still would sit up on the bonnet of my car and somehow still manage to scratch parts of the car so one day said cat was caught and brought to a rescue as I said I have a dog who would kill the cat if he caught it and the cat was a stray. Cats been gone quite a few years now

No point talking to irresponsible owners just deal with it yourself,

[Deleted User]

kingchess wrote: »

I will ponder deeply on this ,and get some advice from a mate of mine who is well versed in the Law,(he is always helping the Gardai with their inquiries ).But I think you should get away with it.

I need to steal this line

Ave Sodalis

Fiddlesticks99 wrote:

Unless I keep it locked up 24/7, the cat will roam, as it should.

Might be a good idea to snip it so.

Fiddlesticks99

Pissartist wrote: »

That's actually a great idea, cheap too

And less of the animal torture banter please.

10fathoms

I would consider your cat to be feral and treat it as such..

Fiddlesticks99

Mitch Connor wrote: »

oh, and on the basic question. No, you are not responsible. You are not responsible at all. You don't show yourself as being at all responsible. You are a completely irresponsible pet owner.

Even forgetting the roaming, cause the reality is that is normal ownership behavior, but to not neuter your cat? Utterly irresponsible, ignorant and arrogant.

How exactly am I "Utterly irresponsible, ignorant and arrogant"?? You would swear I lost a child while drinking or something. Unless I keep it locked up 24/7, the cat will roam, as it should.

Get over yourself

blinding

Neuter the cat and yourself just to be sure .

Igotadose

Paddy Cow wrote: »

Put a bell on your cat and it won't be able to kill anything. Simple but effective solution.

They learn to hunt and keep the bell still.

Mine did, would see them running across the lawn, not a bell tinkle to be heard.

Fiddlesticks99

taytobreath wrote: »

Neuter your cat, that tom has probably impregnated countless females that have given birth to countless more and most of these cats will see some sort of horrible suffering and cruelty because they are feral and hungry.

thats animal cruelty

Hypothetical argument

Paddy Cow

Fiddlesticks99 wrote: »

Now come on, cat enclosure?!? ffs. What needs to change exactly?

Put a bell on your cat and it won't be able to kill anything. Simple but effective solution.

Mrs OBumble

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

I'll never understand why cat owners think it's ok that they can let their cat roam freely to do whatever it wants, it's grossly irresponsible

Dogs have owners. Cats have staff.

Cats roam, it's what they do.

But they don't scratch cars. And their interactions other a animals are simply nature in action.

LimeFruitGum

We had a soft top car and we caught cats sharpening their nails on the roof a few years ago. The OH was furious. It turned out one of the neighbours was leaving food out around various spots around the grounds, including the carpark because they felt sorry for all the roaming cats around the apartment block. Of course, nobody could figure out who owned which cat. They definitely weren’t strays, but it was impossible to know if they lived in our apt ground or wandered in from nearby houses and estates.
We just had to get a car cover and lots of cat repellents. But I can tell you, if we knew who owned the cats, we’d have had a word with their owner.
One the one hand, you are saying it’s your cat, and then it’s like ‘oh he just comes here for food’. Which is it. Take ownership. You got the cat, you are responsible for it.
BTW, you have to neuter the cat. Tomcats stink the place out with their pee as a way to mark territory unless they get the snip.

Pissartist

anewme wrote: »

I was just going to comment exactly as above re car. Ive seen scrapes on car bonnets by cats.

Its particularly noticeable on black.

If i see a cat near my brand new car it gets shooed away.

Put pepper on the bonnet he'll won't come back

Mitch Connor

oh, and on the basic question. No, you are not responsible. You are not responsible at all. You don't show yourself as being at all responsible. You are a completely irresponsible pet owner.

Even forgetting the roaming, cause the reality is that is normal ownership behavior, but to not neuter your cat? Utterly irresponsible, ignorant and arrogant.

anewme

I was just going to comment exactly as above re car. Ive seen scrapes on car bonnets by cats.

Its particularly noticeable on black.

If i see a cat near my brand new car it gets shooed away.

taytobreath

Fiddlesticks99 wrote: »

Thats actually animal cruelty, very stressful for the animal. How is the cat meant to roam and hunt?

Neuter your cat, that tom has probably impregnated countless females that have given birth to countless more and most of these cats will see some sort of horrible suffering and cruelty because they are feral and hungry.

thats animal cruelty

Mitch Connor

Fiddlesticks99 wrote: »

people are generally missing my point and just giving out to me. Cats do whatever they like, hunt, kill, scratch. Thats an animals nature. How can an owner be responsible for this.

People don't have sympathy for the idiots who get mauled after climbing into a lions den at zoo's do they? No, because that's nature for you.

You chose to get a pet. You chose to be responsible for that pet. If you know it is in the animals nature to kill a neighbors pet, maybe you should consider your responsibilities.

If you had a dog and it bit killed someones pet would you say the same?

I have two cats. Both are indoor cats, and they are well looked after and happy little kitties. So you can F off with your dismissal of criticism as 'anti-cat'.

Why on earth do you think the roaming of your cat is more important than the life of someone else's pet? Staggering ignorance and arrogance.

yoursaviour1989

CalamariFritti wrote: »

I agree with that side. Cats roam. Its just what they do. Trying to imprison a cat in the house would be cruel to some extent. The worst they ever do is piss in your garden or kill the odd small bird, but you could put a collar with a bell on him and that's that sorted.

It is very unlikely a cat would kill a chicken, they dont really go for something this big. They even stay away from crows and gulls. I'd say a pigeon is probably the biggest they would go for. As for scratching a car thats more than unlikely, it makes no sense at all. A cat wouldn't scratch a car it might scratch a tree or a sofa but not a hard smooth surface like a car. If anything a cat might jump onto a car but even then it would make no sense for the cat to use its claws. Cats are amongst the most gracious and physically aware animals and they know very well what surfaces they need claws for and what surfaces they need a smooth grippy paw for.

Explain to her the car makes no sense at all and apologise and pay for the chicken and thereby keep the peace.

Cats can absolutely scrape cars, I've had it happen to me in the past. They climb up on the bonnet for the warmth of the engine or the roof for the heat of the sun.
Lived in an estate where cats roamed around freely and got multiple scrapes on the bonnet of my car. Didn't pursue anyone as it would be impossible to track the owner of a specific cat and the car wasn't worth much anyway. It's just a few thin lines in the paintwork.
Brand new A4 is a different story. I'd be very pissed if it were mine.

odyssey06

Fiddlesticks99 wrote: »

people are generally missing my point and just giving out to me. Cats do whatever they like, hunt, kill, scratch. Thats an animals nature. How can an owner be responsible for this.
People don't have sympathy for the idiots who get mauled after climbing into a lions den at zoo's do they? No, because that's nature for you.

So is killing a cat that eats your chickens.
People dont have sympathy for roaming cats that dont come back alive. And the more it roams the more likely it is for one reason or another not to.
If you want natural law...

Pissartist

Danzy wrote: »

Tell your neighbourhood to put down a saucer of antifreeze.

That's actually a great idea, cheap too

Fiddlesticks99

people are generally missing my point and just giving out to me. Cats do whatever they like, hunt, kill, scratch. Thats an animals nature. How can an owner be responsible for this.

People don't have sympathy for the idiots who get mauled after climbing into a lions den at zoo's do they? No, because that's nature for you.

Ave Sodalis

Blaizes wrote:

If this is genuine post think it would have been better to post it in the farming forum/thread, farmers will definitely know whether a cat is capable of killing a chicken. I've had cats before have never experienced nor heard of it and don't see it as being likely but farmers would know for sure.

My neighbours cat left a male pheasant outside the door one day, and a squirrel another. I can definitely see one taking out a roosting hen.

odyssey06

Feral cats a risk to hens... no reason to doubt this eyewitness account. If a feral cat could do it so could a roaming tomcat surely.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/outdoors/dick-warner/feral-cats-a-big-risk-to-hens-343376.html