Neighbour's Cat Died On My Drive - Interested In Opinions...

[Deskdiary]

I'll try to keep this short.

I have a gravel drive and some weeds have started to come through so I was out yesterday with weed killer.

It would appear the neighbour's cat has either licked it, or walked over it and then licked it's paws or whatever, and the upshot is the cat is dead.

I accept it's likely the cat died because of my weed killer.

I've just had a stand-up row with the neighbour who was demanding compensation because I put weedkiller on my drive. I made the point that the only pertinent part of her rant was that she's correct, it is indeed my drive, and therefore I made the point that as it's my drive it is mine to do with as I please.

Bottom line is I sent her away with flea in her ear.

What is the legal position?

[Togo]

//I hope she doesn't have a complex about it. //

Not at all Arks. Every time she sees a cat she launches a kick at the aris end and laughs like a drain. BTW. she is nigh on 6ft tall and half Jamaican...….Really..... Coma girl and deadly. Love her, and so does "She who must be obeyed". My brother just shakes his head and lowers his chin if she decides to sort the world. My son is 6 years older and a bb Karate student at 12 yrs old and does not want to wrestle her.

[Deskdiary]

I must admit I consider cats to be about as close to vermin as it's possible to get without actually being vermin.

When I was being ranted at, I must admit I did say "it's only a cat" - but I do get (although do not understand) that some people have affection for cats. Personally I don't get it when the obvious pet of choice is a dog, but if people like these animals, as odd as it is, I suppose it's fair enough.

[Davemano]

The cat could have picked up something from anywhere. Let her prove it was your weed killer that killed it. Tell her that you've been told that the stuff you use does not affect pets (She won't know, but don't show it to her)

[Peter Pedant]

as with most things here
wait and see
if she demands compo - offer a new kitten

dont agree to undertake to make sure that no wandering animals wander into your property
you cant for a start without building a gt boodiful warl

[Davemano]

^^^^Or post her a CATalogue.

[JJ109]

I would have thought it was simply her negligence allowing her cat to wander where there was a liklihood that weed-killer was being applied legally - FULL STOP. She cannot get away with this, she is NEGLIGENT and it may or may not have cost her cat its life. Put the blame where it is due! Cat owners must apply brain cells, and if they don't or can't control their cats then it is them that assumes the risk of anything untoward happening. DONT have one as a pet if you can't look after it. Responsibilty comes with ownership.

You haven't taken a bow and arrow or a gun and deliberately shot it. You are not at fault, end of!

[JJ109]

How did she know that you had put weed-killer on your drive and assumed that was what killed her cat? Did she see you do it? If so what is she doing letting her cat onto your drive when she knows weed killer has been applied.

Has she asked your permission, and received it, to allow her cat to wander onto your property? Have you agreed to inform her whenever you apply weed-killer. If you did, then she may have a case, but otherwise.............

[wolf63]

The Cat is dead and that can't be undone.

The cause of death is unknown but Deskdiary is, probably, not responsible either legally or morally) for the cats demise.

But the total lack of empathy for this woman is sickening. Regardless of how each of you
feel about cats you should be able to understand how she feels - to her the cat was a family member.
:-(

[JJ109]

If it was a family member, I would have expected her to look after it better!

If she had not blamed Desk Diary I would certainly sympathise with her loss but she should not go round blaming other people for her own shortcomings! Once she does this I find it hard to feel for her.

[cassa333]

How did your neighbour know you had put weedkiller down? Who found the cat?

If i had been you and I found the cat I might have been very tempted to just move it over the fence to thier garden?

Have you checked how long it would take a cat to die after sniffing at the weeds?

[10ClarionSt]

I don't know what all the fuss is about. The cat wondered onto DD's property and pegged out. End of. My next door neighbours cat did the same thing some years ago, during a thunderstorm actually. Just laid down on my driveway in the heavy rain and snuffed it. He just put it in a bag. Don't know what he did with it.

[catswhiskas]

There seems to be a lot of unkind people on this post. I think you knew she had a cat and you should have done the neighbourly thing and warned her first. However the cat died why where you so mean to hear, glad I dont live next door to you , I would have flattened you !

[douglas9401]

^ Irony ^

[TonyV]

Catswhiskas don't think violence solves anything, but I can almost feel your upset. I agree should have told neighbours that you are putting poison down that could harm wandering cats.

[Canary42]

///I think you knew she had a cat and you should have done the neighbourly thing and warned her///

Why ? My neighbours with cats never warned me they would trespass on my garden, slaughtering songbirds, carping on the lawn, digging up my seed-beds. Far worse example of non-neighbourlyness IMO - but self-styled animal-lovers always have been blind to their little darling's disgusting characteristics..

[JJ109]

Totally disagree Tony. Cats can wander miles - does Deskdiary have to warn every cat owner in the vicinity every time he uses weed killer on his property, or every time he lets his dog out in his garden (if he has a dog) just in case a cat that shouldn't be there has wandered there due to the negligence of its owner. It is not practical.

The woman would know he had a weed problem and should therefore not allow her cat into his driveway when there is a liklihood of him using weed-killer.

Not only that but if deskdiary warned her he would be setting a precedent for the future, and if he forgot to warn her next time he put weed-killer down, then they may have a claim against him.

The onus is on the cat-owner to not allow the cat on his property by whatever means she can. If she cannot do this, she is not controlling her cat and must suffer the consequences.

I have two cats and six dogs and I do not let any of them annoy my neighbours. My cats will not get poisoned by tresspassing on my neighbours property.

I had no sympathy for this women as soon as she started blaming others for her negligence and demanded compensation for her stupidity. All empathy for her was destroyed at that time.

[spathiphyllum]

maybe you could have more compassion for your neighbour as she's lost a family pet / member depending on her perspective. Surely it's not mature to have a "stand up row" with a neighbour in distress? Maybe you're a sociopath.

Yes i agree it's you did not kill the cat deliberately, but you certainly were a catalyst for the death.

It's a cat.. no legal obligations at all simply another animal is dead in the world you can't be sued. Cats do what they want even if you tried you keep it off your lawn you wouldn't have been able to.

[Prudie]

I can understand why people may not like cats but the vitriol against them (unlike any other animal in the world I can think of) in my view always comes from people who are slightly uncalibrated in other areas.

[Barmaid]

Tbh, if the cat owner's first thought was compensation then I am not sure she can have been that upset at the loss of her pet because NOTHING would ever compensate me for the loss of mine. However, grieving people do and say daft things.

I actually doubt it was your weedkiller that did it. There are far more toxic things around that will kill cats. Antifreeze is a big killer this time of year because they find it irresistible. But ultimately no post mortem = no evidence. Even if I thought she had a case, legally she has a causation problem and a contributory negligence problem.

Spath it is not helpful suggesting people may be sociopaths. This is the law section, remember.

[TonyV]

Ok JJ109, perhaps I just like getting on with my neighbours, not best buddies, but I would warn someone I was putting potentially life threatening poison down that could harm their pets.