I wasn't sure where else to put this, but what's the exact role of owners for cat-caused damages?

TheRealLegoIslander

TheRealLegoIslander

New Member
Jurisdiction
Vermont
If Person A has a cat they're associated with, and it's raised to be an outdoor cat (ignoring the fact that it's discouraged in some places), and the cat wanders into the yard of Person B (representing someone I know) and damages things, and Person B confronts Person A about it, what are the expectations of Person A?
 
You sure do ask a lot of hypothetical questions.
Please have one of the involved parties log on to ask their own questions.
 
TheRealLegoIslander said:
the cat wanders into the yard of Person B (representing someone I know) and damages things, and Person B confronts Person A about it, what are the expectations of Person A?
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Hmmm, perhaps B seeks compensation for the damages and havoc caused by A's TERROR TABBY?

LAWSUIT brewing, B desires to be made whole.
 
TheRealLegoIslander said:
If Person A has a cat they're associated with, and it's raised to be an outdoor cat (ignoring the fact that it's discouraged in some places), and the cat wanders into the yard of Person B (representing someone I know) and damages things, and Person B confronts Person A about it, what are the expectations of Person A?
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What possible damages are you speaking of? Digging in the garden, pooping on the property, eating some grass, scratching a tree trunk or the house, killing a mouse or squirrel or chipmunk, exactly what could this cat do to cause property damage that can't be fixed with a rake in the garden?

Outdoor cats can and do wounder before returning to home. But I don't see anything that would warrant a lawsuit. So, what damage are you speaking of?
 
A responsible owner takes responsibility for damage caused by their animal(s) in a fenced in state. I do not know if Vermont is a fence in or fence out state.

Irresponsible animal owners are the reason why there is a push in Vermont to change laws regarding this.New effort to keep livestock locked up on Vermont farms

That said, it is very difficult to contain cats (fence in) or to keep them out (fence out). Whether the cat's owner is legally liable for damages depends on the nature of the damages and local laws. If the cat is aggressive, injuring/killing someone else's domesticated animals, there may be an issue of liability (vet bills, replacement cost of deceased animals). If you are in an incorporated area or municipality with leash laws laws, etc., the cat owner could be subject to fines.
 
adjusterjack said:
Cat poop on a car could cause cat-astrophic damage to the paint finish.
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Cats are one of the most fastidious domestic animals there is. Cats don't just defecate or urinate anywhere. Digging in the dirt (or in cat litter) is what stimulates them to do their business and then they cover it up. There is no chance they would poop on a car. More likely a raccoon who doesn't give a sh*t.
 
welkin said:
There is no chance they would poop on a car. More likely a raccoon who doesn't give a sh*t.
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You should avoid absolutes ;). What you said may be generally true, but I have witnessed this happening.
 
Zigner said:
You should avoid absolutes ;). What you said may be generally true, but I have witnessed this happening.
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You actually saw a cat poop on a car, or you assumed it was a cat? But I should reframe from using absolutes. :)

I once left my cat with a friend (who had 3 cats of her own) when I had to travel. At night, she closed the bedroom door to keep the cats from fighting during the night. That cut off my cat from the litter boxes. In the morning, she found poop in the master bathroom sink. Like I said, cats unless sick, are fastidious and very intelligent.
 
Covering poop is a normal cat behavior, right? Not necessarily. Wild cats that bury their excrement do so for basically two reasons: One is to keep their presence unknown from possible predators. The other is to show that they are not challenging more dominant cats. These more dominant cats rarely bury feces, and often leave waste on grassy tussocks that elevate and make it even more prominent.


So, it seems the only reason for a domesticated cat to bury its poop is if there is a dominant cat in the house. However, burying excrement is a very natural cat behavior. Why then is your cat not doing it?


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Pleasing Humans

Humans have encouraged the behavior in our pet cats, by selectively choosing (and breeding) the ones that are "clean." Cats that leave their excrement uncovered for the world to admire are not abnormal—they're just being cats.


If your kitty has always dug-and-covered as normal litter box behavior, and suddenly makes a statement with uncovered poop, ask yourself what else has changed. This may be the cat's way of sending a smelly signal to other cats (or even a stray hanging around outside the window) that the territory is owned.


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Declaring Territory

In the wild, dominant cats (including jaguars, leopards, lions, and tigers) that are competing for territory don't bury their feces, sending a message that they are declaring that spot as their own. A domesticated cat may choose to not bury their poop to let other cats—or their owner—know "I am here." Even if a cat has lived in the same place for a while, he may not feel it is his territory. The smell of their poop shows that particular cat's presence.


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Natural Inclinations

Cats that choose not to cover, or leave a deposit outside the box, may simply be doing what comes naturally. Although burying feces is generally a modeled behavior from the mother cat, some cats actually never learn to do this. Separately, roaming kitties may use unburied waste as another form of marking.


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Litter Box Issues

When it comes to litter boxes, size does matter. Maybe your cat's litter box is too small for them to turn around inside to bury the poop. And, as the saying goes, cats can be finicky—perhaps your cat doesn't like the feel of the cat litter, or the box is too dirty, and they would rather not spend any extra time in there. If you suspect one or both of these things could be true, give a new brand of litter a try, or upgrade to a larger litter box.


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Medical Issues

There aren't any specific diagnoses that would cause your cat to not bury their poop, but if your cat is experiencing some kind of pain or discomfort—whether in their paws, while going to the bathroom, or just in general—that could deter them from spending more time in the litter box. Also, cats who have been declawed recently could choose to skip the burying process.


www.thesprucepets.com

Why Is Your Cat Not Covering His Poop?

Cats may not cover their poop for a few different reasons, including being territorial, sending a message to their owner, and not liking the litter.
www.thesprucepets.com www.thesprucepets.com
 
welkin said:
You actually saw a cat poop on a car...
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Yes
welkin said:
I once left my cat with a friend (who had 3 cats of her own) when I had to travel. At night, she closed the bedroom door to keep the cats from fighting during the night. That cut off my cat from the litter boxes. In the morning, she found poop in the master bathroom sink. Like I said, cats unless sick, are fastidious and very intelligent.
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I agree - I rarely had problems with my cats until they were old.
 
TheRealLegoIslander said:
If Person A has a cat they're associated with, and it's raised to be an outdoor cat (ignoring the fact that it's discouraged in some places), and the cat wanders into the yard of Person B (representing someone I know) and damages things, and Person B confronts Person A about it, what are the expectations of Person A?
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What an odd way of writing.

A owns a cat. A's cat caused damage to B's property. That's it, right?

Expectations? Who cares?

Does A have legal liability? Maybe. If you want to provide details about what happened, we can provide some feedback.
 
zddoodah said:
What an odd way of writing.
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I concur, but perhaps OP is one of those people who are offended by the idea of calling domesticated animals property.

At least, that is what I assumed was the case.

However, it is possible that "Person A" is just feeding a feral cat, and therefore is just "associating" with the cat.

Perhaps OP will return and clarify.
 

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