What do I tell the neighbor?

Question

Last night me and my husband were out visiting friends and we got home about midnight. I let me dogs out of the house to go to the bathroom before they came in for the night. After 20 min. or so I hear them barking. I ran outside to find my dogs killing the neighbors cat (princess). My husband was able to make the dogs let go but the cat couldn't move it just screamed. I rushed it to the emergency vet but it couldn't be saved. Saying nothing is not an option. So is it going to be as bad as I think. We just moved in and we didn't want to make the wrong impression. What would you do?

my dogs were in out fenced yard and the cat came in out backyard

My question was not do I tell the neighbor but what do I tell her. I appreciate all the negetivity and you will be happy to know it was not her cat but a stray!!!

Answer 1

I am SO sorry that that happened. It seems like a REALLY bad situation. I would just go up front and tell them how sorry you are and maybe take them out for a treat like an expensive dinner. Keep trying to talk to them because you do not want them to think that you thought that one dinner out was going to change everything. Again, say you are real;ly sorry and apologize AS whole-heartadly as you can.

Answer 2

I sincerely hope your dogs were in your yard and not outside a fence........What kind of dogs are they? I will never trust a dog that kills another animal. They are not killing for food and that is very scary. I can see them chase the cat, but not kill it.

I honestly don't know what to tell you. You just moved in so they don't know you well. Then again, their cat should not have been outside either. No cat should be allowed outside, especially after dark. If not telling them is not an option, I guess you better make that long walk next door. What other choice do you have?? Tell the truth and be sure you tell them you took her to the vet. What a mess. People are touchy about their animals.........What can I say now, except good luck. I would still watch your dogs.

Answer 3

Being a cat owner and my cats are a large part of my life. I would want to know what happened. if one of my cats just never came back it would be worse wondering why what happened.
You could tell a little white lie. Like the dog ran out past you and you did not intentionally let it run loose.
Now knowing that yor dog has killed a cat it will again. You can not allow the dog to run loose again. be a responsible owner tie or contain or walk it on a leash.
A invisible fence works well. You did the right thing by taking the cat right to the vets. I applaud you for that, most people would not.

Answer 4

I have a cat...and I think the neighbor would think you are a extremely honest person who tried to do the right thing. Most people wouldnt have taken the time to take the vet to the doctors office in the middle of the night. Offer to pay 200.00 for another cat. If they say its some type of fancy cat that cost 1000.00 dont pay them a dime. technically its both your fault and not just yours. The dog should have been on a leash and the cat too (or kept indoors). Most honest people will take the money. make sure you call the city to find out what the laws are. Again, she/he should think your a wonderful person. You might tell them how much you already spent at the emergency clinic. Good luck and let us know how it turned out.

Answer 5

Hello :
1st i want to say regardless of whos yard your dogs were in you the owner of the dogs are responsible for your dogs actions.
so..........what if it had been the neighbors child ?
Dont waste another minute . . . go straight to your neighbor
and tell them what happen .. tell them the truth and nothing but the truth and then take it from there. . . that would be best
dodnt second guess your new neighbors on what you think their going to say are going to do ..... be a good neighbor.
As for as cats go.... the same rules do not apply, they are free roamers except in rare cases of cats attacking people.
then the owner can be held responsible for the cats actions.
dogs are far more obediant ... cats live alot longer if kept in the house. ~ FACT ~
Alot of people view cats as pest and are whithin their rights to shoot a cat thats on there property but this rule does not apply to dogs unless the dog is attacking people are livestock but not cats
Now your new neighbors im sure will not be happy about the ordeal but at the same time they should not let there cat outside when other neighbors have dogs. see its like their looking for trouble then. are they are just stupid people .
When ever a cat owner lets it cat outside thats the chance they always take , the cat may get run over , get killed by dogs ,
get shot by neighbors their is many scenarios that the cat can get itself into. In other words the cat and the cat owners have no rights.
If you think it will make you feal better offer to get your neighbor another cat. but.......to keep it in their house are you will have the same thing happen again... if your neighbors are logical people they will comply with complete understanding.
Its not a matter of who live here first ... thats stupid .
as for as your dogs they are not free roamers ... you the owner must keep your dogs under control meaning >> fenced in,
.caged , on a leash , are a chain.
Any cat owner must except the cats fate when ever they let them outside . thats the way it is .. to bad about the cat dieing the way it did . I own 3 dogs and five cats ... the cats stay in the house 24/7 never go outside . why ? because i love my cats as well as i love my dogs.

Good Luck / O'Wyleeawg

Answer 6

Personally, I believe honesty is the best policy. You may have to pay the consequences though. If your city has a leash law, you may have to pay a fine for letting them run loose. I realize the cat was loose too, but most cities don't have leash laws for cats. I'm sure the people will be angry, as would anyone, but they will have to respect you for your honesty and the fact that you were kind enough to try and help the cat as best you could. Not many people would be so nice. Perhaps the next time they get a cat, they will take better care of it. When you own a pet (dog or cat) and you let it run around loose you must be prepared to accept what ever happens. Now that you know your dogs are capable of doing this, I hope you will be more responsible about letting them run loose too. Good luck, and God bless you for what you tried to do.

Answer 7

It would be helpful to know if the dogs were on YOUR property or on your neighbors? In either case, I would not want my dogs to kill or hurt the neighbors cat. It's one thing if the cat comes on your property and the dogs defend their territory, but if they attacked the cat on the cat's territory...not good.

I think this situation is terrible, no matter how you look at it. I think you did the right thing by getting the cat to the vet. After all, it was your dogs that did the damage. Also, just pay for it, and don't expect the cat owner's to repay.

I would be sickened if one of my dog's did this. Good luck.

Answer 8

I think you need to take responsibility for the dogs. Put yourself in the neighbors shoes and think what you may expect if you were them. Especially if it was a part of their family. Really, it means they can't have another cat because of the dogs? If you are friends with them they may understand. I guess you will just have to ask them what you can do, then do the best you can. From your tone I don't think you could lie to them nor live with the guilt of knowing. Tell them that. I wish you the best.

Answer 9

i guess you need to look at it as if it had benn one of your dogs been killed (god forbid). what would you expect to happen?

maybe you can offer to pay te burial costs of the animal if they loved it like a member of the family.

maybe offer finacial compensation to get another cat.
not owning a pet it is hard for me to advise. however, you are best advised to try and answer your own question.

just go around with a sad look on your face and say in a soft confident tone words to the effect "sorry, I have some bad new for you, our dogs accidentally killed your cat; what can we do to make this right, i know nothing we say or do can bring back (insert cats name here), but we would like to try and mak a mends".
your neighbours will be deeply shocked and may shout and tell you to go away and not in a polite fashion. they may call the police to try and have your dogs destroyed under dangerous dogs legislation.
just explain clearly what happened to who ever asks in an official capacity and you should be fine eventually.

Answer 10

You should go ahead and tell the neighbors what happened. They might start wondering about the cat, come over and ask you if you've seen it. That would be a bad situation if you didn't want to lie.