wow giving advise on how to kill an animal on a vegetarian board -_-;;
Cat killed by neighbors dogs - your course of action?
- Thread starter Dedalus
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AeryFairy
Anachronism
AeryFairy
Anachronism
thefadedone
Needs a life
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I am so sorry for your loss.
The whole situation is terrible and I can't imagine how I would deal with it if I were in your position. I wish you luck with your meeting and I hope the owners at least step up and take some responsibility.
The whole situation is terrible and I can't imagine how I would deal with it if I were in your position. I wish you luck with your meeting and I hope the owners at least step up and take some responsibility.
K-II
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That is a very unhelpful post!
Since it was implied to be an option, I don't see why.
Nobody mentioned eating them.
(And no, it wasn't about the owners. Probably a more effective solution, but vaguely illegal.)
So as long as you don't eat them, it's ok. Sure, whatever.
Isn't it better to prevent rather than kill?
AeryFairy
Anachronism
SuicideBlonde
Adorkable rockstar!
Sorry about the kitten. That is so sad.
When I was young in summer camp I was taking kitten food to feed a tiny little kitten. He was orange and sweet. I wanted to take him home, but my mom would not let me have animals. One morning I showed up to camp and found out the kitten was mauled and killed by one of the dogs that roamed the place. It was quite upsetting.
When I was young in summer camp I was taking kitten food to feed a tiny little kitten. He was orange and sweet. I wanted to take him home, but my mom would not let me have animals. One morning I showed up to camp and found out the kitten was mauled and killed by one of the dogs that roamed the place. It was quite upsetting.
K-II
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As long as you don't eat them (blech...) it's nothing to do with vegetarianism. Killing them does prevent further attacks, very immediately. Here the authorities do it for you - I read such a story in the newspaper I was resting my coffee on just a few days ago, where the owner was fined and the dog killed. Well, they call it 'destroyed' then.
Apparently not while it's on your property, wherever the OP is.
It's a bad deal and I'm sorry to hear about your cat.
More than likely the dogs owners have no idea their dogs killed your cat and would probably be mortified to find out they did. Problem is you can't prove they killed your cat even though in all likelihood they did. What you can prove is that their dogs are loose at night and in your yard.
I would call the local authorities let them know the neighbors dogs are loose at night and that you suspect the dogs killed your cat and why you think that. Then let them handle letting the neighbor know that the dogs are loose and they need to be secured. It's probably too emotional of an issue for you to discuss directly with them.
More than likely the dogs owners have no idea their dogs killed your cat and would probably be mortified to find out they did. Problem is you can't prove they killed your cat even though in all likelihood they did. What you can prove is that their dogs are loose at night and in your yard.
I would call the local authorities let them know the neighbors dogs are loose at night and that you suspect the dogs killed your cat and why you think that. Then let them handle letting the neighbor know that the dogs are loose and they need to be secured. It's probably too emotional of an issue for you to discuss directly with them.
I agree.
OP
OP
Thanks for all of your responses, hugs and sympathies.
It's all over. Meeting with the neighbor went exceedingly better than I ever expected. I called him when I got home for work and asked if he had a few minutes to come over - there was something I needed him to see. (I did not want to bring the pictures/evidence to his house - I really wanted to keep his kids out of this.)
When he saw the multiple photos we printed off - there was about 2 seconds of hesitation - I don't think he wanted to believe it was his dogs. But then he acknowledged that they were definitely his. He didn't try to deny anything and took full, unconditional responsibility. Not only did he offer financial compensation, but he said he was going to have the dogs put down. We don't want money - and we certainly don't want more death so we urged him not to do that.
Hearing him express true sorrow for our loss and the willingness to make it right was really all that we could have asked for. He guaranteed that his dogs would never be on our property again. He stayed at our house and we talked for 2 hours. He repeatedly apologized all this time and even hugged us. It was almost too bitter - that Mim was killed by dogs owned by someone who showed genuine remorse, sincerity, for the loss of our animal.
Apparently they were tunneling under the kennel repeatedly at night, perhaps not every single night - and he'd find them out the next day - put them back and fill in the hole. I assume he will be taking extra steps (IE putting the kennel on concrete or whatever, unless he does decide to put the dogs down, or relocate them. I got the impression he was going to seriously give it some thought - but I really hope he does not decide to put them down.)
My wife and I are completely and totally exhausted. Now we can begin to greive again - but without the anger that was eating us alive. It is a senseless, horrible tragedy that could have been avoided. The sorrow of this alone is enough to bear without having a blind hatred for wanting to make someone / something pay for this. So I'm glad that is past. But we are truly damaged goods. I now know what people mean when they say after a tragedy such as this that they see the world in an entirely different light.
It's all over. Meeting with the neighbor went exceedingly better than I ever expected. I called him when I got home for work and asked if he had a few minutes to come over - there was something I needed him to see. (I did not want to bring the pictures/evidence to his house - I really wanted to keep his kids out of this.)
When he saw the multiple photos we printed off - there was about 2 seconds of hesitation - I don't think he wanted to believe it was his dogs. But then he acknowledged that they were definitely his. He didn't try to deny anything and took full, unconditional responsibility. Not only did he offer financial compensation, but he said he was going to have the dogs put down. We don't want money - and we certainly don't want more death so we urged him not to do that.
Hearing him express true sorrow for our loss and the willingness to make it right was really all that we could have asked for. He guaranteed that his dogs would never be on our property again. He stayed at our house and we talked for 2 hours. He repeatedly apologized all this time and even hugged us. It was almost too bitter - that Mim was killed by dogs owned by someone who showed genuine remorse, sincerity, for the loss of our animal.
Apparently they were tunneling under the kennel repeatedly at night, perhaps not every single night - and he'd find them out the next day - put them back and fill in the hole. I assume he will be taking extra steps (IE putting the kennel on concrete or whatever, unless he does decide to put the dogs down, or relocate them. I got the impression he was going to seriously give it some thought - but I really hope he does not decide to put them down.)
My wife and I are completely and totally exhausted. Now we can begin to greive again - but without the anger that was eating us alive. It is a senseless, horrible tragedy that could have been avoided. The sorrow of this alone is enough to bear without having a blind hatred for wanting to make someone / something pay for this. So I'm glad that is past. But we are truly damaged goods. I now know what people mean when they say after a tragedy such as this that they see the world in an entirely different light.
I hope he doesn't kill the dogs - that would be a wrong tripled. It's not their fault - they are predators, just as cats are predators, and killing animals smaller than they comes naturally to them. It's up to us humans to safeguard and control those in our care.
OP
OP
Mim was the only cat with unrestricted in/out privileges. The others I get corralled in the house at dusk - if they aren't around the cat door allows entrance in but then locks. So when they finally come in - they're in to stay for the night. They seem to be geared into the routine - they are all in before I go to bed for sure.
We have coyotes in the timber nearby - so yes - no matter - there are still a multitude of dangers outside. We are going to try building a 'catio' outside - a space big enough that they can chill out but remain enclosed. I have reservations about that serving the purpose since they all are just bonkers about being able to explore outside freely. But we'll see. I think I need to do something.
It's odd because I've always thought that I had it backwards - that I should let them out at night and get them in during the day - just figuring the cover of darkness would give them an advantage. Glad I didn't do that in this case - it could have been a massacre.
OP
OP
So sad! I'm so sorry you lost your beautiful cat.
When I was a kid, a group of neighborhood dogs came in our yard and killed our three bunnies. Our collie tried to defend them.
Thank you. I went to 'like' the post for extending your sympathies, but then read about your bunnies. Sorry about that.
OP
OP
OP
OP
Yes, dogs are a danger during the day as well as at night, but wild predators are the big additional danger at night. Other than hawks, everyone hunts under cover of darkness.
I have lived with many dozens of cats over the years, all of whom were outdoor cats at some point (dumped indoor cats, ferals, cats who were just allowed to roam and who didn't get vet care or regular food, etc.) I've never had a problem with any of them adjusting to being indoor cats. And while I now have a large outdoor enclosure that they can access at will, many of them don't even do that. The only one of my cats who tries to *escape* outdoors is Sebastian, and for him, it's a mind game he plays with me. So, while it's not impossible that a cat would have difficulty adjusting to being an indoor cat, it's much less common than most people believe, IME.
Has your feral cat reappeared?
I have lived with many dozens of cats over the years, all of whom were outdoor cats at some point (dumped indoor cats, ferals, cats who were just allowed to roam and who didn't get vet care or regular food, etc.) I've never had a problem with any of them adjusting to being indoor cats. And while I now have a large outdoor enclosure that they can access at will, many of them don't even do that. The only one of my cats who tries to *escape* outdoors is Sebastian, and for him, it's a mind game he plays with me. So, while it's not impossible that a cat would have difficulty adjusting to being an indoor cat, it's much less common than most people believe, IME.
Has your feral cat reappeared?
OP
OP
I'd be interested in the design of your outdoor enclosure. I really have no idea what I'm doing, but I'm sort of handy. I guess the challenge might be making it blend in and not be an obvious eye sore.
I think I let my cats out to explore way too early - they are considered adult cats, but they are still just kittens to me. I am hoping as they mature the appeal with wear down. But they all try to escape whenever I'm keeping them in during the day. And then they start to get rough with each other playing. But when the door is open - they may go out and come right back in. It's like they just want to feel like they CAN go out if they please.
Yes! Thank goodness he is safe and sound - not a scratch on him. We call him P' Daddy because he looks like he could be Pip's Daddy (see picture in earlier post with Mim). We were pretty worried, but he came sauntering up about the same time as always. The neighbor had mentioned that there were a few 'barn cats' around over on his property that the dogs wouldn't ever mess with. I'm betting Pip Daddy is one of them. If Mim hadn't been sleeping I don't know that they would have messed with her either - she was a fiesty little thang.
