Neighbor told me his Pit Bull will kill my cat. In my yard.

[BlueViolet]

TLDR; Neighbors have a Pit Bull and said their dog will attack and kill our cat when she is on MY property because she is "cat aggressive" and they don't have a fence for when she uses the bathroom outside.

My neighbor was outside mowing the lawn this morning and started screaming at my cat to "go back home" even though she was on my property still, sleeping beside the back porch. Granted, it was -close- to his yard, it was still on my acre of land. Cori was watching him from the window as he came into our yard, picked up our cat, and knocked on our door handing our cat to Cori. He told her that he has a Pit Bull that is "cat aggressive" and will attack and kill our cat when he let's the dog outside to use the bathroom because they do not have a fence.

Also, our cat is an indoor/outdoor cat who is spayed and doesn't wander far from our back porch and we live out in the country where there are very few cars so it isn't a problem. I have an acre of land for a reason.

I am getting Mishka--my Great Pyr pup in two weeks when he's ready, and since I am renting an acre of land that isn't fenced in, I planned on tethering him outside when we me and Cori go to lay out or swim when he isn't inside with us. I'd never leave him unattended outside, but I'm still terrified that him being a puppy restrained beside an aggressive dog who is not, that the Pit might try to attack him and he won't be able to get away and I can't break that fight up. I have nothing against Pitts, I've always had great experiences with them... but the owner of this one has admitted he is aggressive.

Also, I got this property because it's an acre of land for my two nephews to be able to play on outside with Mishka. I just don't feel safe anymore, which is a shame because I got land out in the country so that I can utilize the acre of land for my pets/family/myself.

Animal Control isn't open on the weekend, but I fully intend on calling them on Monday. He is breaking at minimum three rules--"a dangerous dog who is not properly restrained or secured by owner", "having an animal that disturbs the rights of, threatens the safety of, or damages a member of the general public, or interferes with the ordinary use and enjoyment of their property, or public property;", "Maintaining an animal that habitually or repeatedly chases, snaps at, threatens, attacks or barks at pedestrians, joggers, dogs walked on a leash by owners, bicycles, or vehicles;".

I don't know if they will actually do anything but it's just kind of terrifying to think that my animals are threatened when on my own property. I am not saying Pits are bad dogs, I've actually never been around an aggressive Pit Bull or one that wasn't a completely sweet baby and I've been around a lot of them... but for his owner to state to our faces that he is aggressive.

Sure, I could build a fence, but that will only set me back a couple of thousands of dollars and I'm not even sure if my landlord would allow it. My other neighbor's own a German Shepherd and fenced in their entire yard which is well over an acre. I plan on socializing Mishka with the German Shephard as a puppy so they won't be aggressive towards one another and hopefully have someone to play with.

Sorry for the long post, I've just been upset about this all morning.

 

[Nordling]

Re: Neighbor told me his Pit Bull will kill my cat. In my y

Yeah, what your neighbor did was equivalent to admitting to a crime before the crime is actually committed. Too bad you didn't get him on tape. I would have asked him if he's ever heard of a damn leash.

 

[SoTxBob]

Re: Neighbor told me his Pit Bull will kill my cat. In my y

Animal control, here at least, doesn't do anything proactive but rather after the fact, and usually injury, has happened. No idea your relationship with or mindset of the neighbor but .... I'd have zero problem shooting any pit that attacks me or my 'family' on my own property. That's just me tho.
I have 2 Pyrs and also foster them. They are great dogs and won't have any problem defending kitty. If you're truly worried about the pit attacking him as well, make sure you don't cut his coat. The long almost sheep or lion like hair is a primary defense for them. They are livestock guard animals and can defend/protect against many predators.

 

[lordmagellan]

Re: Neighbor told me his Pit Bull will kill my cat. In my y

Yea, you shouldn't have to do a damn thing. He's basically saying you have to imprison your cat in your own home. As the owner of an admittedly aggressive dog, it's his job to restrain his pet either with a fence or a leash. I'd have told him point blank if your dog comes on my property in an act of aggression, it will be put down- Legally.

 

[LaceyRoyce]

Re: Neighbor told me his Pit Bull will kill my cat. In my y

Before you call animal control, check your local laws on indoor/outdoor cats. Make SURE you're allowed to have a cat outdoors (here you arent)

I hope your local animal control can do something - this dog is a horrible accident waiting to happen. Bestof luck.

 

[lordmagellan]

Re: Neighbor told me his Pit Bull will kill my cat. In my y

Make SURE you're allowed to have a cat outdoors (here you arent)

Wha--? You can't let your cat outside into it's natural environment?

 

[BlueViolet]

Re: Neighbor told me his Pit Bull will kill my cat. In my y

Before you call animal control, check your local laws on indoor/outdoor cats. Make SURE you're allowed to have a cat outdoors (here you arent)

I hope your local animal control can do something - this dog is a horrible accident waiting to happen. Bestof luck.

I was hoping you'd answer, lol.

Yes, I checked my county's animal control laws. The only thing it really says about cats is:

"It is unlawful for an owner or keeper to allow a fertile cat, six months or older, to run at large." So since my cat is spayed, she's fine. There aren't any laws against Pit Bulls here or anything either here since we don't live in city limits.

Also:

"It is unlawful for any owner or keeper of an animal other than a non-fertile cat to willfully or negligently allow the animal to run at large on any public property or on any private property of another without permission of the property owner. "

 

[Shaun__]

Re: Neighbor told me his Pit Bull will kill my cat. In my y

Make SURE you're allowed to have a cat outdoors (here you arent)

Wha--? You can't let your cat outside into it's natural environment?

In some places cats have the same leash requirements as dogs.

 

[Anonymous]

Re: Neighbor told me his Pit Bull will kill my cat. In my y

Wow, if that neighbor had said that to me, I would be highly pissed off, and we'd be fighting. Their dog shouldn't even be in your yard. I'm irritated as it is over the amounts of dog shit my son has go around when he's riding his scooter, but this (what you're telling us here) really angers me.

Sadly, it seems like Animal Control doesn't do shit until something bad's already happened. And if they do make a trip out there, they give the dog owner a "warning" while he/she pretends that they will actually obey next time.....

This idiot out here lets his Doberman run loose behind this place of business, and my former neighbor (who ran a home daycare, and the dog had been in her backyard staring into her house) and I have called Animal Control at least a few times. The guy claims his dog is "under voice command." :roll:

I absolutely cannot stand dog-owners who have no consideration for others. Basically, you shouldn't have a pet if it means it will be nothing but a burden to everyone else in the neighbor. I swear that half of these dog-owners only have dogs because their child begged for it "Pleeeeaaaase???"...lol.

Any time a person has a dog that they claim "hates kids" or is "cat-aggressive," THEY need to keep that dog away from kids, cats, or whoever. Let Cujo tear up your house all you want...once you bring that animal outside where the public is...PLEASE use a leash. A neighbor's pet should not have to die just because you "wanted to let your dog roam free."

Good luck, Blue, and keep us updated. I wish that you didn't have these kind of neighbors.

 

[Anonymous]

Re: Neighbor told me his Pit Bull will kill my cat. In my y

I'd have zero problem shooting any pit that attacks me or my 'family' on my own property. That's just me tho.

It's not just you. My granddad feels the same way.

 

[LiLredhairedgrl]

Re: Neighbor told me his Pit Bull will kill my cat. In my y

I know it would cost a lot to build a fence, but if you love the place and plan on being there for a while, I think it would be soooo worth it just for your peace of mind. I wouldn't be able to handle the stress of that, I am so protective of my animals...heck I would probably move.

 

[BlueViolet]

Re: Neighbor told me his Pit Bull will kill my cat. In my y

Animal control, here at least, doesn't do anything proactive but rather after the fact, and usually injury, has happened. No idea your relationship with or mindset of the neighbor but .... I'd have zero problem shooting any pit that attacks me or my 'family' on my own property. That's just me tho.
I have 2 Pyrs and also foster them. They are great dogs and won't have any problem defending kitty. If you're truly worried about the pit attacking him as well, make sure you don't cut his coat. The long almost sheep or lion like hair is a primary defense for them. They are livestock guard animals and can defend/protect against many predators.

Oh, I'm not going to cut his coat. I just hate to think that he will have to get into a fight and kill the Pit if anything happens, then of course the neighbor will try to sue me for their dog coming on my property and attacking my dog. Considering Pyrs don't go out of their way to attack anything, but have no problem dying trying to defend their livestock/family.

I also have zero problem shooting the Pit if he threatens my family or my animals but I hate to think that I'd have to carry a gun outside with me every time I want to take Mishka to use the bathroom or to play with my Nephews.

Yea, you shouldn't have to do a damn thing. He's basically saying you have to imprison your cat in your own home. As the owner of an admittedly aggressive dog, it's his job to restrain his pet either with a fence or a leash. I'd have told him point blank if your dog comes on my property in an act of aggression, it will be put down- Legally.

I would tell him that but I'd be afraid he'd try to shoot my cat or Mishka when they are not being aggressive.

I know it would cost a lot to build a fence, but if you love the place and plan on being there for a while, I think it would be soooo worth it just for your peace of mind. I wouldn't be able to handle the stress of that, I am so protective of my animals...heck I would probably move.

That's the thing... I have no idea how long we plan on being here. We move so much, we were really hoping we could settle down here for a while. But I don't really know honestly. Since I'm renting I don't even know if my landlord would allow me to build a fence, but I'm thinking about at least trying to put a basic chain-link fence on that side on the yard. Not sure how much that would run me.

I wish animal control could force them to fence in THEIR yard.

 

[LiLredhairedgrl]

Re: Neighbor told me his Pit Bull will kill my cat. In my y

Maybe you guys can split the cost? You would think that the neighbors would want the problem to go away just as much as you do.

 

[Jupiter551]

Re: Neighbor told me his Pit Bull will kill my cat. In my y

It sounds like the neighbour's way of "fixing" it is to dump it all on her

 

[LailaBaise]

Re: Neighbor told me his Pit Bull will kill my cat. In my y

@BrownFox

Sounds like the owner needs to be put down and the doggy to find a good, responsible household to reside at.

Shitty dog owners make me want to spit.

:twocents-02cents:

 

[LiLredhairedgrl]

Re: Neighbor told me his Pit Bull will kill my cat. In my y

Bravo to that!

 

[Bocefish]

Re: Neighbor told me his Pit Bull will kill my cat. In my y

This really has nothing to do with pits, all dog breeds can be cat aggressive without reason. The dog owner sounds like a real piece of work if that's really how they said it. If the OP lets their cat wander around (it sounds like it because she mentioned cars and traffic aren't a big deal) you're always taking the risk of coyotes, birds of prey, or something else happening too. Pets don't naturally know where property lines are, so the cat could easily wander into the dog's yard too.

I would try to work something out with the neighbors and maybe introduce the critters to each other with both owners closely supervising. Who knows, they might actually take a liking to one another.

 

[Bocefish]

Re: Neighbor told me his Pit Bull will kill my cat. In my y

“There is no such thing as a problem breed. However, there is no shortage of 'problem owners'....”
― Cesar Millan

 

[SoTxBob]

Re: Neighbor told me his Pit Bull will kill my cat. In my y

Hey Blue,
had a thought. If it actually comes down to it being necessary, instead of fencing the property....
In the past I used premade 6'tall chain link gates [mine are 6,8,12' wide] to segregate a few of the more antisocial dogs I've fostered till they became socialized with the rest. [Pyrs will hop a 4' tall fairly easily] The cost is quite reasonable and you can use hardware to literally make a pen of almost any size. When its time to go, you take it all with you or resell it. I'd exhaust all other avenues tho [city, county regs.] before spending the cash to do this.

 

[Nordling]

Re: Neighbor told me his Pit Bull will kill my cat. In my y

This really has nothing to do with pits, all dog breeds can be cat aggressive without reason. The dog owner sounds like a real piece of work if that's really how they said it. If the OP lets their cat wander around (it sounds like it because she mentioned cars and traffic aren't a big deal) you're always taking the risk of coyotes, birds of prey, or something else happening too. Pets don't naturally know where property lines are, so the cat could easily wander into the dog's yard too.

I would try to work something out with the neighbors and maybe introduce the critters to each other with both owners closely supervising. Who knows, they might actually take a liking to one another.

I agree with most of what you're saying, however, no matter the alleged temperament of a given breed, the physical differences do make a difference as far as "problems." Obviously a highly aggressive pomeranian possesses less danger to a cat than a mild-mannered rottweiler, pit bull, staffordshire or other large powerful breed. As my veterinarian once said to me, "some pets can do things that we put up with that would be unacceptable with other pets--you can't let your mastiff jump up on grandma's lap, for instance.

 

[BlueViolet]

Re: Neighbor told me his Pit Bull will kill my cat. In my y

Hey Blue,
had a thought. If it actually comes down to it being necessary, instead of fencing the property....
In the past I used premade 6'tall chain link gates [mine are 6,8,12' wide] to segregate a few of the more antisocial dogs I've fostered till they became socialized with the rest. [Pyrs will hop a 4' tall fairly easily] The cost is quite reasonable and you can use hardware to literally make a pen of almost any size. When its time to go, you take it all with you or resell it. I'd exhaust all other avenues tho [city, county regs.] before spending the cash to do this.

The only thing that bothers me about making a "pen" is that I decided to rent an acre of land specifically so I can let my dog actually use it. The whole acre. Even if I kept him on a long tether while I was outside with him, it would be possible for him to run back and forth through the acre because there are no major trees in his way of getting him tangled. And I'd always be outside with him.

This really has nothing to do with pits, all dog breeds can be cat aggressive without reason. The dog owner sounds like a real piece of work if that's really how they said it. If the OP lets their cat wander around (it sounds like it because she mentioned cars and traffic aren't a big deal) you're always taking the risk of coyotes, birds of prey, or something else happening too. Pets don't naturally know where property lines are, so the cat could easily wander into the dog's yard too.

I would try to work something out with the neighbors and maybe introduce the critters to each other with both owners closely supervising. Who knows, they might actually take a liking to one another.

I never said it had anything to do with Pits. I've seen plenty of well socialized, well-adjusted Pit Bulls before. But unfortunately the vast majority of Pit owners in my area do not own them because they want to make a misunderstood breed's reputation better. They buy the dogs with the intention of making them even more aggressive even if they aren't planning on fighting their dogs because they think it's "cool" to have a dog that is aggressive like a Pit. And yes, I've heard people ask each other "how did you get your Pit so aggressive? I've tried ____, ____, and _____ but she's too friendly and acts like a baby around everyone." Not to mention a Pit Bull was bred as a fighting dog. Yes, owners play a huge role in their behavior but when it comes down to it, a dog's instincts are going to come from it's breeding. Whether that is a Terrier digging in the yard for rats, a hound dog chasing a fox, a or a Pit Bull wanting to fight. These instincts can be trained out of them to a good degree and a lot of times completely trained out of them with dog-aggression, but obviously if they were not trained properly like that then their instincts say to be aggressive. Because dogs are specifically bred in the past for specific jobs--such as my LGD Mishka was bred to protect it's livestock and family as a guard dog, but Great Pyr's were specifically bred to not be aggressive and only attack in defense of their livestock if threatened and the predator will not back down.

Also, cats are allowed to roam in my area. Mine does not, she stays in her territory as a spayed female where her food is. Cats are even allowed to be on other people's private property, not that I necessarily agree with that. My spayed cat stays in our acre lot and I adopted her where she had been raised as an outside stray. Outside cats are not as vulnerable and in danger as most people think. Outside cats aren't going to go run up to a stranger's dog and try to "play", they are going to stay away from dogs. There are no coyotes or anything in my area that presents a real threat besides unchained aggressive dogs regardless of their breed, and even then, cats are pretty good about being able to run up trees/hide from dogs. And have you ever seen a cat get picked up by a bird of prey? Unlike rabbits or mice, cats have strong claws and teeth.

 

[BlueViolet]

Re: Neighbor told me his Pit Bull will kill my cat. In my y

Missed my edit time window.

Wanted to mention again, that my cat is inside-outside. She doesn't have a litter box inside and goes out to use the bathroom and sun on the back porch or follow us outside, but other than that she stays inside except for at night. We go to bed around 3 or 4am and let her out, then let her back in for breakfast as soon as we wake up. She comes inside, eats, then chills on the couch until she has to go to the bathroom outside, suns a bit, meows at the door to be let back in.

 

[LaceyRoyce]

Re: Neighbor told me his Pit Bull will kill my cat. In my y

Before you call animal control, check your local laws on indoor/outdoor cats. Make SURE you're allowed to have a cat outdoors (here you arent)

I hope your local animal control can do something - this dog is a horrible accident waiting to happen. Bestof luck.

I was hoping you'd answer, lol.

Yes, I checked my county's animal control laws. The only thing it really says about cats is:

"It is unlawful for an owner or keeper to allow a fertile cat, six months or older, to run at large." So since my cat is spayed, she's fine. There aren't any laws against Pit Bulls here or anything either here since we don't live in city limits.

Also:

"It is unlawful for any owner or keeper of an animal other than a non-fertile cat to willfully or negligently allow the animal to run at large on any public property or on any private property of another without permission of the property owner. "

LOL thank you! I don't know that I can offer any amazing advice but please let us know how it goes. If animal control WONT do anything ...there are a few things I can suggest to help move them along......

Grrr pittie owners.


And yes, within city limits cats are on leash laws here. It's done to prevent the insane population of feral and stray cats... and for the most part has helped greatly and has my full support.

I don't mean to say that in situations like Blue's having an indoor outdoor cat is a problem - my cats in nz are indoor outdoor. But in my area, it's smart to have the laws they do.

 

[BlueViolet]

Re: Neighbor told me his Pit Bull will kill my cat. In my y

LOL thank you! I don't know that I can offer any amazing advice but please let us know how it goes. If animal control WONT do anything ...there are a few things I can suggest to help move them along......

Grrr pittie owners.


And yes, within city limits cats are on leash laws here. It's done to prevent the insane population of feral and stray cats... and for the most part has helped greatly and has my full support.

I don't mean to say that in situations like Blue's having an indoor outdoor cat is a problem - my cats in nz are indoor outdoor. But in my area, it's smart to have the laws they do.

I actually agree with leash laws in cities for cats honestly. It makes sense to me with stopping the creating of more feral/strays since there are more humans populating cities and therefore more cats around that belong to them or are being fed. Not to mention cities have more cars that can cause them to get hit.

Thankfully, where I'm at, I rarely see cars pass by and when they do it's very, very slow. And I actually haven't seen any other cats around here at all... but since my cat is spayed, she's not attracting toms and is content in her territory which is my land. I love living in the country... now if only I could get like 10 acres instead of just 1.

I'll update on what animal control says. I am not expecting anything really, but god, if only they could make him build a fence around his yard...

 

[Rose]

Re: Neighbor told me his Pit Bull will kill my cat. In my y

Man, I love my pitbull to death but this just makes me feel icky for you. It doesn't sound like there's a problem with the dog, it sounds like the owner if a tool. Around here the leash laws are pretty strict and if your pet gets caught without your and/or without a leash, they WILL be taken to the pound and you'll have to pay a fine before you can take them back home. If I were you I'd really watch the furbabies when you let them out. Here's hoping nothing happens and everyone stays safe and the problem (the stupid owner) gets resolved quickly.

 

[Shaun__]

Re: Neighbor told me his Pit Bull will kill my cat. In my y

I swear that half of these dog-owners only have dogs because their child begged for it "Pleeeeaaaase???"...lol.

In my defense it was a robot dog, and my niece is super polite and meant her pleeeeaaaase. She was not allowed to have a real pet, where she lived.

Link

 

[schlmoe]

Re: Neighbor told me his Pit Bull will kill my cat. In my y

Sorry to hear about your troubles here, that dude sounds like a real jerk. Like most have said, blame the owner, not the dog. Again, like most have said, Animal Control probably won't be any help to you unless anything "happens". Have you considered talking to the Police/County Sheriff? This could be construed as a threat. A preventable threat. Not just to your cat, but to you. What if you were there when the dog made a move to your cat? You'd most likely try to put yourself between the dog and your cat. That's the way I'd explain it to the LEA.

Another solution is to get the media involved. Write a letter to the editor of your newspaper, or call/write the local TV station. It depends how far you want to go. Maybe you could get your neighbors on your side. If the dog is "cat agressive", who's to say he's not "child aggressive"?

Adding on to what Bob suggested, I would consider building an outside kennel/pen for your kitty. Just for safety sake. I built one for my dog, it was pretty cheap, and it is very secure (she is very strong!). You can get a kennel kit, there are 2 types: the kit with 4 pre-made panels that you connect into a box shape; or the kits that come with poles (tubes of galvanized steel) and chain link fabric. Both are easy to put together. I bought one of each to make a big kennel, and connected everything with zip ties (the thick, outdoor zip ties)

Mine is 6 feet tall, and I used "hog panels" for the roof and floor. Probably cost about $350, but mine is almost 30' square. You can go a lot cheaper than that: get a 50' roll of 4' chain link fabric, a bunch of "hammer in" fence posts (6', hammer into the ground 1-2 feet), some outdoor (UV protection) zip ties and go to it! Another way is to make your frames with PVC (1 1/2" or so), chain link fabric and zip ties; then connect the frames (4) together. You will need a roof, just use more chain link fabric. Chicken wire could be used (and cheaper), but this is for your cat, and the purpose is two-fold: keep the cat inside and prevent the dog from getting in there. I recommend using chain link. Another thing, even with a 4' height, you could make "levels" or perches for the kitty using cheap wire shelves and zip ties. Throw some cat-grass/catnip seed in there and you're all set! I can't send you a pic of mine because I'm out of town at the moment, but if you are interested in this solution, send me a PM and I can give you some more details. And you can get all of these materials at the local big-box DIY store.

As far as the strength, I can attest that it will be strong enough to keep your kitty safe. My dog is an Am Staff mix and so strong she's broken 3 harnesses, and she is secure in there.

 

[Bocefish]

Re: Neighbor told me his Pit Bull will kill my cat. In my y

I tend to agree with Schlmoe about calling your local non-emergency police department. Your neighbor basically threatened the life of your pet and if the police can straighten him out on the law, it might help convince him to keep his dog leashed in the yard or maybe even install a fence. At the very least, you will have documented the threat just in case something horrible ever happens.

Just because a dog is cat aggressive does not mean it's child aggressive, but I'm sure you all ready know it's always a good idea to err on the side of safety when it comes to meeting unfamiliar dogs... and kid safety.

I've heard people ask each other "how did you get your Pit so aggressive? I've tried ____, ____, and _____ but she's too friendly and acts like a baby around everyone."

That just shows how ignorant those owners are. A pit's natural temperament towards people, all people, is generally loving, loyal and eager to please. Some people may not believe it, but here's some proof compared to other dog breeds:

And have you ever seen a cat get picked up by a bird of prey? Unlike rabbits or mice, cats have strong claws and teeth.

Not personally, but I've heard of it happening. It sounds like your kitty is only out and about at night so the only raptor that could possibly be a threat is a Great Horned owl. They've been known to go after cats and one went after our Schnauzer when I was a kid. The odds of it happening are not even worth worrying about, just sayin'.

If the dog owner is approachable and up to it, as I mentioned earlier... you can always carefully introduce the critters to each other and see if they will at least tolerate each other and get to know each other's scent.

:twocents-02cents:

 

[JickyJuly]

Re: Neighbor told me his Pit Bull will kill my cat. In my y

You don't have to wait until Animal Control is open. Just call the non-emergency number for your police. People like that are the reason that some dogs get a bad wrap. Let law enforcement know that these people are not using proper precaution with a pet they know can cause damage to others. Call as often as you need to.

My bffs moved a few years ago and got neighbors with untrained, unfenced, unleashed dogs. They feared for months that something would happen to one of their cats, but put it off. I think they were worried that animal control would take the dogs and put them down. Later, one of their cats was literally ripped apart by the dogs. (Sorry to be graphic.) It's not the dogs fault, and they shouldn't be punished. But, aggressive dogs with irresponsible owners WILL lead to some sort of disaster. It's better to preemptively get police involved than waiting for something terrible.

 

[BlueViolet]

Re: Neighbor told me his Pit Bull will kill my cat. In my y

Hmm, I didn't think about calling the non-emergency police line.

My neighbor woke me up again this morning with her. This is getting ridiculous. I don't understand why you'd let your dog outside (especially an aggressive one) off leash to go to the bathroom because obviously you aren't going to be able to control them when they go into a frenzy if seeing something they want to attack. If I had a fence, I'd let Mishka off-leash but I don't, so even him going to the bathroom will be on-leash.

What exactly should I say to the police? I almost feel like they'll tell me that I need to call animal control and that they won't take it seriously.