This is a convoluted tale of the relationship between neighbours and a domestic cat in Chandler’s Ford, Hampshire, UK. Bea Upton cares for a black-and-white cat, Tiggly. She lives in a townhouse. She has two dogs and her cat is frightened of her dogs so she has to use a window on the first floor in order to go outside (is she confined to the upstairs?). Her cat then jumps onto the roof and then onto the wall dividing her property with her neighbour’s property. Her neighbour, Mrs Pollard, does not like her cat walking along the wall and in order to deter the cat she has affixed, to the top of the wall, barbed wire and spikes. Tiggly has already become entangled in the barbed wire and spikes and had to be rescued.
We hear about cat deterrents but this is the first time I have heard about barbed wire being used. It is legal in the UK. The RSPCA can’t do a thing about it unless the cat is injured when they could possibly become involved. Although barbed wire is not recommended for obvious reasons and the police say that people should not use barbed wire, razor wire or broken glass on walls or fences to protect their property. This is because the property owner could be held legally responsible for any injuries caused to a person on their property even if warnings of its presence are given.
The problem is: does the law apply to domestic cats? The Occupier’s Liability Act 1984 States that owners of property have a duty of care to protect people on their property from harm. This even applies to intruders but does it apply to domestic cat intruders? Domestic cats can’t trespass. They are free to roam under UK law.
Alternatively, the Highways Act 1980 states that barbed wire on land adjoining a public route mustn’t cause a nuisance to animals (and people). This would not seem to apply in this instance. It would appear, then, that Miss Upton can do nothing about the barbed wire.
We have to presume, by the way, that the wall referred to is owned by Mrs pollard, the neighbour. I hope that that has been checked. The truth of the matter is that there are many other ways to deter a cat which are much more humane and sensible than putting up unsightly barbed wire, spikes and other dangerous barriers. In addition, it is bound to cause friction between neighbours which is something to be avoided at all costs.
That said, Miss Upton has made a mistake in looking after two dogs and a cat that don’t get along harmoniously which is the root cause of this problem as her cat would or could have taken a different route if she didn’t have to go outdoors via the upstairs window. In the middle of this tangled web of human behaviour we have the vulnerable domestic cat: the victim!
I used voice to text on my phone so please excuse typos. Vandom = ban him. I think you get the gist for the rest.
Who’s comments? Try addressing your comments. As for me I am responsible. I talk to my neighbors. And I believe they have the right to not have cats in their yard. Out of about 20 I only met one who didn’t want them in your yard. And he was very nice about it. I bought two motion detector sprayers to put in his yard to solve the problem. I was spayed and neutered most of the neighborhood stray cats so that there is not an overpopulation problem. Most of mine are either in the house or in an enclosure. But, I agree. This guy is a troll. I say don’t feed the troll. And Vandom from this blog. He’s been on POC comments before. He doesn’t have to like cats but his willingness to torture and kill any living creature makes him a dangerous individual. Ostracize him.
You’re wrong RK!! Even in rural Texas killing a cat is illegal. And, now everywhere in the US you can be charged with a felony. And, post conviction you will be placed on an FBI track list. People who abuse animals have been known, and are now legally considered, to be dangerous to society. Better think of another way, smart guy.
Michael,please ban this arsewipe,if anyone was to try and kill any of my feral colony cats they would be put 8 feet under.
We can all surmise from your comments then, that it won’t take the loss of just ONE of your cats until you grow-up into a responsible and respectable adult. Right? 🙂
You’ve made that pretty clear. Good to know.
The word “murder” is reserved for the case of human death ONLY. A cat or dog or any other animal can never be “murdered”. It can only be killed or destroyed. Try to not buy into the anthropomorphic psychoses that has deranged the minds of so many bambi-cartoon-educated psychotics like you. Or is it already too late for you?
And, if you are buying cat-food for cats and believe that killing animals is “murder”, then that makes you an accomplice to “murder”, for you having paid “hired killers” to “murder” all those innocent animals and have their tortured dead bodies ground-up and crammed into bags, boxes, and cans and having a “CAT FOOD” label slapped on them for you.
Even if you do believe that killing a cat or any other animal is “murder” (as psychotic as that belief might be), then a cat killing all wildlife makes the cat a serial-killer “murderer”. As far as myself, I merely carry-out cats’ required death-penalty on my lands for them having “murdered” so many thousands and thousands innocent native animals — valuable animals that were tortured to death by disemboweling them alive or skinning them alive with their cats. Even under the terms of “murder” and torture of animals, cats deserved to be shot to death. ESPECIALLY under the terms of the definition of murder and torturing animals to death — if it is going to be used to describe deaths of animals; outdoor cats most certainly deserve a death-sentence for just being the witnessed, confirmed, and unstoppable animal-torturing serial-killers that they are.
If you believe that killing any animal is “murder”, then all outdoor cats must be given a death-sentence for all their heinous “murderous” crimes against all of nature and all of humanity. You can’t have it both ways!