Neighbour's Cat Died On My Drive - Interested In Opinions...

[Deskdiary]

I'll try to keep this short.

I have a gravel drive and some weeds have started to come through so I was out yesterday with weed killer.

It would appear the neighbour's cat has either licked it, or walked over it and then licked it's paws or whatever, and the upshot is the cat is dead.

I accept it's likely the cat died because of my weed killer.

I've just had a stand-up row with the neighbour who was demanding compensation because I put weedkiller on my drive. I made the point that the only pertinent part of her rant was that she's correct, it is indeed my drive, and therefore I made the point that as it's my drive it is mine to do with as I please.

Bottom line is I sent her away with flea in her ear.

What is the legal position?

[spathiphyllum]

I think the possibility of one or more of the people involved in this situation being a sociopath is very relevant. If one is, then it would affect their empathy / thoughts regarding the death of a cat. Something to be considered.

[Barmaid]

This is the law section, not B&S.

Although it is fair to say there is quite a bit of B and S from certain quarters.

[spathiphyllum]

Yes and i'm sure the law take potential mental health situations into account.

[Smowball]

I actually think it’s a sheer coincidence that the cat died on your driveway. As you said you sprayed the weed killer and it had dried before you went out.

[TonyV]

You're right BM cats cannot resist antifreeze, a number 1 killer of them. As an aside why does it always rain when my window cleaner just done them?

[Barmaid]

In these circumstances it is entirely irrelevant.

[Barmaid]

Sorry, TonyV - that was to Spath.

[BANANASPLITS]

"There's no problem. It's not your fault if animals wander over your property. Tell your neighbour to control any animals they own and keep them off your property anyway."

Yes the neighbour should have sat the cat down and told it not to go in next doors garden
Good grief ;-((

[TonyV]

Ok BM often get crossed posts when it's busy.

[murraymints]

most domestic weedkillers will not prove lethal to a pet unless they drank a whole bucket directly..especially since it was dried..so a coincidence ..but no need to be so unsympathetic to the cat owner...a sorry your cat has died ,but I assure you it is not because of anything I have done...would, in my opinion, have been a better approach..more likely that antifreeze is to blame if anything

[diddlydo]

There are loads of random cats around me. I also have gravel on which i use weedkiller. I would no more try to locate the owners of these cats than I would try to fly. Just keep the wretched cats indoors and stop them carping in my garden.

[alavahalf]

DD .. I use weedkiller when need be, it is a whole lot stronger than the one you used. I doubt I have killed any cats when applying it and I doubt very much that you killed next doors cat either. If it killed next doors cat, then why is your drive not littered with dead bodies of every other cat in the neighbourhood.
Weedol Ultra is a systemic over the counter glyphosate based weed killer. which means that it is fairly safe to use in and around the home .. that is exactly what it is sold for.
The one thing that would raise any concern in using it at this time of the year, it is a bit too early and the weeds have'nt really got growing yet. With it being a systemic killer, the idea is that it is used on a dry day, preferably in 2-3 months time. The spray lands on the leaf and is drawn down into the plant where it kills the root and stops it from growing again. Any overspray from a systemic killer becomes inert when it falls on any other surface other than the leaf.
The fact you sprayed at this time of the year means the spray would become diluted on the already damp surface. It would have been so weak it would have killed nothing.
Been called out to collect dead foxes on a number of occasions, the strange coincidece was they were all on peoples drives. My guess is that any animal that has taken a turn for the worse heads for shelter and it just seems that peoples drives are a poular choice.
Think about it, what do people normaly keep on their drives ... under a car would be a good place to shelter perhaps !

[Peter Pedant]

this is a joke:
Butt out Barmaid you know too much Law
and are spoiling all the bleeding heart BS ( is that how you spell it?) we are getting from the usual suspects.....
[end of joke]

[Peter Pedant]

the cat died priddy quick innit?
were you using that well known garden spray they also use on door handles? novichok that is !

[Prudie]

IMO the most likely cause of death was it got hit by a car and some at least vaguely thoughtful motorist put it on the drive of the nearest house.

[Arksided]

Prudie, I digress a little from the OP... but many moons ago walking home from nightshift I saw a driver purposely drive on the wrong side of the road to hit a cat (The vermin aimed at it), still in disbelief of what I'd just seen.. I was more drawn to the deceased cat... I did go pick him up and take him to the side of the road which just happened to be a cemetery wall.

[Prudie]

Arksided that is horrible, what a twisted person they must have been

[Arksided]

It were, I wasn't estute enough to take the no. plate but he were a single driver who obviously didn't know I was about. Sick and twisted would be too polite.

[wolf63]

I think that Deskdiary handled the conversation with the neighbour badly. From what he says he was not in the least sympathetic even after admitting that he had put down weedkiller.

Weedkiller is a normal substance to put down in a garden and I don't imagine that anyone would think to warn their neighbour that it was being used.

However the poor animal died it was not Deskdiary's fault.

Sympathy and empathy would have probably defused the situation.

"It's just a Cat" is a very cruel thing to say in the circumstances. It is not true either

[Deskdiary]

catswhiskas - "However the cat died why where you so mean to hear, glad I dont live next door to you , I would have flattened you !"

My less than sympathetic reaction was because I do not appreciate opening my front door to be greeted with loud abuse. On the assumption the person in the picture is you catswhiskas, I have absolutely no doubt you would be successful in flattening me!