neighbor shot my cat

Question
my cat was killed because he was defecating on their porch and their dogs were in danger because they were eating it. i am not joking, this is what my neighbor told the officer in a police report. i live in Edgefield South carolina. i have lived around cars for 20 years. why would a cat defecate on a hard surface, like a wooden. my back yard is very sandy. do you think the neighbor was lying and just shot the cat because he is cold hearted and cruel.

Answer
Ms. Hodges,

I am saddened to hear about the loss of your precious feline companion, this was an awful and senseless act of cruelty that really didn't need to happen. I sincerely hope that animal cruelty investigators are taking this situation very seriously and that criminal charges will be laid against your neighbor for taking your cat's life. I believe that it's in everybody's best interests if your neighbor learns a powerful lesson from this senseless act of violence, this type of behavior shouldn't go unpunished because beyond the obvious pain and grief you're feeling after losing your feline companion to such an act of violence the reality is that your neighbor could potentially pose a threat to people and pets in your neighborhood.

I would think that if you live in a city or town of any size that there would be laws that can be enforced by local law enforcement prohibiting anyone from discharging a firearm within city or town limits so it's certainly something you may want to ask local law enforcement about (if you have a complaint number you can provide that to any officer that answers the telephone so that they understand the situation).

Based on my experience with cats (25+ years at this point) and my knowledge of normal feline behavior I don't think that your kitty would have gone over to your neighbor's house and defecated on his porch, especially when he's got access to a yard made up of soil with a sandy consistency which really appeals to most cats and I'm sure he also had access to an indoor litter box if he wanted to relieve himself inside. I'm not saying that it's impossible for your cat to have defecated on the neighbor's porch, just that based on my experience it doesn't seem very likely although I have met the odd cat over the years who was more comfortable using an empty litter box. Your neighbor may have believed that your cat was defecating on his porch without actually having proof that he was responsible for any stool the neighbor found, after all there are small wild mammals like raccoons who may have been responsible for pooping on the porch and I'm fairly sure that your kitty isn't the only indoor/outdoor kitty in the area. Unfortunately it doesn't seem like this guy was overly rational, it sounds to me like he's of the opinion that he should shoot first and forget about asking questions later.

Even if your neighbor is telling the truth about your cat defecating on his porch in all honesty it would NOT cause any harm to his dogs. Although most dog guardians are horrified by this type of behavior the reality is that dogs will often eat their own feces on a regular basis - ask your vet - s/he will tell you that this is a fairly common behavior for dogs. As far as cat poop being harmful to dogs I know for a fact that it's not harmful - I've shared my home with a couple of dogs over the years along with the usual assortment of feline companions that I've always had and I can tell you from personal experience that given the chance even the most well mannered dogs often routinely raid the litter box for kitty poop biscuits because cat feces simply because cats are carnivores which means that their stool contains quite a bit of protein which makes it appeal to dogs (yuck!). I'm sure that your neighbor's dog has eaten and/or rolled in many things that are much worse than cat poop - dogs will generally eat or roll in decomposing road kill and other nasty things if given half a chance.

In a way I feel like part of the story is missing since it just doesn't seem like anyone with a grain of common sense would decide to kill someone else's pet without coming to you with his complaints. Unfortunately there's no way to go back in time and have this guy do everything over again but instead of killing your cat using some basic communication skills to voice his concerns, frustrations and other issues. I'm sure that if your neighbor had approached you calmly and rationally and explained that he was having an issue with your cat that needed to be solved or at the very least given you some warning before taking the extreme measure of solving his issues with firearms things could have turned out much differently for everyone involved. It's deeply disturbing to know that this whole situation could have been avoided with a minimum of basic and honest commmunication. At this point it goes without saying that if you have any other indoor/outdoor cats it may be well worth making them indoor only cats in order to insure their safety and wellbeing since I sincerely doubt that your neighbor will be any more reasonable in the near future. I do think that it would be in the best interests of everyone who has a four legged companion to be made aware of the situation - hopefully the lives of other pets can be saved by filling everyone in and asking them to pass the information on to their friends and neighbors.

In my opinion shooting your kitty wasn't justifiable or appropriate in any way even if he was guilty of relieving himself on your neighbor's porch (perhaps the cat had a less than favorable opinion of the neighbor that he chose to share), your neighbor's actions constitute a serious act of animal cruelty in most jurisdictions. As far as I'm concerned there really wasn't any reason for your neighbor to shoot your cat, this is a serious issue that should be passed along to animal cruelty investigators ASAP. It's possible that the animal cruelty investigators will ask to see the remains of your kitty so that they can confirm that he was indeed shot, although if you've sent your kitty's body off for cremation or buried him a statement from your vet will probably work when combined with the information from the police officers who responded to the situation.

I did take the liberty of finding some information for you about the local humane society (I think these folks cover your area) so that you can take the steps needed to have your neighbor charged with cruelty to animals. Just because he doesn't like cats doesn't give him the right to kill them on sight by ANY means, there are humane ways to deter cats from using your yard as a litter pan (you have to keep on top of things replacing things like hot chili peppers, orange peels, etc, but if you use sufficient quantities they should offend most cats enough that they'll avoid the area) and above all there are reasonable ways to deal with any issues your neighbor may have had with you without ending your pet's life. The Humane Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals website is http://www.humanesc.org/ In addition to the usual information on shelter websites there is also a web address that will provide you with information about reporting animal cruelty and that page can be found at http://humanesc.org/services/cruelty-investigation.htm As far as the procedure goes for reporting animal cruelty, abuse or neglect in your area the site recommends that you call your local police or sheriff's department immediately. You can also contact Eddie O'Cain, he's the cruelty investigator and his phone number is 803-783-1267 ext. 11, you can also contact him via email at eocain@humanesc.org. I've also taken the liberty of pasting the specific category of cruelty as shown on the humane society website for your convenience, the information is as follows:

"Intentional Cruelty

Intentional cruelty is often more shocking than neglect and is frequently an indicator of a serious human behavior problem. Intentional cruelty is when an individual purposely inflicts physical harm or injury on an animal. Animal investigators, with the help of concerned citizens, have arrested individuals who have deliberately maimed, tortured and/or killed animals. Although many individuals are arrested for intentional cruelty, people who commit even the most heinous crimes against animals are often not prosecuted to the full extent of the law. Someone who is violent towards animals may be violent towards family members or others." (Quoted directly from the Humane Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, South Carolina web page at http://www.humanesc.org/)

I would strongly caution you against getting involved in a direct confrontation with your neighbor at this point unless law enforcement is present because I'm very worried that this act of cruelty could indicate that your neighbor is psychologically unstable and you may be putting yourself at risk of serious injury or worse based on how your neighbor has handled his issues with your cat. People who harm animals will often be just as willing to hurt people which is why I'd be concerned about your safety even if you tried to have a reasonable discussion with this guy about shooting your cat. In some cases acts of animal cruelty are a disturbing kind of dress rehearsal for acts that a person is planning to commit against a co-worker, family member, loved one or even a total stranger. I would also recommend that you have your cat's remains examined by your veterinarian ASAP if this hasn't been done already. I know that you already know how your kitty lost his life, but a necropsy (an animal autopsy) combined with a ballistics match and your neighbor's admission that he shot the cat could provide valuable evidence against him in court which may lead to fines, jail time and/or prohibition of pet ownership for a specific period of time depending on local cruelty laws. I really wish that your cat hadn't suffered at the hands of your neighbor, but the best thing that can happen at this point is to bring your precious companion's killer to justice. It would be nice if law enforcement would remove the firearms from your neighbor's possession since he is clearly not afraid to use them to harm any pet and possibly person that bothers him in some way, however I don't know what the regulations surrounding ownership of a firearm are in South Carolina or even in the US.

At this point I know that you're likely very angry with your neighbor for taking your precious kitty away from you, but I also know that you're grieving his loss. Losing an animal companion under any circumstances is awful, but this situation is even worse because it was completely preventable. I've taken the liberty of including some pieces of writing that have been helpful for me over the years when I've lost much loved feline companions, I hope that they help to soothe your heart some during this difficult time.

The Rainbow Bridge

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge.
There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together.
There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor; those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by.
The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent; His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....

Author unknown...

Fragile Circle


"We who choose to surround ourselves with lives even more temporary than our own, live within a fragile circle, easily and often breached. Unable to accept its awful gaps, we still would live no other way. We cherish memory as the only certain immortality, never fully understanding the necessary plan."

Irving Townsend

May your whiskers be ruffled by only pleasant breezes,
May your bowls be filled with tuna and sweet cream,
May your dreams be blessed with legions of mice,
And most of all,
May you forever purr in peace.
Amen

I sincerely hope that your neighbor's actions result in him being punished to the full extent of the law. In the meantime I don't think that it's a bad idea to consider adopting another cat or kitten (to keep indoors for their own safety if you plan to stay anywhere near this neighbor) when you're ready. Many people worry that they're replacing the much loved companion they're grieving, but it's well worth looking at adopting a new family member as a means of honoring the precious life that you're grieving. It's certainly true that kittens can provide endless hours of entertainment with something as simple as a rolled up ball of paper and sometimes laughter is needed to soothe a grieving soul. If you need to talk about this situation or where you're at in the grieving process I'm more than happy to provide an empathetic ear so please don't hesitate to contact me again. I'll do my best to provide you with any support that I can. You and your kitty will remain in my thoughts and prayers. If you'd like to send an update on the situation I'd be more than happy to hear how things have progressed so please feel free to send an update along if you'd like.