Camilla Jessen
French woman fined after neighbor blames her cat for trespassing.
A woman in southern France has found herself at the center of an unusual legal dispute because of her wandering cat.
What began as a neighborly nuisance has escalated into hefty fines and a second court summons.
A costly complaint
According to Le Parisien, the case began when a neighbor in Hérault filed a complaint accusing the cat, Rémi, of repeatedly entering their property. The neighbor reported paw prints on stucco walls, urine on a duvet and feces in the garden.
In January, a local court sided with the complainant.
Rémi’s owner, Dominique, was ordered to pay $1,435 (about £1,135), with further penalties if the cat crossed the boundary again.
Owner says cat now ‘imprisoned’
Dominique, 70, told the newspaper she was stunned by the ruling.
“When I received notification of the conviction, it was as if I had been violently struck on the head,” she said.
Since then, she has been keeping Rémi indoors.
“He’s gained weight and become aggressive. I can’t even put him in my garden for fear he’ll jump the fence. It’s as if he’s been sentenced to house arrest, a kind of imprisonment and a double punishment.”
Dominique argues the neighbour cannot prove Rémi is responsible, noting that other cats roam the area. The judge nevertheless ruled against her.
Fresh allegations
The case is not over.
Dominique has been summoned back to court this December after new claims that Rémi crossed the fence again.
If found responsible, she could face an additional $2,300 (£1,820) and a daily penalty of about $172 (£135) if the cat continues to stray.
The dispute has prompted debate in France about how much control owners can realistically have over free-roaming cats.
Sources: Le Parisien.
