Woman fined $1.4K after “criminal” cat terrorizes neighbor and vandalizes property

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A woman in southern France was fined around $1,400 because her cat repeatedly went onto her neighbor‘s property and left paw prints and waste there.

A woman in Hérault, France, was ordered to pay €1,250 to her neighbor after her cat caused damage to their property. The court sided with the neighbor, highlighting that not everyone appreciates cats as pets.

A white and ginger tabby cat named Rémi is being called ‘Rémi the criminal’ after a recent incident that has split public opinion.

On January 17, 2025, Dominique Valdès was fined $1,445 for her dog, Rémi, escaping. The judge also ordered her to pay an extra $32 each time Rémi jumps the fence in the future.

Cat ‘vandal’ causes owner to pay fine for hopping neighbor’s fence

According to a report in the French newspaper La Depeche, the accusations against Rémi, a young boy, included things like peeing on a comforter, pooping in a neighbor’s garden, and making muddy paw prints on freshly plastered walls.

Valdès was deeply upset by the situation, feeling the legal system had unfairly required her to confine her cat indoors, denying him the stimulation and benefits of outdoor access.

She described the situation as ridiculous, disturbing, and deeply upsetting. She expressed doubts about whether the justice system was using its resources wisely, explaining that the law was actually forcing her to mistreat her cat, as cats aren’t meant to be confined. She shared this with TFI.

Valdès also points out that her neighbor’s legal documents don’t offer solid proof her cat caused the mess. She argues another orange cat lives nearby and could be the culprit.

She described being shocked by the conviction, saying it felt like a blow to the head. In her statement to Le Parisien, she explained that the 90-page court document didn’t contain convincing proof that Rémi was responsible for the damage.

We’ve spotted another orange cat around here, and our neighbor shared lots of pictures proving many cats visit his garden.

Her neighbors generally share her opinion, with one explaining to TFI, “It’s just silly. Rémi doesn’t cause any problems for me. And honestly, you can’t really keep a cat indoors – they’re bound to make some mess!”

Someone else pointed out that even if the neighbor built a tall, three-meter wall, the cat would likely still be able to get around it.

As a big animal lover, I’m really concerned about this ruling too. A lot of us who work with rescues are worried this whole situation might actually make it harder for animals to find homes – people might be scared to adopt if they think they’ll face similar challenges.

Allowing this to become standard practice could discourage people from adopting, according to Guillaume Sanchez, director general of SPA. He explained that no one would want to adopt an animal if they risked being fined for transporting it.

The local animal welfare group, ‘Chats Viassois Bessanais,’ is also weighing in on the situation. Their president, Bernard Guigon, points out that Rémi is being blamed simply because he’s the nearest cat, despite many other stray cats roaming around. He emphasizes that Rémi has been neutered, so he can’t reproduce or attract other cats, and certainly wouldn’t cause any trouble with their pool.

Rémi’s legal issues aren’t over. Valdès has received another court summons for December, this time because her neighbor claims the cat keeps entering their property. The court says she could face a fine of €2,000 (about $2,312) and an extra €50 ($57) fee each time Rémi jumps the fence.

A recent divorce case in Turkey has gone viral because a court ordered the husband to pay annual ‘cat support’ – hundreds of dollars each year – as part of the settlement.

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2025-11-10 22:19