Legal Question in Personal Injury in Pennsylvania

Cat Bites Person

We have a cat that is about a year old. It's records and shots are all up to date. We left for vacation and a friend or ours offered to take the cat to there place to babysit the cat. 3 days later, the cat bit her fiance's hand and he needed to seek medical attention. This is unsual for the cat to bite unless it is provoked. The guy that was bitten does have a temper and it would not surprise me that he provoked it. What we were told is that the cat was sitting there with him and she bit him. My question is, are we responsible for his medical expenses that the insurance does not pick up being that the cat was out of our custody and in there home and under their care?


Asked on 6/12/04, 7:25 am

1 Answer from Attorneys
William Marvin Cohen, Placitella & Roth, P.C.

Re: Cat Bites Person

Legally, an animal's owner is not liable for injuries unless the owner knew it had vicious tendencies and failed to use reasonable care to control the animal. Neither of those elements would apply here.

BUT even though you didn't ask for etiquette advice, it seems to me that since this was your friend, doing you a favor to watch your cat, that reimbursing the out-of-pocket expenses would be the decent thing to do, even though you might not have a legal obligation.

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Answered on 6/14/04, 8:36 am


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