What's the Most Damage Your Pet Has Caused?

In My Humble Opinion
1

…and why did you decide to keep him / her?

Watson was the dumpster kitty we eventually adopted who primarily remained an outdoor cat and never fully lost that innate wild streak that strays seemed to possess.

When he was still a kitten and had to get his shots, we took him to the pet store that runs the bi-monthly shot clinic. This was his first experience of anything of this kind.

The vet sensed that this was the type of cat that had to be restrained and he instructed his assistant to maintain a tight grip on the scruff of his neck --of Watson that is. She complied and all started out well.

Watson had to receive three shots and the first two went without incident. As he was about to receive his last shot, the assistant bent down close and said, “See, it’s not so bad.”

Big mistake.

Watson reacted with a jerk and freed himself from the assistant’s grip and made a bee line for the wall with the aquariums and hunkered low and away to the back of the wall.

The vet called out: “Close all doors. Close all doors.” And the customers waiting in line are now nudging each other and taking in the spectacle.

The assistant, who evidently felt bad about her part in this episode, was determined to restore order and retrieve our frightened kitty. She got down on the floor and reached back and after a brief struggle pulled the cat from out of his hiding place.

When she emerged however, her arm was bleeding from a long scratch that ran almost the length of the underside of her forearm. This was not quite a gash but more than a minor cut. My girlfriend and I were mortified but the aide proved her grit by allowing the vet to administer the last shot and then crammed Watson back into the cat carrier before having her wound tended to.

We apologized profusely thinking that the assistant might ask for our name, address, and phone number for the inevitable upcoming lawsuit. She shrugged it off and said that it these things went with the territory. We slunk our way out of the store with the customers giving a wider than usual berth.

All right, who’s next? What financial or physical damage has your animal inflicted and did you (as did we) keep the critter despite momentary second-guessing?

2

I had two dogs that chewed the entire front and most of the side panels of an upholstered couch down to the bare wood. Completely. All fabric, foam, and batting was gone. I seriously mean it was down to the bare wood frame. I would not have though it possible for dogs to do this but it sure was.

Of course I kept them though. I always thought it was partially our (me and my sister’s) fault, since we didn’t train them properly. Besides, I myself would never get rid of an animal for doing damage to property - injuring a person would be another story; thank god I’ve never been put in the position to have to worry about that.

3

The parrot’s been working on electrical cords (or HAD been-- now we are more careful) so most of our major electrical items have some degree of electrical tape. . .
He also ate a cheap pine cd rack, but no big loss. Baseboards, furniture legs, etc.

4

My black cat has broken at least 3 mirrors, if you can believe that!

5

My cat once threw out a moderately expensive Seiko watch. I was in the habit of taking the watch off and putting in on the headboard of my bed. The cat was in the habit of knocking stuff off the headboard of my bed. One morning I was half asleep and heard her knock something into the wastebasket. I made a mental note to check it out when I woke up and promptly forgot about it, woke up, took the garbage out, and didn’t miss the watch until a day or so later when it was too late.

6

My retriever, Kita, ate a bunch of paperback books and shoes, pulled down a stereo system after getting entangled in the wires, created a 5-inch hole in the bathroom by eating the drywall, and ate the arm off an upholstered chair before she was about a year-and-a-half old. She stopped being destructive after I got my other dog, Ursula (an older mix). They were two terrific dogs and were not destructive (but they did chewed through two seatbelt in a rental car once).

My dear departed kakariki Brat chewed a hole in the new blind I had put up in the bedroom. But it was a very tiny hole, suitable for a watching the world go by.

7

My dog Bandit has chewed:

[ul]
[li]A pair of $90 sunglasses[/li][li]A $150 comforter[/li][li]The carpet. That was a couple grand to replace. He found a seam and went to town, ruined the whole thing.[/li][li]The remote control for my cable box.[/li][li]Countless leashes, toys, shoes…etc.[/li][/ul]

He’s also ruined a few screen doors, once when he thought he could fit out of the cat flap (I had one of the flaps that are installed in screen doors), and a few times because he forgot it was closed and just barged out anyway.

I can’t blame hime though, most of it was my fault for not keeping my stuff picked up and out of his reach (except the carpet, good thing I never liked that carpet). He finally pretty much stopped chewing at five years. Once in awhile he’ll get ahold of Hanna’s furry mice and chew that up.

8

My cat Booker once scratched an aide at the vet’s office, much like the OP’s Watson. However, it was on her finger, which immediately swelled up to the point where she couldn’t get her ring off.

When I was much smaller, about 10 or so, we had an evil rabbit by the name of Blue, who would bite anyone in sight and growl (!) at whoever tried to feed her. She chewed a rabbit-sized whole in the drywall once, which we have never fixed.

9

One Christmas we bought our dog, Dusty, an expensive mattress to sleep on every night, and she prompty released her bowels onto it in the first week. Last time we ever bought her a present.

10

My late lamented dog, also named Bandit used to do the same thing: destroyed a few pairs of prescription glasses, carpet, mattresses, etc.

My current two cats scratched a couple of sofas, climbed and ruined a set of curtains, chewed several sets of walkman headphones, etc.

They are older now and much more calmed and haven’t destroyed much of anything in the last 6-7 years, although just last night one of them just peed and sh*t on our two-month old sofa!! And this with the litter cleaned almost everyday!

Of course, I can’t get rid of them even if I want to. They are, afterall, the masters. I am so glad they still want to keep me.

11

Hi,

My dog Leary ate $250, handbraided rawhide romal reins. They were beautiful and the only horsey thing my dad ever bought for me. I still cry over those reins… but I was stupid to leave them within reach of any dog- especially garbage gut Leary (she may have had an accomplice, its unclear). The new pup’s new hobby is peeling up lineoleum in every place its worn through. Luckily the landlord meant to replace it anyways LOL. The worst damage any of my dogs did though was two of them got into a fight and one took a bite right in the eyeball. Luckily the eye was saved but now my best cow dog has a cloudy eye and I don’t take the chance with her working cows anymore since I’m not sure how good she can see out of it.

I keep them because when you have 4 Border Collies, you have to make a conscious choice to let go of the material things in your life :).

12

Adopted 8 year old cat…a week later after adoption, at the vet…almost $500 and we could never figure out what was truly wrong with him.

Fast forward a few months…health deteriorating, having two elderly pets also deteriorating…adopted cat can’t keep pee or food in him…now I have to replace all the carpet in the house including painting my bedroom with two coats of Kilz before new carpet is installed.

Total cost will (including past bills with him) about $3,000.

His brother though, is a joy to have around…he was just meowing at me while I was posting this in want of attention. Guess I should think about giving him some.

I lost three animals in as many months…it’s been a rough spring/summer. I wouldn’t wish this on my worst enemy, it’s too heart breaking.

13

I’ve had Mike, my German Shepherd for 9 years. He’s a rescue, laying on the floor next to me. He’s destroyed all my windowsills, while unlockibng the windows, opening them up and letting himself out of the house. The last time I picked him up from the pound I had to pay a $500 fine. He put an 18" X 4’ hole in the drywall trying to go out beside the door. he’s destroyed moset of my screens, countless blinds. I had to pay to repair a neighbor’s bumper after Mike not only chased his car, but caught it (he stands in front and asks to go for a ride). Mike has separation anxiety, as well as worsening storm fears. It’s getting worse as he gets older and I’m very frustrated. I’m giving him a tranqualizer everyday now, but he still managed to tear a cut in his leg Wednesday and needed stitches to close it. He really needs someone to babysit him him during the day when I"m at work. I’m at my wit’s end.

StG

14

The Leather Shoe Incident

When Gizmo was less than a year old, I started giving him the run of the condo rather than gating him in the kitchen. He was still in his chewy stage, and I knew he liked shoes, so I used to block off my walk-in closet when I went to work. Until one day, I forgot to. When I walked in, Gizmo was sitting in the middle of the living room rug with about 20 leather shoes strewn about, looking very happy. He hadn’t chewed ever single shoe, but he had chewed at least one from each pair. So I’m figuring at least $500 worth of shoes got chewed.

I laughed my ass off, though. What could I do, really (other than cry or yell)? He’d probably done most of the damage hours earlier, and it was own fault for leaving it accessible to him when I knew he had a shoe fetish.

He outgrew his leather shoe obsession shortly thereafter. He’s 9 now, and he’s a great dog.

15

When my dog was about four years old, she ate about half of an enormous Thanksgiving turkey we foolishly left too close to the edge of the kitchen counter. Sprayed the counter for three feet in every direction with bits of turkey.

I almost wish I could have seen her doing it, just to appreciate the sight of what must have been a virtual meat-mist around her furry head as she chomped.

16

Our dog chewed my favorite sandals. :frowning:

17

My little orange tabby, Buffy, was teething and decided to chew my sister’s speaker cord IN HALF.

turns around and glares at Buffy

18

Lucy broke our back door some years ago. She was outside and wanted to come in, and in her enthusiasm, she jumped up and just put her paws right through the thing. I’ll find out what it cost later, but mostly I was impressed that she smashed the glass and was uninjured.

She’s also destroyed - well, eaten - sponges, sticks of butter, and who knows how many tennis balls. And the handle of one of our doors doesn’t work as well as it used to because she used to stand up and open it with her paws.

19

Let’s just say war was narrowly avoided.

20

We had a large dog (Mister Carlson) who was terrified of thunderstorms. After he ripped through several screens on the screen door, we put a metal grille on it, screwed into place with nice long wood screws.

So, a thunderstorm hits, and he decides to go in the house. He went into a sort of frenzy when he couldn’t just rip through, and starting wrecking the door.

I looked out the window when I heard the snarling and crunching, and there he was–thrashing around, tearing the grille off with his teeth, ripping chunks out of the door… when he was done, the whole screen door had to be thrown away.