# Woman gets a bloody fortune for "emotional distress" after her cat is mauled by a dog **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 10, 2005, 10:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-gets-a-bloody-fortune-for-emotional-distress-after-her-cat-is-mauled-by-a-dog/303200 "2005-05-10T10:47:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 16
**Author:** ![Greathouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greathouse/32/2992_2.png) [@Greathouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greathouse)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2005, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-gets-a-bloody-fortune-for-emotional-distress-after-her-cat-is-mauled-by-a-dog/303200/301 "2005-05-11T23:18:25Z")
Damn, **Lib** , way to kill the thread. šŸ˜› ---
**Author:** ![roger\_thornhill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d9b06d/32.png) [@roger\_thornhill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/roger_thornhill)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2005, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-gets-a-bloody-fortune-for-emotional-distress-after-her-cat-is-mauled-by-a-dog/303200/302 "2005-05-12T01:30:27Z")
> [@Excalibre](#): > > Thereā€™s no harm in being wrong about something - everyone does it; God knows Iā€™ve done my share. Itā€™s a hell of a lot worse to become angry and start lashing out rather that admit it. > [@Liberal passim](#): > > I stand correctedā€¦blahā€¦thanks for pointing that outā€¦ad infinitum \*\*Excalibre \*\* seems a nice enough chap, but sometimes he does resemble a cultural revolutionary demanding a perceived offender to don a pointed cap and write a self-criticism! And I am blown away by your research capacity. Or do you file all your contributions here (or just the _mea culpa_s) in Word cocuments and keep them organised and updated? (Okay, I only read the first one, but I think I can guess the rest.) Phenomenal! ---
**Author:** ![buns3000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c89c15/32.png) [@buns3000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buns3000)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2005, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-gets-a-bloody-fortune-for-emotional-distress-after-her-cat-is-mauled-by-a-dog/303200/303 "2005-05-12T01:43:13Z")
I liked this thread much better when it was about cats being children and stuff. This was one of the funniest threads ever until it turned into a pissing contest between **Liberal** and **Excalibre**. Bring back **Pink Marabou**! ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2005, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-gets-a-bloody-fortune-for-emotional-distress-after-her-cat-is-mauled-by-a-dog/303200/304 "2005-05-12T02:10:31Z")
Sorry, but **Pink Maribou** tried to cuddle my [Eddy](http://community.webshots.com/photo/109844880/109845598OqjDTl) without lifting from the legs, not the back ā€“ muttered something about ā€œIf I can pick up a three-year-old child I can handle a catā€ ā€“ and threw her back out too bad to sit at the computer. I mean, will you look at [how badly sheā€™s twisted it](http://community.webshots.com/photo/109844880/109846547qSmGNn)? :eek: I told her she should warm up by [stretching](http://community.webshots.com/photo/109844880/109846713qIDOkt), but did she listen to me? Noooooo. :: sigh :: Some people [will do anything](http://community.webshots.com/photo/782975/784358) rather than listen to good advice. ---
**Author:** ![Excalibre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@Excalibre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Excalibre)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2005, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-gets-a-bloody-fortune-for-emotional-distress-after-her-cat-is-mauled-by-a-dog/303200/305 "2005-05-12T02:27:56Z")
> [@buns3000](#): > > I liked this thread much better when it was about cats being children and stuff. This was one of the funniest threads ever until it turned into a pissing contest between **Liberal** and **Excalibre**. Bring back **Pink Marabou**! Iā€™m sorry. Mea culpa, I should have known better than to talk to him. But PinkMaribou had already stalked off in a huff - the thread had come to its natural end by then. ---
**Author:** ![Loopydude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e56c9b/32.png) [@Loopydude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopydude)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2005, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-gets-a-bloody-fortune-for-emotional-distress-after-her-cat-is-mauled-by-a-dog/303200/306 "2005-05-12T02:44:08Z")
> [@Neurotik](#): > > Ah, but who would win in a fight between an enraged flesh baby and ten furbabies with swords? I, for one, welcome our fleshy or hirsute overlords, whichever wins. ---
**Author:** ![Loopydude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e56c9b/32.png) [@Loopydude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopydude)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2005, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-gets-a-bloody-fortune-for-emotional-distress-after-her-cat-is-mauled-by-a-dog/303200/307 "2005-05-12T02:49:03Z")
Yeah, OK, that was lame, but please donā€™t let me be the one who put the nail in the coffin of this thread. I did love the first couple pages so. ā˜¹ ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2005, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-gets-a-bloody-fortune-for-emotional-distress-after-her-cat-is-mauled-by-a-dog/303200/308 "2005-05-12T02:52:33Z")
You now owe me a favor, **Loopydude.** It is I who am the coffin nailer! ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2005, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-gets-a-bloody-fortune-for-emotional-distress-after-her-cat-is-mauled-by-a-dog/303200/309 "2005-05-12T05:02:39Z")
> [@xcheopis](#): > > Youā€™re just incompetent, neglectful, and unwilling to admit that you should not be allowed to have pets. If thatā€™s how you want to put it, thatā€™s fine. I would argue with you, but itā€™s not worth arguing over. I should not be allowed to own pets, I am incompetent in the ways of animals, and I would argue the neglectful part but thereā€™s not much point to it. Iā€™m never unwilling to admit anything. I admitted that we did not have the time to take care of the pet properly, and so we responsibly gave it up. Lesson learned. You have demonstrated that you are a better person than I am with your story. Iā€™m happy for you. None of that changes what I said in the very beginning: no animal is worth $30,000-45,000. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2005, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-gets-a-bloody-fortune-for-emotional-distress-after-her-cat-is-mauled-by-a-dog/303200/310 "2005-05-12T05:06:22Z")
> [@Airman Doors](#): > > None of that changes what I said in the very beginning: no animal is worth $30,000-45,000. Iā€™m sure the owners of the horse that won last weekā€™s Kentucky Derby would beg to differ. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2005, 11:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-gets-a-bloody-fortune-for-emotional-distress-after-her-cat-is-mauled-by-a-dog/303200/311 "2005-05-12T11:15:37Z")
> [@roger thornhill](#): > > \*\*Excalibre \*\* seems a nice enough chap, but sometimes he does resemble a cultural revolutionary demanding a perceived offender to don a pointed cap and write a self-criticism! > > And I am blown away by your research capacity. Or do you file all your contributions here (or just the _mea culpa_s) in Word cocuments and keep them organised and updated? (Okay, I only read the first one, but I think I can guess the rest.) > > Phenomenal! Thanks. I already knew that I appreciate nothing more than a good argument that changes my mind, and that I had admitted error many many times, most often using the phrase, ā€œI stand correctedā€. So I searched on ā€œcorrect\*ā€ with my username. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2005, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-gets-a-bloody-fortune-for-emotional-distress-after-her-cat-is-mauled-by-a-dog/303200/312 "2005-05-12T12:35:33Z")
> [@buns3000](#): > > I liked this thread much better when it was about cats being children and stuff. This was one of the funniest threads ever until it turned into a pissing contest between **Liberal** and **Excalibre**. Kind of like watching a heated ā€œdebateā€ between Ann Coulter and Al Sharpton. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2005, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-gets-a-bloody-fortune-for-emotional-distress-after-her-cat-is-mauled-by-a-dog/303200/313 "2005-05-12T12:38:48Z")
> [@Neurotik](#): > > Ah, but who would win in a fight between an enraged flesh baby and ten furbabies with swords? Uh, **Neurotik** , cats lack the strength and opposable thumbs to hold a sword. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2005, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-gets-a-bloody-fortune-for-emotional-distress-after-her-cat-is-mauled-by-a-dog/303200/314 "2005-05-12T13:30:42Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > Uh, **Neurotik** , cats lack the strength and opposable thumbs to hold a sword. What if you duct taped a sword to the top of the fur-babyā€™s head? Picture how a penguin wears a dildo on its head. ---
**Author:** ![Loopydude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e56c9b/32.png) [@Loopydude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopydude)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2005, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-gets-a-bloody-fortune-for-emotional-distress-after-her-cat-is-mauled-by-a-dog/303200/315 "2005-05-12T13:41:40Z")
> [@Scumpup](#): > > What if you duct taped a sword to the top of the fur-babyā€™s head? Picture how a penguin wears a dildo on its head. Oooo, I saw one of those on Wild Kingdom just last week! ---
**Author:** ![SnakesCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4af34b/32.png) [@SnakesCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnakesCatLady)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2005, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-gets-a-bloody-fortune-for-emotional-distress-after-her-cat-is-mauled-by-a-dog/303200/316 "2005-05-12T13:42:27Z")
My furbabies come equipped with swords. Except for the two that were declawed before I got them. When I worked at our local Humane Society, I would always try to explain to potential adoptive parents that cats are well equipped for self-defense and will use the claws if scared. But it was always the cats fault if Junior or Sissy was carrying it around by the tail and got scratched. After all, the cat should have know he/she was just a child. ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2005, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-gets-a-bloody-fortune-for-emotional-distress-after-her-cat-is-mauled-by-a-dog/303200/317 "2005-05-12T13:46:34Z")
> [@Airman Doors](#): > > If thatā€™s how you want to put it, thatā€™s fine. I would argue with you, but itā€™s not worth arguing over. I should not be allowed to own pets, I am incompetent in the ways of animals, and I would argue the neglectful part but thereā€™s not much point to it. Iā€™m never unwilling to admit anything. I admitted that we did not have the time to take care of the pet properly, and so we responsibly gave it up. Lesson learned. You have demonstrated that you are a better person than I am with your story. Iā€™m happy for you. > > None of that changes what I said in the very beginning: no animal is worth $30,000-45,000. I was unaware of this other issue before. It does explain quite well why you personally cannot envision some one valuing a pet to any degree. Your claim here of ā€œno animal is worth 30- 45Kā€ is of course, your opinion. Obviously there are indeed animals valued to that degree and more (race horses for example). We get that you personally donā€™t value pets. what you seem to completely ignore is that your opinions are not universally held. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2005, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-gets-a-bloody-fortune-for-emotional-distress-after-her-cat-is-mauled-by-a-dog/303200/318 "2005-05-12T13:46:46Z")
> [@Airman Doors](#): > > None of that changes what I said in the very beginning: no animal is worth $30,000-45,000. Nonsense. It is a documented fact that some animals are worth that and more. ---
**Author:** ![Geobabe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/geobabe/32/3908_2.png) [@Geobabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Geobabe)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2005, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-gets-a-bloody-fortune-for-emotional-distress-after-her-cat-is-mauled-by-a-dog/303200/319 "2005-05-12T13:51:20Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > Uh, **Neurotik** , cats lack the strength and opposable thumbs to hold a sword. [Nonsense!](http://www.dennyweb.com/viking_kittens.htm) ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2005, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-gets-a-bloody-fortune-for-emotional-distress-after-her-cat-is-mauled-by-a-dog/303200/320 "2005-05-12T13:52:54Z")
> [@Scumpup](#): > > Picture how a penguin wears a dildo on its head. Not even on a dare! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-gets-a-bloody-fortune-for-emotional-distress-after-her-cat-is-mauled-by-a-dog/303200.md?page=15) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-gets-a-bloody-fortune-for-emotional-distress-after-her-cat-is-mauled-by-a-dog/303200.md?page=17)