Court places cat under “house arrest” in France after neighbor’s complaint

A ginger tabby cat named Remi has been placed under what effectively amounts to house arrest in France, following a neighbor’s complaint that led to a court ruling restricting the animal from going outdoors.

The unusual case unfolded in the town of Agde, where Remi’s owner, Dominique Valdes, was informed that her cat was no longer allowed to leave the house after the neighbor accused Remi of repeatedly trespassing into her garden.

The Béziers Court ruled that Valdes was responsible for the cat’s actions and ordered that any future “unauthorized entry” by Remi into the neighbor’s property would result in a 30-euro fine per incident.

Serious Allegations Against the Cat

The neighbor who filed the complaint claimed that the cat left paw prints on wet plaster, urinated on a quilt, and defecated in the garden. Valdes, however, disputes the accusations, insisting that there is no concrete evidence linking Remi to the alleged damage.

“When I received the conviction, it felt like a blow to the head,” Valdes said. “In this 90-page legal file, there is no real proof that Remi caused the damage. There’s another ginger cat in the neighborhood, and numerous photos provided by the neighbor show various other cats passing through her garden.”

Valdes maintains that her pet is being unfairly targeted and argues that the evidence is inconclusive.

The case has drawn attention in France due to its unusual nature, with many questioning how such incidents involving free-roaming pets should be handled legally.