A French woman, Dominique, was fined 1,250 euros ($1,435) because her pet cat, Remy, repeatedly trespassed onto her neighbor's property. In January, the court ruled in favor of the plaintiff, the unnamed neighbor, who claimed the cat caused damage, including paw prints on the plaster, urine on a blanket, and feces in the garden. Dominique, a 70-year-old woman, argues that she couldn't prove Remy's guilt, as other stray cats roam the neighborhood, but the judge dismissed this. Since the ruling, Dominique has kept Remy indoors, fearing further penalties. If the cat crosses the fence again, she could face an additional 2,000-euro fine and a daily 150-euro penalty. Dominique told the French newspaper Le Parisien: "When I received the conviction notice, I felt as if I had been hit hard on the head. I can't even let him out in my garden for fear he will jump over the fence." This unusual legal battle has drawn the attention of French animal rights groups, which believe the court's decision violates a cat's natural instinct to explore its surroundings.
