Cat Owner Socked with Restraining Order

[tiredofthis]

I wonder if excerpts from the article below might be the wave of the future against offensive pets in neighbor disputes.

"On 7/3 in Fairfield, CT, a judge dismissed a reckless endangerment
charge against the owner of a combative cat named Lewis. Lewis' owner,
Ruth Cisero, had been put on a special probation for first time
offenders afer Lewis had frightened the neighbors.

According to the 7/15 Albuquerque Journal, "the scratch happy black and
white cat drew widespread attention in 2006 when Cisero opted for a
trial on a criminal charge rather than declaw or euthanize her cat. It
became a national cause celebre and some pet lovers even sported 'save
Lewis' T shirts....Lewis is now an indoor cat, allowed outside only in
a cat carrier....Neighbor Maureen Bachtig, whose 2/06 encounter with a
nasty Lewis led to the criminal case, said she was satisified with the
outcome. 'She gets to keep her cat and the neighborhood is safe' she
said.

Cisero's probation included community service as well as the
restraining order to keep Lewis inside. Had he gotten out, she could
have faced up to six months in prison and Lewis could have been
euthanized."

[suziwoo]

In retaliation for being under house arrest-Lewis found a new tactic.


sorry, i couldn't resist. the timing of ihatethem's image problem and this post was just serendipity.

I'm a little punchy tonight as Darth Favor and Princess Lazy next door got home from vacation today.

[tiredofthis]

Thanks for posting that, i got a good laugh out of it! Doesn't it strain your imagination a bit to wonder how bad a cat might be to get hit with a restraining order? Something like the photo would seem to be appropriate. I didn't read this whole story, but it sort of bothered me because how much harm can one little cat do - when there are scores of posts about barking dogs making neighbors' lives miserable. I have to assume Judges don't issue them because they figure it is impossible to keep a dog from barking. No, in those cases, Animal Control comes out and if bad enough, fines and fines. And perpetrators pay the fines and let the dogs keep barking. -- I have owned cats my whole life and rarely have I seen a cat that would cause its owner to be charged with 'reckless endangerment' because it scratched at least one person. I did have one cat put a guy in the hospital while protecting me, but that was sort of due to a comedy of errors, where the cat outwitted the guy who apparently fell and somehow injured or broke his arm after she'd run into the garage rafters. I just can't imagine a situation so bad it would call for what happened here, but either the Judge was a cat hater, the Plaintiff was loaded with money, or the cat was SuperCat and - at average cat weight of 10 lbs - somehow managed to scratch anyone near enough badly enough to cause a public menace and never be caught or injured while doing so. Most cats, esp. outdoor cats, run from people - not at them....I just don't get this and I say 3 cheers for his owner for going to bat for him. Sounds to me like another petty NFH dispute where they will pick a fight about anything. Maybe I'll do some internet research and see if there is more to it, but I just can't imagine a cat being that much of a menace.

[tiredofthis]

A quick internet search turned out lots of hits. Not sure how I or anyone else missed this 'cause/claws celebre.'

Here is one link with the background. Now we have the family cat attacking the Avon lady along with the family dog attacking the mailman....Oh my, what's a woman to do! (just kidding)... I wonder, how did a cat manage to make it all the way to the state attorney's office? For this who don't want to read the whole story, here is the most serious excerpt: It is believed to be the first time a restraining order has been issued against a domestic housecat.

http://windinthewire.blogspot.com/2006/ ... ation.html

Psycho-cat story sweeps nation

Welcome Carnival of the Cats readers! No doubt most of you have heard about the incident featured in today's CatBlogging Friday post, but here's the scoop for anyone who may have missed it. The time: last week. The place: Fairfield, Connecticut. The story: cat wreaks havoc in neighborhood: The perp: "Lewis" (photo above).

The media furor began when the 5-year old black-and-white cat was placed under "house arrest" by local animal control officials after allegedly attacking several neighbors. Owner Ruth Cisero was charged with reckless endangerment after letting Lewis outdoors in violation of orders from the state attorney's office. It is believed to be the first time a restraining order has been issued against a domestic housecat.

"It was on CNN this morning. It's ridiculous," said Elizabeth Oberhand, who lives next door to the tiny tiger. "The Associated Press probably got it on the wire and everybody ate it up."

Lewis's fame (or infamy, if you will) has spread far and wide, with hundreds of TV and radio stations, web sites, and newspapers covering the story. The paper that broke the news, the Connecticut Post, received thousands of hits and e-mails from across the country. Cisero said she was deluged with 120 phone calls from media outlets last week after the story first appeared; another 80 called Wednesday, including the BBC. "Inside Edition" dispatched a crew to Cisero's home and plans to air a segment on Lewis. "The Daily Show With Jon Stewart" also wants the cat to appear.

Two years ago, Donna Greenstein said she was attacked by Lewis while delivering an Avon catalog. According to her husband, "She was going to a customer's house, dropping off a catalog, and out of nowhere the cat jumped her leg and wouldn't let go. He bit right through her coat, right through her stocking. She is scarred for life." The couple have sued Cisero in Superior Court, seeking more than $5,000 in damages.

Another neighbor and alleged victim, Maureen Bachtig, recently wrote a letter to the state attorney's office complaining about the cat. "Although at odds with common perception, this cat is dangerous," she states. "Unfortunately, the owner of this cat continues to be in denial of this threat to the children and adults in the neighborhood. Cats do not attack humans. There is something extremely wrong with a cat that does attack a human." Bachtig wants the cat destroyed or declawed.

Lewis does have some formidable weapons: he is polydactyl, with six toes on each foot, and his claws are long and sharp. But on Wednesday, Lewis lay quietly on a carpet by Cisero's living room window, staring at the forbidden outdoors while a photographer snapped pictures of him. He did not appear to be anything like a psychotic feline terrorist, and in fact seemed to be calmly enjoying the attention.

For her part, Cisero claims the alleged "attacks" have been exaggerated, and said she opened her house to reporters because she worried her silence might lead people to think she is "a crazy cat person."

Cisero is scheduled to appear in Bridgeport Superior Court on April 25. You can bet I'll post a followup.

[Fesser]

tot, I remember seeing a video on some show of a sheriff's deputy who was showing a cat on a leash for adoption. The cat did quite a bit of damage to the deputy...actually to the point of having to have stitches in his groin area when the cat went off the deep end. It was funny and not at all funny at the same time.

[tiredofthis]

I am not saying a cat cannot do damage, because they certainly can. I have been to the doctor at least three times due to cat bites and injuries. Considering I must have groomed and showed hundreds - if not thousands - of cats and kittens in my life, I do not consider that to be too bad. One cat bit down on one of my fingers while I was shaving him with no warning. Most cats don't like this or being bathed or shaved, but most will not bite. I still have some arthritis from that one in that finger. I flew to get a cat in CT, of all places, that apparently had been caged his whole life, which the former owner didn't bother to tell me. When I let him out of the cage to clean it and let him start to adjust to his new surroundings, I was badly mauled and lucky not to have had permanent injuries. The cat inflicted so many bites and scratches within seconds, my bedroom (and later bathroom) looked like something out of the film 'Psycho' - there was so much blood. I have known others in the cat fancy to have been hospitalized due to cat bites which hit vital areas or caused deep infection because cats inflict puncture wounds. -- OK, that said, that is like 3 cats out of hundreds or thousands and a few stories from those in the cat fancy who also dealt with many, many cats. So I truly find it a bit bizarre to hear of a cat that will just attack strangers with no provocation - and that is what the allegation here is. Thank goodness, my doctor was always understanding and never reported anything, which some states require (and possibly mine did, but the doctor used a judgment call.)

Now even in your example, you state the cat was being dragged around on a leash - which most cats would not like. So it was something out of the ordinary. Even so, that would also be a bit strange to a cat. I have leash trained one of my cats and have twice taken him to 'interview' for a new puppy and he has acted quite well. I have to say, many people were very shocked to see a trained cat on a leash, but he did not mind. My last puppy got along wonderfully with me, but was seriously trying to harm my cats. Unfortunately, this puppy had to be returned due to trying to seriously harm my cats (the puppy was adopted by another 3 days later, I kept tabs.) Drastic situations call for drastic measures. So I leash trained one of my cats to try to prevent this from happening again, and he has since gone on two puppy finding interviews with me. Even with a puppy barking at him the first time, no bad behavior resulted from the cat. The cat and puppy wound up sniffing each other after the initial barking and seemed to get along fine. Another puppy in that litter totally ignored the cat (ideal reaction, in my opinion) and anothe growled at the cat. The barker or one who ignored would have been OK to try with the cat, but that I didn't like them so much myself as to get one of them. But the point is, my cat is now part of the puppy choice procedure and he is leash trained so as to participate and he doesn't attack any people or dogs.

So I do think it is the exceptional cat that will attack. And truly, in my experience, it is rare for a cat to bite (they usually will scratch) =. I just can't imagine a cat consistently attacking visitors to one's home, as a vicious guard dog would do - though I suppose anything is possible.

[tiredofthis]

Fess. here is another post about the cat's alleged attacks and the public reaction

http://www.boston.com/news/local/connec ... h_for_cat/.

Owner opts for trial, rather than death for cat
May 3, 2006

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. --The case of a Fairfield cat that is accused of viciously attacking several neighbors is going to trial.

Ruth Cisero, owner of Lewis the cat, Tuesday withdrew her bid for special probation because she would have had to allow Lewis to be euthanized.

Cisero withdrew her application for accelerated rehabilitation and instead pleaded not guilty to second-degree reckless endangerment and elected a trial by jury.

Residents of the neighborhood of Sunset Circle claimed they had been terrorized by Lewis.

The neighbors said Lewis' long claws, along with catlike stealth, have allowed the cat to attack at least a half dozen people and ambush the Avon lady as she was getting out of her car.

More than 500 "Save Lewis" T-shirts have been sold to raise funds for a defense fund for Cisero and a Westport lawyer has volunteered to be the cat's lawyer.

The special probation offer with conditions was made at the insistence of neighbor Maureen Bachtig, who was reportedly attacked by Lewis Feb. 20.

In a letter to prosecutors, Bachtig said she would only agree to probation for Cisero if the cat were put to death.

------

Information from: Connecticut Post, http://www.connpost.com

[34garden]

Don't laugh, I have a relative who was bitten and scratched by a cat. His own, that had all its shots. And he was in the hospital for a week he got so sick and it got infected. ANY animal scratch or bite should be taken very seriously. Cats can be particularly vicious, esp. feral ones.

[tiredofthis]

Oh, no laughing matter if someone suffers a serious injury. I have heard of what you said before. Cats can inflict a lot of damage due to infections that follow deep puncture wounds that seem to self seal within seconds. It is the bacteria on their teeth and the depth of the bite that causes the worst problems and infections. Unless rabies is a consideration, the shots don't effect this. Also, a deep enough scratch in someone even mildly allergic to cats will cause cat scratch fever - which really is misery to go through. Glad your relative got better. Cat attacks on people are relatively rare compared to dog attacks, but they do happen. Howver, I never heard of a cat selectively stalking, ambushing and attacking people as this Lewis cat. Serious as the injuries are, that situation is so bizarre that it does seem a bit comical. Whoever heard of a lawyer volunteering to defend a cat before, let alone legions of supporters coming forward to save his life? Even the idea of a cat attacking an Avon lady strikes a sort of bizarre note.

[hear4eggs]

[quote="tiredofthis"]Thanks for posting that, i got a good laugh out of it! Doesn't it strain your imagination a bit to wonder how bad a cat might be to get hit with a restraining order? Something like the photo would seem to be appropriate. I didn't read this whole story, but it sort of bothered me because how much harm can one little cat do - when there are scores of posts about barking dogs making neighbors' lives miserable. [/quote]


Yeah I can't imagine any cat coming close to the annoyance of the neighborhood dog choir and their mindless irresponsible owners....But I guess there's a first time for everything.

[tiredofthis]

Like some people, cats are easier targets than some others - such as the mindless, barking dogs. I certainly wish the day would come when a Judge would issue a restraining order against problem barkers for the dog owners to keep them relatively quiet or have to give them up. There is one house full of NsFH here who has gone to court several times over barking complaints and was arrested at least once. Animal Control said these people don't care, they won't stop, they just pay the fines and continue. At a certain point, why doesn't a Judge issue a restraining order as they did against this cat - shut the dog up or else. -- Even if a cat hisses or otherwise gives warning sign before it might attack, it causes nowhere near the commotion of a barking dog. Most people will back off from a barking dog, rather than get bitten. But apparently this is socially acceptable, whereas one cat with nasty inclinations is not. I have never heard of anyone or any dog (owner) being hit with a restraining order because the dog is threatening to many, even if obvious that it is.

[tiredofthis]

Like some people, cats are easier targets than some others - such as the mindless, barking dogs. I certainly wish the day would come when a Judge would issue a restraining order against problem barkers for the dog owners to keep them relatively quiet or have to give them up. There is one house full of NsFH here who has gone to court several times over barking complaints and was arrested at least once. Animal Control said these people don't care, they won't stop, they just pay the fines and continue. At a certain point, why doesn't a Judge issue a restraining order as they did against this cat - shut the dog up or else. -- Even if a cat hisses or otherwise gives warning sign before it might attack, it causes nowhere near the commotion of a barking dog. Most people will back off from a barking dog, rather than get bitten. But apparently this is socially acceptable, whereas one cat with nasty inclinations is not. I have never heard of anyone or any dog (owner) being hit with a restraining order because the dog is threatening to many, even if obvious that it is.