Family's £4,000 bill after feline intruder causes cat-astrophic damage to house
IT should have been a first family holiday to savour.
But Richard Fowler and his family arrived home after a 10-day Mediterranean break to find a cat had got into their house and caused £4,000 of damage.
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Richard and Joanne Fowler, with their cat Chuckles.
It is thought the rogue feline sneaked into the property in Armstrong Close, Beverley, while Mr Fowler's mother was there collecting the family's own cat, Chuckles.
The much-loved pet was being looked after while Mr Fowler and his wife Joanne were enjoying their first holiday with their 10-week-old daughter Bethany.
The Fowlers had a wonderful time in Menorca.
But they returned home to find a scene of devastation.
Mr Fowler, 39, said: "It was a great holiday, Bethany was brilliant all the time.
"But the minute we came home and I got through the front door I saw the mess.
"I thought at first we'd been burgled so I told Jo to stay outside with Bethany.
"Then I saw a pile of cat mess in the lounge, then a couple more piles. Eventually I realised the scale of it, it was on all the carpets, up the stairs, everywhere.
"The worst thing of all was Bethany's toys, they'd been on the floor in the nursery and they stank.
"I saw the cat upstairs under the crib, it just shot out of the house in a black blur. I've no idea whose cat it was."
Mr Fowler, a solicitor, believes the cat's only opportunity to gain entry would have been while Chuckles was being collected for his own holiday.
He told the Mail: "Luckily, there were cat biscuits and water that we have for Chuckles, or the other cat could have starved."
But Mr Fowler's generous nature doesn't stretch to his insurance company, Direct Line.
It has refused to pay out on any claim because it treats the incident as "accidental damage", which his policy does not cover.
Direct Line says it is reviewing a tape of Mr Fowler's conversation with its claims representative.
A company spokesman said: "We're certainly sympathetic, but unfortunately Mr Fowler is not covered."
75 Comments
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by Cat owner, West Hull
Wednesday, October 20 2010, 12:50AM
“After having a good laugh at some of the comments on here, can I just say, A cat is a very curious animal and will go where we don't want it to go and this one is no different..having wandered through an open door. It will have panicked at first and then left its scent around to cover the scent of the owners cat. Cats by nature are a clean animal and that is why they don't poo in their own gardens. We must understand that cats are animals and therefore we shouldn't expect them to think like a human..unlike my neighbour, who poo's in her own garden and her husband blames our cat!!!”
by Thomas Amangham, Hull
Tuesday, October 19 2010, 10:02PM
“I'm a little confused .... sorry. Yes, I canjunderstand why food had been left out but, why on earth had the Fowlers left out water, freely available by turning on a tap, for 10 days whilst they went on holiday?
Did the mother in law not think to throw it out when she collected the cat? Did she really decide to leave it standing, to fester for 10 days?
Come on the Fowlers. Why would you expect a cat to drink 10 day old water?
Why did you go to the HDM? What did you expect them to do?
Why did you not know that you were not covered for accidental damage? You surely read your policy when it arrived ....... didn't you?”
by Enigma, West of Hull
Tuesday, October 19 2010, 8:02PM
“Cooking fat?”
by Lady Samantha 1, Hessle
Tuesday, October 19 2010, 6:23PM
“Has anyone EVER been paid out with Direct Line?”
by jim, East Hull
Tuesday, October 19 2010, 5:25PM
“I am thinking that it is quite unfair for some of you posters to be suggesting 'foul play.'
In so doing you are not only questioning Mr fowler's integrity but that of his other family members. If his mother in-law is like mine you are taking a huge risk.
The two cats that I do not like or want in my home anymore (my wifes) are adorable compared to the nightmare that my mother in-law can be !”
by Arnold the Squirrel, RSPCA
Tuesday, October 19 2010, 5:24PM
“At least they can't blame me.”
by Billy, Hull
Tuesday, October 19 2010, 5:04PM
“For sure if these people had not had a cat in thr first place then this other cat would not have got in, all i can say is I am glad a cat owner has got there just deserts.”
by Jonnie Twang, House Special
Tuesday, October 19 2010, 5:04PM
“Velley nice Ken Hom Style.”
by Steve, Hull
Tuesday, October 19 2010, 4:56PM
“Come on people get real, there was no phantom cat in his house, it was probably his own cat, they have come back from holiday & thought lets try & recoup our holiday money by putting a claim in, thankfully it's not worked!”
by Dean Percival, Hull
Tuesday, October 19 2010, 4:41PM
“Here you go, Mr Fowler- my real name and my real opinion- your cat did this. Additionally, you weren't insured to cover such damage. Why are you bleating to the HDM? What is newsworthy about it?”