Damaged Vehicle Due to Stray Cats, Where to Claim Compensation?

Stray Cat Continually Jumps on Car
Bonnet Covered with Claw Marks... Fur Also Scattered

A car owner shared a story about struggling with damage to their vehicle caused by a stray cat that repeatedly left claw marks.

A car hood with clear scratch marks from a stray cat's claws.
Photo by Online Community Archive

On the 27th, a post titled "I'm under severe stress because of a cat" was uploaded to an online community. The author, Mr. A, who parks his car in the parking lot of the building where he currently lives, began by saying, "I don't drive my car often, so it stays parked in the lot for long periods."

Mr. A explained, "The cat climbs onto the car about once a day, stepping on the hood (engine cover), front windshield, and roof in that order," adding, "It seems to use its claws when climbing, as there are countless cracks on the hood." Photos posted by Mr. A show multiple cracks on the car hood, presumed to be caused by the cat's claws. Clear paw prints are visible in dusty areas. Cat fur can also be seen scattered on the front windshield.

Mr. A appealed, "The culprit is a cat that frequently appears near a store close to my residence," and added, "It seems the store owner has even set up a cat toilet nearby. There is also a lady (cat mom) who feeds the cat snacks around 4 p.m." He continued, "Some might say, 'Isn't it natural for cats to behave like that?' or 'You're making a fuss over nothing,' but I am very upset," and asked, "Even if the store owner claims to have only provided a cat toilet, can they be considered the owner? I want to seek compensation for damages."

The culprit who scratched the car hood with fingernails was caught on the black box. [Photo by Online Community]

Netizens who read the story responded with comments such as, "Stray cats have no owners," "I would be stressed too," "The claw marks are clear," "It would be a big problem if the cat gave birth in the car engine. It’s best to have it neutered," "Cats are territorial animals and won’t leave that spot, so try parking elsewhere," and "I recommend using cat repellents."

On the other hand, some netizens commented, "It's just an animal, so please let it go," "The marks probably won’t be visible once the dust is wiped off," and "There aren’t that many claw marks."

Meanwhile, a 2018 monitoring conducted by Seoul City estimated that there were 139,000 stray cats in Seoul in 2017. According to the Seoul City Animal Protection Division, out of a total of 50,402 animal-related complaints reported from 2015 to 2017, more than half?26,328 complaints?were related to stray cats. Complaints about stray cats mainly involved 'noise' during mating season and 'negative perceptions.'

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.