Can cats scratch car paint?

That guy's obviously a cat hater. Ergo he is a wanker of the greatest possible magnitude.
Did he have an attitude?

It is possible. The clear coat on most cars is softer than you might think.

If your cat did scratch it, which is feasible if it was napping up there and was startled and took off in a hurry, the damage is most likely easily fixed with a little hand buffing and some wax.

If he is claiming scratches through the paint, down to the metal, then it might have been some other animal or his paint was badly oxidized to begin with.

Absolutely they can scratch the paint enough to damage the layer of clear coat.

If you neighbor chose to do so, he could use a motion-activated game camera to document your cat prowling around on or near your car and probably win against you in small claims court.

Consider this a wake up call to corral your cat and keep it from damaging other peoples' property.

Last Edited by goodmockingbird on 10/14/2011 04:52 AM

The cat would have to be startled and feel cornered for it to claw the paint as it ran away. Even so, it wouldn't be able to scratch past the clear coat which can be buffed smooth again by a professional. No worries.

Honestly?

Is it worth the conflict that it causes to do things like that? Set up a camera and take me to court because my cat might have scratched his car paint?

I find other people annoying and irritating in so many ways but I don't complain at them. Their kids wake me up with their squealing and yelling when I am trying to have a nap on the week-end, I work hard full-time and I get tired. Their dogs bark and annoy the hell out of me. Their trees drop leaves into my pool. They freak me out with their domestic violence abusive arguments with each other. They annoy the hell out of me when the football is on with their drunken yelling and cheering. Their kids kick their footballs over my fence and sing out to me to go out in the yard and pick them up and throw them back.

I don't complain, because I try to be tolerant and a good neighbour. Live and let live is my motto. But for fuck sake I am getting sick of people who whine over the littlest thing and think that it is okay. I am starting to really not like people.

I can't see why it would scratch it unless as said above it had been startled...

Even if it had, cats (in the uk) can't be held responsible for damages ... dogs can... cats can't. Not sure what animal laws are out there. Ours are messed up... for example I can report someone for stealing my dog but when the lady in the next block stole my Maine Coone cat I couldn't do a sodding thing!

Perhaps someone has sat on his car and the rivets on their trousers scratched it... or perhaps someone used a broom to sweep leaves off?

I wouldn't worry either way. :o)

Shit yes they can and they fucking suck big scratches down the hood of my car with paw prints.

If its slippery from rain and they start to slip they will dig in with claws.

Dogs have owners, cats have staff. The cat is the boss, tell him to sue the cat.

But why? It serves no purpose to a cat to scratch a car... they can't strop their claws on slick surfaces. Paw prints and scratches might not be linked.

ahh ok. well I have to admit that I have never ever seen this. All the cats I won stay in when it rains :o)

People who don't bring their cats in at night are irresponsible fucks and should not be allowed to have pets or children for that matter.

lmao OWN not won.. I have never won a cat.

Jeeze... you need a hug.

It isn't often if you think how many times a cat walks across your car maybe 1 out of 100 times it might occur.
But the damage is bad those claws can dig deep.

Well they should bring them in not allows them to walk around in the night on other peoples properties causing mischief.
I had a cat once and always brang him in.
If you've ever been woken up at 4am from a cat fight you'd know what im talking about.

Good luck trying that with a nocturnal hunter.

Who said anything about the cat being out at night? Cats are more likely to lie on a car hood in the day time when the sun has warmed it up.

This guy's car is a work ute by the way. How does he figure that it was A a cat, and B my cat and why create ill feeling by complaining to a neighbour about that?

I don't understand people.

Your pet has caused physical damage to this persons property and you feel hard done by? Is it hard to keep control of your cat? Ifso I suggest you stop owning animals.

My neighbours cats are left to run riot around my home. They kill the spring chicks every year for nothing, they kill the frogs in my pond, they vomit and shit in my garden and have caused approximately £400 in damage to my car over 2 years.
Their owners refuse to do anything about it.

Now if I see them anywhere near my property they get shot - simple.

If you cant control your pets you shouldnt have them.

Why cause ill feeling by allowing your pets to be a nuisance to others?

Good grief some humans are just amazing.

As I said, there is no evidence that it was a cat, or my cat in particular.

Grit on the cats paws would do it easily.

Good luck to him stopping your cat or any other though.

Maybe you could have a beer with the guy and just laugh it off?

People's pets can become other peoples pet peeves. Hope he doesn't get too wierd over it for you.

Nocturnal hunter destroys wildlife and it doesn't need to because it get fed, keep it the fuck inside or don't have it.

So it probably wouldn't be there in the day right?
You just defeated your own argument.

So it probably wouldn't be there in the day right?
You just defeated your own argument.

Irresponsible pet owners fucking suck

Yes, it is very upsetting and annoying if a cat defecates, vomits, kills your pets or does any other such harm to you or your property. Yes, irresponsible pet owners do cause problems for their unfortunate neighbours.

As I stated earlier, this neighbour is presuming that A) the scratches on his car were caused by a cat and B) that it was the cat that he saw sitting in my garden that caused the said scratches.

I don't know where you live, the person who says that a work ute would only be parked on a person's property at night time, but here we have lots of day light hours, and many people start work early and finish early in the afternoon.

Why do people want to presume the worst of other people?

The bonnet (hood) of my car looks like a skating rink thanks to the neighbourhood cats.

Google 'cat scratch car' to see that it is a common problem.

Cats jump on to the bonnet/(hood) of car after the engine has been running and it's nice and warm. As they stretch out their claws cause damage.

At least make sure you cats claws are well clipped...

You know? when I made this post, I had a genuine curiosity to know if it was possible for a cat to make a claw mark in the paintwork of a car.

I have been reading posts on this site for quite a time now, so I had an idea that I would be attacked as an irresponsible cat owner by some people.

I am puzzled but not surprised at the eagerness of some people to believe that because I say, or because any other person says for that matter, that some one has accused them of some wrong doing or fault, that the accusations must be true.

It makes me sad to have it confirmed that people are so quick to blame and attack, even some one that they don't know, or know anything about.

All that you know about me is that my cat sometimes sits in my front garden, and that my neighbour thinks that my cat is the cat that he saw in his yard, and that a cat, that cat, is responsible for some scratches that he found on his car.

It just isn't logical and it isn't nice.

I had a cat scratch the hell out of the hood of my car, but that was because I came around the corner of my house, which scared the cat, so it dug in and took off like a rocket, leaving a bunch of scratches that I cannot even come close to buffing out.