“It’s Absurd, Grotesque”: The Incredible Story of Rémi the Cat, Tried and Convicted Twice

A Cat Turned “Criminal”

In what sounds like a scene from a satirical film, Rémi, a ginger cat adopted from a shelter, is at the center of a bizarre court battle. His owner, Dominique Valdès, was first fined €1,250 in January 2025 after her cat allegedly entered her neighbor’s yard, urinated on a duvet, and left paw marks on the wall.

Despite a lack of concrete proof that Rémi was the culprit, the court ruled that Dominique had prevented her neighbor from the “peaceful enjoyment” of his property.

“I find it completely absurd, grotesque,” Valdès told France 3 Occitanie. “I adopted him out of compassion — and now I’m being punished because he behaves like a cat.”

Daily Life Under Surveillance

Following the initial verdict, the court imposed an additional penalty of €30 per day for each recurrence in which Rémi crosses the property line again.

That ruling has turned Dominique’s home in Agde into a place of tension and fear. Her neighbor has since installed surveillance cameras aimed at her property, allegedly to monitor Rémi’s movements.

“It’s like living in a glass cage,” she says. “For three and a half years, I’ve felt trapped and watched every minute.”

Dominique now keeps her cat locked indoors almost permanently — a heartbreaking situation for both of them. “He cries all the time to go out. He’s gaining weight, he’s frustrated, he’s changing. I feel like I’m mistreating him,” she confides, tearfully.

“Ridiculous,” Say the Neighbors

Other residents in the area have voiced disbelief at the case. “It’s ridiculous — no one should be fined because of a cat,” said one neighbor interviewed by France 3. Another added, “This is a quiet residential area. There are cats everywhere. It’s nonsense.”

The situation has left Dominique emotionally exhausted. After three years of legal battles and therapy, she admits she’s “barely holding on.”

The SPA Denounces a Dangerous Precedent

France’s leading animal welfare organization, the SPA, has called the ruling alarming — and unprecedented. “I thought it was a joke at first,” said the SPA’s president. “Condemning someone because their cat defecated in a garden is absurd. Meanwhile, actual cases of animal cruelty often go unpunished.”

According to the French Code Rural, cats traditionally have the right to roam within a one-kilometer radius of their home. The SPA fears that rulings like this could discourage adoptions and set a troubling legal precedent.

“A cat isn’t a dog — you can’t leash or fence them in. Will cats no longer be allowed to wander? Let’s hope the appeal overturns this injustice.”

Back to Court: The “Repeat Offender” Cat

In December, Dominique will once again face the Béziers Tribunal, accused of “recidivism.” The neighbor claims to have captured new evidence — photos and videos of Rémi on his property — and is demanding an additional €2,200 fine and €2,000 in damages.

Dominique insists the videos may show another neighborhood cat with similar orange fur. But proving it in court could be nearly impossible.

“I can’t believe this is happening,” she sighs. “I rescued a stray cat — and now I’m treated like a criminal.”