Bava Kamma 16 - Usual and Unusual Damagers (Torts)

The final decision is that half-damages are a penalty. Thus, if a dog killed and ate sheep or a cat killed and ate a chicken, it is a case of unusual damage and not collected in court. However, this only applies to large animals, but small animals are in the "tooth" damage category and can be collected.

Five damage categories are considered unusual and liable for only half-damage: domestic animals who gore, push, bite, squat, and kick. Among the five damage categories deemed normal, with their owners "warned" of the complete liability: an animal while walking ("foot"), an ox that already gored, and a man that does damage.

Art: Woman Eating And Feeding Her Cat by Gabriel Metsu