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AIBU?

AIBU or is my Dog owning Neighbour?

33 replies

GoodWitchHunting · 30/11/2011 20:50

I really can't decide if I am the one at fault. And if I am, well, what do I do about it?

I live on the ground floor of a block of flats and I have a cat. He comes and goes through the kitchen window and never seems to venture beyond our road. He is very often found in the front garden or on the front wall lapping up the attention from people passing by.

A neighbour upstairs owns a large dog. He knocked my door today and asked that I keep the cat inside as his dog is very wound up when he sees him and he's frightened they will fight and the cat will be harmed. At first, he seemed to be saying keep him inside completely and I said that I didn't really think I could do that....

But after a while, he made it clearer he meant keep him out of the common entrance and stairs.

I never let him out there so he must be coming in when other neighbours enter through the main doors.

He seemed quite insistent that I stop this from happening as he has no control over the dog. He walks the dog 3-4 times a day and used to let him down to the door and then put on the lead but now he has to put the lead on the dog before he leaves his flat and it's annoying.

I basically said that I didn't know how I could stop him getting in the main front door, that I never let him out that way myself and that I was sorry for the trouble but I don't see how I can control the cat. He seemed very angry still and stormed off muttering about not being responsible if his dog hurts my cat.

AIBU? I'm a bit worried for my cat's safety now :(

OP posts:

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pickgo · 30/11/2011 20:54

Dog should be on a lead in public anyway.

GlitterySkulls · 30/11/2011 20:54

no, he should control his dog- and i say that as a dog owner.

i'm a bit over how your'e supposed to control a cat- they wander, and answer to no-one.

RuthChan · 30/11/2011 20:55

I can see it from both points of view, but it's really hard to control where a cat goes. Unless you actually keep your cat in your flat all the time, it must be hard to stop him from going into the entrance.
Is it really such a pain to put his dog's lead on before leaving his flat?

AntsMarching · 30/11/2011 20:56

YANBU.

If he can't control his dog, that is his problem to deal with. A communal area means you are all entitled to use it, therefore his dog doesn't take priority over your cat.

And I say this as the owner of a large dog who loves to chase cats.

hellhasnofury · 30/11/2011 20:56

His inability to control his dog means he should keep it on a lead at all times.

Listzilla · 30/11/2011 21:01

What if his dog meets a child in the communal area? Or an elderly person who gets knocked over? The dog needs to be on a lead when it's outside his front door. End of story.

SoupDragon · 30/11/2011 21:02

Tell him you will have a word with your cat and ask it to stay out of the common areas and would he be so kind as to have a word with his dog and ask him not to chase your cat.

GoodWitchHunting · 30/11/2011 21:03

Well, that's what I thought.

BUT I've never been a dog owner so didn't know if I was BU in expecting him to control his dog.

He is a lovely dog most of the time and well looked after it seems but I've racked my brains and cannot see how I can solve my cats wanderings.

OP posts:

Catsmamma · 30/11/2011 21:03

his dog should be on the lead from his door, if folks are letting your cat in, what's to say they won't let his dog out if it is mincing about the communal hall without him?

LemonDifficult · 30/11/2011 21:04

Not really something you can control other than by keeping the cat in at all times which is obviously not possible.

Did the dog man have a suggestion?

HazleNutt · 30/11/2011 21:06

if he "has no control over the dog" and is afraid that the dog might harm the cat or anybody else then the dog must be on the lead. simple really. And I have 2 dogs.

SatisfiedOtter · 30/11/2011 21:07

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

DooinMeCleanin · 30/11/2011 21:09

My dogs go for cats if they're together. If they are seperate they can happily ignore a cat (I never said my dogs were normal)

I do not let them off leash when they are together incase they see something they can hunt. My dogs are my responsibility. I am responisble for ensuring they do not harm my neighbours cats.

Your neighbour is an idiot. I would suggest posting him leaflets of local training classes through his door. If he cannot control his dog fully he should not be in charge of it in public. I'd also post him a copy of the dangerous dogs act, which clearly states a dog must be under control at all times.

CoffeeBucks · 30/11/2011 21:10

YANBU - the dog needs to be on a lead. It's not your fault the cat's getting let in through the door.

GoodWitchHunting · 30/11/2011 21:10

Yes Catsmama - it does seem a bit lax on his part to expect other neighbours to stop the dog going out.

He didn't have a suggestion other then I solve the problem.

I automatically thought he was BU but then, I did doubt myself a little but I'm glad you guys agree with me! (bit scared of posting here!)

OP posts:

dreamingofsun · 30/11/2011 21:13

agree - dog should be on a lead in this situation. would be different if it was in a field or the woods - but i doubt that it would catch your cat - mine chases everything but catches nothing - but only in countryside.

Its actually quite dangerous for his dog too. If your cat ran across the road the dog would probably chase it and could get hit by a car.

GoodWitchHunting · 30/11/2011 21:13

DooinMe - that's a good idea. I might post them in everyone's doors though. Just so he doesn't know it's me!

OP posts:

DitaVonCheese · 30/11/2011 21:16

Note on the door asking people not to let the cat follow them in?

OTOH it would probably not go in again if it did meet the dog there.

GoodWitchHunting · 30/11/2011 21:20

I guess I could put a note up. I hadn't considered that.

And it has met the dog from what he was saying. My cat just seems oblivious by the sounds of it.

OP posts:

karyncake · 30/11/2011 21:21

YANBU. He needs to take responsibility for his dog and perhaps make it a part of his routine to check if the cat is about before setting out, ready to restrain him if necessary. Does your cat have a way of getting out of the entrance or somewhere he can hide when he knows our neighbour is coming down? I'm sure he doesn't enjoy being scared by the dog either.

My mums next door neighbour's once asked that she stops her cat from looking out the window as it got their dog over excited but they really are quite odd people. The dog was a great dane and I never saw them take it for a walk once so of course he went loopy when the cat was sitting on the windowsill. Someone eventually reported them and the dog was taken away.

karyncake · 30/11/2011 21:23

Your neighbour not ours!

GoodWitchHunting · 30/11/2011 21:34

Stop the cat looking out the window? God I hope he never asks me that... I'd never keep a straight face!

There isn't anywhere to go if the door is shut unless he gets past and goes up to the other floors but the dog would follow.

I think it basically comes down to him keeping the dog on a lead.

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redpanda13 · 30/11/2011 21:44

YANBU - I have a dog and when visiting my mum who lives in a flat I would not dream of taking her out into the common area off the lead. She is a friendly dog with good recall too.
Maybe I should ask my neighbour to keep her cat in as it terrorises my dog?She will not pass the gate if it is sitting outside. Was different when my old cat was still alive as he would go out and attack neighbour's cat for messing with his dog. This was despite him bullying the dog mercilessly in the house

northerngirl41 · 30/11/2011 21:48

I do think you should make a token effort to keep the cat out of the common entrance and stairs - a note on the door to that effect? But then if the cat's not allowed in there unsupervised, then neither should the dog be!

I'd imagine the cat wandering the corridors and potentially being within smell range of the dog may well send it doolally whilst inside the flat, so it's really a bit unfair to inflict it on the dog, if there's an easy way of preventing it.

He should absolutely have his dog under control and on a leash in the corridor. But even if he was on a leash, if your cat is lurking unsupervised behind the door when he opens it, he's really not to blame if the dog goes for it.

SantaDesperatelySeeksSedatives · 30/11/2011 21:49

YANBU it's his responsibilty to control his dog. If he can't control the dog he shouldn't have it. I hope your cat will be ok but honestly don't let him make out that if something were to happen to your cat it's anyone's fault but his.

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