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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To tell her to get lost?

459 replies

Sportycustard · 01/04/2024 16:34

Just got home to find a note from my neighbour.

"Hi Sporty, just wanted to let you know that we're rehoming a couple of cats in the next week or two. I can see from our upstairs windows that you have some plants in your garden that are poisonous to cats so I will pop round in the next day or so and point them out so you can remove them in good time for our new arrivals"

I've just done a quick Google and it looks like she is referring to a rhododendron that was a gift from a friend who has now passed away and an azaelia that was a 50th birthday gift. Both are established shrubs and mean a lot to me.

AIBU to tell her my garden will be staying as it is?

OP posts:
DifficultBloodyWoman · 01/04/2024 22:22

I’m a crazy cat lady with two fur babies at the moment.

About 40% of my garden is lavender and I didn’t know it was toxic to cats until I read this thread! My cats are clearly smarter than Batshit Crazy Neighbour’s.

When I got the cats, I did get rid of one houseplant, a lily, because I thought that was too much of a risk. Brushing against the leaves could release pollen on to their fur which would then be licked off and toxic.

However, I also know of someone with lilies planted all around their house and two cats who have never been poisoned. She and one of the cats even walk around the house counting flowers every evening. But still, the cats seem smart enough to know to avoid them.

Mummyto2rugrats · 01/04/2024 22:22

I own cats 1 is a wanderer and the other not so much but I would absolutely never tell a neighbour or in the case of our wanderer the whole estate to take out certain plants absolutely no way! Your garden is your garden if my cat wanders in and does something stupid then that's a me problem not a you problem.

Unfortunately for me my wanderer steals other cats food by sneaking in their cat flaps because there are two interfering biddys that like to feed him on the estate so he feels life is a free for all. But also my argument if you don't want my cat in get a cat flap only triggered by your cat.

Applescruffle · 01/04/2024 22:20

Typical entitled cat owner behaviour tbh.

Lurkingandlearning · 01/04/2024 22:16

She’s going to be very busy. Many cats get hit by cars so she’ll have to put everyone on notice to dispose of their cars before the cats arrive. 😁

Noseybookworm · 01/04/2024 22:14

This can't be for real 😳

LuckySantangelo35 · 01/04/2024 22:06

Wow 100% of posters think YANBU
Unusual!

AnneElliott · 01/04/2024 22:05

That's bonkers - I have both of those plants in my garden and none of our 4 cats have ever taken any notice of them in any way.

Her cats her problem. If she's so worried she needs to keep them contained to her garden.

Jasmin1971 · 01/04/2024 21:59

I have 3 azaleas my cats have never been poisoned by them.

Icanflyhigh · 01/04/2024 21:58

Cat people are flipping mental at times! I own a boarding cattery, I meet them daily!!!
The ones that want to collect tiddles at 3am as that's when their flight gets in are the worst, and the look of horror on their face when you politely decline and restate your opening hours make my teeth itch!! And they're just the ones who ask to collect at obscure times, we shall not speak of the ones that just turn up when it's convenient to them, regardless of the time.
How dare I have the audacity to have actual opening hours?!?!
Some of them are just CFs!!😂😂

WhatWhereWho · 01/04/2024 21:58

You should tell her it's their responsibility to catproof their garden so her cats cannot get out. Since they need to be kept in for a while she's got time to sort that. I love cats but your neighbours are seriously entitled arseholes!

Wigtopia · 01/04/2024 21:53

Bluevelvetsofa · 01/04/2024 16:41

Dear neighbour

Thanks for the heads up about the cats. I hope you have time to secure your house and garden, so that your new arrivals are able to stay within your garden and will be at no risk from any plants that are not good for them.

Thanks so much.

This but I’d also add to the securing the house and garden:

“to prevent the cats from accessing and shitting in my garden”.

craigth162 · 01/04/2024 21:47

Ive always had cats and have 2 now....never once have i ever looked at a neighbours garden. What a fruitloop

ConJob · 01/04/2024 21:44

Dear neighbour, I'm rehoming a couple of excons. I can see from the hidden cameras I have pointed at your bedroom that you have a lot of items that would be easy to steal and porn for drug money so I will pop round tomorrow and point them out so you can get rid of them in good time for our new arrivals. We wouldn't want them to get tempted to return to a life of violent crime.

Wackadaywideawake · 01/04/2024 21:40

MsFaversham · 01/04/2024 16:38

They aren’t going to eat them. She’s being ridiculous.

This!

She’s nuts and YNBU

Kelly51 · 01/04/2024 21:36

If these cats are coming from a rescue then I'd hope they've advised the cats are kept indoors for a few months.
I have a full garden and my neighbours cats regularly pop by to say hello to my dogs and neither have been poisoned .

Ellie56 · 01/04/2024 21:36

Sportycustard · 01/04/2024 16:46

Ohhhh have a whole border of lavender. Had no idea that was a problem either.

Show quote history

We've got lavender and azaleas and two cats that we've had for nearly 12 years, and they've been fine.

I know that lilies are hugely toxic to cats, because of the pollen, but nothing else.

Nicetobenice67 · 01/04/2024 21:15

I would say happy April fools day to you too

crockofshite · 01/04/2024 21:13

Dear bonkers cat lady neighbour, thanks for your helpful message. It reminded me to let you know we're getting two untrained rescue rottweilers, both of which will be living free range in our garden for the foreseeable future. They 'love' cats, particularly as a starter.

Have a nice day 😁

Birch101 · 01/04/2024 21:08

I'm sitting here making a list of plants to keep the cats at bay 😆

EatCrow · 01/04/2024 21:07

TinySmol · 01/04/2024 18:54

Lol.
Tell her to jog on.

The plants might stop da moggies pissing and pooing in your garden too.

Edited

Yep, bonus. Buy more.,

LakeTiticaca · 01/04/2024 21:05

Your neighbour is a CF. We have a rhododendron Bush and our cats are hale and hearty

Nicetobenice67 · 01/04/2024 21:03

SofaSpuds · 01/04/2024 20:59

She has to be pulling an April Fool's prank, no one could be that deluded!

I dunno Mumsnet has really surprised me with different ppl I think are you sure sometimes with some of the comments

EatCrow · 01/04/2024 21:03

Playinwithfire · 01/04/2024 19:13

It just blows my mind the entitlement of people. Why are people like this?! Seriously.. it genuinely angers me.
Does she want you to rip them up out of your garden?!

I feel like the world’s gone bloody mad, so many batshit people.

SofaSpuds · 01/04/2024 20:59

She has to be pulling an April Fool's prank, no one could be that deluded!

EatCrow · 01/04/2024 20:59

krustykittens · 01/04/2024 20:53

And what will she do about all the other gardens in a 200 metre range that have poisonous plants? Is she going to police the entire neighbourhood and demand they convert their gardens to cat-friendly ones? They won't bother anyway, I have loads of poisonous plants in my garden, my cats have never gone near them. My pony, on the other hand, is as thick as shite. I had to put him in my garden along with his herd mates during the Beast From The East as we woke up to find them chest deep in snow in their field. Our garden was the only place sheltered enough where we could get food and water to them. Stupid sod only went and ate a camellia and I spent all night rubbing his tummy and praying he pooed (equines can't vomit). After he ate the camelia, he then ate the windscreen wipers off my car! I was so glad to see the thaw!

😁