Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
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:
Nicetobenice67 · 01/04/2024 20:58

She sounds so feking entitled

Woahthehorsey · 01/04/2024 20:57

YANBU. I have 2 cats, I have a rhododendron, have recently planted a lavender bush, some fox gloves and delphiniums. She's nuts.

doodleZ1 · 01/04/2024 20:56

Sounds like my neighbour, everything belongs to her including my property. Oddly enough wouldnt work the other way round. With mine being tactful doesnt work so we are now in a big fight situation. My advice make it totally clear to her that the plant will not be removed and she cant come into your garden to do anything. Ask her if she is going to go round and inspect all the other neighbours plants? My neighbour sent in a worker to erect a fence at my side of the Hedge boundary. Thats how nuts some can be. Then took offence when i told her where to go. We are now on to yet another issue where she is in the wrong. Be totally clear or she will misinterpret and do as she likes.

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!

Daffodilsarentfluffy · 01/04/2024 20:50

April fool surely?

Ihearyousingingdownthewire · 01/04/2024 20:48

She’s a fucking maniac. For once I hope the grotty tabloids pick up this thread, she gets wind of it and realises what a monumental twat she is.

niadainud · 01/04/2024 20:44

Looks like it won't just be the cats who have an over-developed sense of entitlement in that household.

WingsofRain · 01/04/2024 20:40

In your position I’d be volunteering to host the National Collection of asiatic lilles!

In all seriousness, if she is that worried about them a nice big catio is the only rational option.

Irridescantshimmmer · 01/04/2024 20:36

Tell they were gifts of sentimental value and you will not be removing the plants.

Any issues with this neighbour, take up with the council as they can intervene. Your garden, your property.

Nicetobenice67 · 01/04/2024 20:33

Bloody cheek of it ….tell her your getting a couple of dogs next week

HappiestSleeping · 01/04/2024 20:31

GrandHighPoohbah · 01/04/2024 17:01

I would reply "Dear neighbour, if you feel the environment beyond your control is unsafe for cats, yet you are still planning on letting them roam, perhaps you shouldn't be getting them"

Or maybe "if you feel the immediate environment is beyond your control, please feel free to move to a property large enough that your incoming cats cannot roam far enough to reach the boundary."

Gingernurt88 · 01/04/2024 20:30

Haha she thinks they are only going to go into neighbouring gardens 🤣. There's a reason some people put trackers on their cats 🤣. She might as well spy on everyone within a mile radius.

HappiestSleeping · 01/04/2024 20:29

LadyTiredWinterBottom2 · 01/04/2024 19:42

Amazing.

Put a sign up saying 'Cats not welcome' and ask if they can see that from their upstairs window too

Nah, better to have one that says "beware of the plants" 🤣

Cavalierchaos · 01/04/2024 20:28

Omg. I was convinced this was an April Fools from her until I saw the update.

I would absolutely go and buy more rhododendrons etc and put them EVERYWHERE.

PennyPickles60 · 01/04/2024 19:54

Tell her you don’t want her cats in your garden so if she keeps them out there’s no fear of them being poisoned by plants and you wont be scooping cat shit. Problem solved.

Cheeky fucker!

LillyBugg · 01/04/2024 19:51

This is insane. Does she have any clue how far cats will roam when they go out and about? She'll have to check every garden for a couple of miles!

Cheeky cow. I have cats and I'd be telling her to piss right off.

Nkoku · 01/04/2024 19:50

Nuts. Leave your plants where they are.

ButtockUp · 01/04/2024 19:48

GrandHighPoohbah · 01/04/2024 17:01

I would reply "Dear neighbour, if you feel the environment beyond your control is unsafe for cats, yet you are still planning on letting them roam, perhaps you shouldn't be getting them"

This.

LadyTiredWinterBottom2 · 01/04/2024 19:42

Amazing.

Put a sign up saying 'Cats not welcome' and ask if they can see that from their upstairs window too

saoirse31 · 01/04/2024 19:40

She's mad. Ignore

muckymayhem · 01/04/2024 19:15

What a CF! Cats roam over really large areas - she can't uproot every toxic plant within a mile radius of her house - she's turned into a crazy cat lady and she hasn't even got a cat yet. Don't do anything - if the cats are alive now they probably don't actually have a taste for toxic plants anyway.

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?!

labamba007 · 01/04/2024 19:10

I think you should stock up on tins of tuna, make those cats love you more than they love her 😂

Also yes she is indeed insane.

PlipPlopChoo · 01/04/2024 19:10

"Hi pussy. You are welcome to buy said plants. They are have sentimental meaning but I will let you buy them for £200 each"

shiningstar2 · 01/04/2024 19:10

Thank you for the heads up regarding the imminent arrival of your rescue cats. I will ensure that my plants don't invade your garden or any of your personal space and cause problems for your pets. Please will you ensure that your pets don't invade my garden and destroy my plants or do their business in places in my garden where I might put my hands when planting out my rhodedondroms and other plants. Regards. Consideration between neighbours is always appreciated 😀