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Original poster

To suspect my neighbour killed my cat

359 replies

Mani2024 · 18/08/2024 22:56

Three years ago we moved to our new house. Day one we met one of our neighbours and he asks whether we have a cat because he hates them. We didn’t at that point but we had planned to get one as we and our children really wanted one. neighbour begged us not too even though there are many many cat in the area. We reluctantly agreed to keep the peace but after a terrible year with lots of heartache we decided it was non of his business and got two kittens.

When he found out we had cats he made a passive aggressive comment to my six year old child about how one of the cats in particular had been in his garden and on his bird table. Some months later I heard our cats squealing. I thought they found themselves in a fight with another cat so called out to stop it but turned out to be my neighbour doing something to them to get them out of his garden. He said they were stalking his bird house.

We tried to settle things down with him, said feel free to spray them with water if they come over, we would look into a fence with a slope and if they ever mess in his garden (which they doubt they had as they still used litter trays) he could put over the fence with a spade. That conversation went well but he did say he’d killed a cat previously because it had chased a bird and that the killing had been unintentional.

fast forward some weeks and one of our kittens was found at the end of the road dead in the road with a sever head injury. This is the cat that both neighbours had said was the main culprit of jumping on their bird tables. Initially I was extremely upset and couldn’t think clearly but after a week or so I remembered that morning I had heard a cat scream that was worse than you would usually hear and had looked out my window to see what was going on. My husband saw my neighbour around that time walking up the road away from where she was later found and when asked what he was up to today said he was going for a long walk. I saw the neighbour in his garden briefly a week later, when our eyes met he went straight back into his house which is unusual as he usually chats to me. Generally he has been quite friendly apart from the issue with the cats.

i have spoken to my husband and a few friends about this and generally the consensus is that I’m overthinking and that this theory is just generally wild. Im
absolutely convinced he killed her and placed her at the end of the road to make it look like she got run over. Then again, I’m so desperately upset by it all that I’m not sure if the grief is clouding my judgement

OP posts:
Dontwantanicknamethanks · 21/08/2024 07:02

When my cat was killed (by a car) I went crazy with grief too and asked for cctv footage, knocked on neighbours doors etc. But it didn’t answer the question as to why he was so far down from our house (I suspected a visitors dog had spooked him). Basically, you live next door to a crazy cat hater who kills animals. I would rescue 2 more kittens to replace and not leave the other one lonely. Air tag them and see what happens. But you can’t change your psycho neighbour so you will have to think of tactics around managing his presence. Or move, which of course is a big deal. Sorry about this. I much prefer cats to dogs but this country is overly dog crazy so you’ll never convince some of the maniacal dog owners to give you sympathy or help.

sesa145 · 21/08/2024 05:59

Just wondering, why on earth would you get cats if your neighbour has already said they hated them and had previously killed them????

donteandolivia13 · 21/08/2024 04:16

Sorry, but I don't agree I would shop them to the nearest branch of the RSPCA , in fact any animal charity plus the local constabulary

llizzie · 21/08/2024 02:33

I love cats. I don't have one now because of my disabilities, but when I did have them I loved them dearly.

Do those posters who think they can keep a cat indoors right? You have to declaw them, because there are no trees to scratch, but they miss a whole other world of cats. I have such memories of my cats that belie the belief generally attributed to cats.

We rescued a semi wild tabby one time. Beautiful markings, escaped the farmer's gun. We had her months before she came indoors. We fed her outside. Then she became pregnant and only went into my dd to have them, only they took a long time to come, so we took her to the vet. She has lovely kittens, half tabby like her, and the others a mysterious black, without tails. She looked after them well. We lived in the country then, with a long passage from the kitchen door to the back door. A superb mouser, she would bring in live ones, set them on the floor an made the kits catch them. If they missed, she cuffed them. It was magic, very entertaining.

I never knew cats were monogamous. She went on to have several more litters (*until she broke her hip and we had her spayed). Every litter was the same. We had no idea until from the bus I saw this great Manx cat speeding across the field to our Ginny! She never had any other colour cats. They were always like him or her!
Sorry, I don't mean to hog the thread, but there are some things irresistible.

SummerSplashing · 20/08/2024 23:43

Clarabell77 · 20/08/2024 17:57

But why, when they are pets and can be kept indoors. One of our neighbours once said she would never have a litter tray in her house bcos it was disgusting, I think it was far more disgusting that her cat was shitting in our garden that our children were playing in.

Show quote history

@Clarabell77

Because some people don't think that's a good life for a cat.

People could be made to remain in their homes & other people would be safer, but we don't insist on it.

Firefly1987 · 20/08/2024 23:29

StrangeFoodChoice · 20/08/2024 18:14

Our neighbour killed two of my cats and my neighbours cat on the same day. Poison suspected.

His next door neighbour moved into their house, and their cat was poisoned the same night, they were distraught, as it was very much their baby.

Ours were killed after this, then we realised that their other neighbour had lost two cats and a neighbour one door from us, had also lost their cat, since the “cat killer” had moved into our quiet cul de sac

We sent our remaining cat to my parent’s house until we moved house.
His young daughter told us her Dad had killed the cats, but there was no proof.

Once people realised there had been a lot of cat deaths, they ( cat killer family ) bought themselves a pedigree cat, that they kept indoors.

I hope he hated that cat, not for the cats sake, of course.

I dare say he’s still at it, he and his wife divorced a few years later. She was just as horrible though 🤣🤣

Edited

You mean they went and saddled themselves with a cat for potentially 15+ years just to throw off suspicion?! Mad!

I'm very sorry about your cats Flowers what a scumbag.

GivingitToGod · 20/08/2024 23:28

I am really sorry that this has happened OP. Sadly, you have no proof and I agree that there is every chance that he may have killed your cat. But he may not have. Please try and put this to rest in your mind, you will torture yourself otherwise. Your cat is at peace now

LettyToretto · 20/08/2024 23:05

Dotcomma · 20/08/2024 21:24

If it would put your mind at rest, by all means ask those with ring door bells. You don't have to tell them your suspicions - just that you wondered what had happened to your cat.

Going back to the initial conversation with your neighbour, just because he doesn't like cats doesn't mean you can't have them - would it stop him having something because you didn't like it - no.

My neighbour hates cats - we had 9 when we moved into this house - we still have 9. She has said & shouted numerous times when she has any visitors that our cats are shitting in her garden - she's going to effing kill them - only last week she announced this in front of her grandchildren - facing our house & the window was open - I just shut the window. Been going on 5 years - everything we have & everything we do is a bloody issue 'to her', we haven't spoken for 5 years but she still rants at every opportunity - she's a total nut job. She's a compulsive liar, a jealous insecure control freak & can't keep her big nasty mouth shut.

Nine cats?

Your poor neighbours

MarvellousMonsters · 20/08/2024 21:36

Keep your cats indoors. Teach them to walk on a lead & harness, install a catio so they can spend time in your garden and don't let them out to not only piss off your neighbours, but damage wildlife populations, and be at risk of being run over by traffic.

I hope your neighbour didn't do anything to your kitten, but if you want to keep your pets safe, take responsibility for them and don't let them roam unsupervised.

Dotcomma · 20/08/2024 21:24

If it would put your mind at rest, by all means ask those with ring door bells. You don't have to tell them your suspicions - just that you wondered what had happened to your cat.

Going back to the initial conversation with your neighbour, just because he doesn't like cats doesn't mean you can't have them - would it stop him having something because you didn't like it - no.

My neighbour hates cats - we had 9 when we moved into this house - we still have 9. She has said & shouted numerous times when she has any visitors that our cats are shitting in her garden - she's going to effing kill them - only last week she announced this in front of her grandchildren - facing our house & the window was open - I just shut the window. Been going on 5 years - everything we have & everything we do is a bloody issue 'to her', we haven't spoken for 5 years but she still rants at every opportunity - she's a total nut job. She's a compulsive liar, a jealous insecure control freak & can't keep her big nasty mouth shut.

Dibbydoos · 20/08/2024 20:59

Karma is going to get him good and proper and he will deserve it.

What a monster.

Autumnismyfavouritetimeofyear · 20/08/2024 20:25

It is well known that outdoor cats are much more likely to be killed by the age of 4 years than cats kept indoors.

My 6 and 13 year old would disagree. As would my previous 17 year old.

Cats are the biggest target of cruel behaviour in my experience - when I worked in MH facilities, it was always cats that had been harmed by the people with psychopathic tendencies. He may dislike them - so what? I dont much like birds, but dont go around killing them.

fuzzwuss · 20/08/2024 20:21

Not sure you will ever be anle.to find the truth, and it wont help your poor dead cat anyway. As other posters have said, you absolutely need to keep the other cat and any future cats safe. Can you cat proof you garden?

MadamTullahbell · 20/08/2024 20:18

My advice is keep your remaining cat indoors or rehome them somewhere safe asap.
when someone shows you who they are, believe them.
I personally would move away!

DisabledDemon · 20/08/2024 20:16

Tempting to set fire to his birdtable and then, if he asks, say 'I have no more set fire to your birdtable than you have killed my cat. Hmmm?'

Not possible, I know but very, very tempting. Personally, I reckon he's done it, the rotten bastard. I hope his dick drops off.

BlueFlowers5 · 20/08/2024 19:58

OP sorry you've had this. I would put cameras up pointing into your garden. Also only let your cat out at dawn and maybe in the afternoon. Very short but necessary for the cat but so you can monitor their safety? I've had to do this after one of mine was attacked 8 months ago.

PotatoLove · 20/08/2024 19:50

Sounds like he probably did it sadly, horrible bastard. Try and see if anyone has Ring Camera footage that you can look at and report him. I'd suggest building a catio in your garden and/or keeping your other kitty indoors.

StaunchMomma · 20/08/2024 19:27

So many people hate cats. It's really sad.

You can't prove it but I'd never trust him again and I think I'd have to tell him that.

I'd be getting a 'security' camera that covers your gardens.

TulipinUK · 20/08/2024 19:24

Yes it is possible but you can’t prove it. We went on holiday a few years ago and had a lady coming in to feed our cat. When we came back she wasn’t there. We looked for days none of the farmers said: oh the farmer down the road hates cats as they pee in the jay, he shoots them and puts them on the railway line. And that’s where we found her :(
i has to stop my husband to sort him out as there was no proof.

Iamnotabat · 20/08/2024 19:13

Mani2024 · 18/08/2024 22:56

Three years ago we moved to our new house. Day one we met one of our neighbours and he asks whether we have a cat because he hates them. We didn’t at that point but we had planned to get one as we and our children really wanted one. neighbour begged us not too even though there are many many cat in the area. We reluctantly agreed to keep the peace but after a terrible year with lots of heartache we decided it was non of his business and got two kittens.

When he found out we had cats he made a passive aggressive comment to my six year old child about how one of the cats in particular had been in his garden and on his bird table. Some months later I heard our cats squealing. I thought they found themselves in a fight with another cat so called out to stop it but turned out to be my neighbour doing something to them to get them out of his garden. He said they were stalking his bird house.

We tried to settle things down with him, said feel free to spray them with water if they come over, we would look into a fence with a slope and if they ever mess in his garden (which they doubt they had as they still used litter trays) he could put over the fence with a spade. That conversation went well but he did say he’d killed a cat previously because it had chased a bird and that the killing had been unintentional.

fast forward some weeks and one of our kittens was found at the end of the road dead in the road with a sever head injury. This is the cat that both neighbours had said was the main culprit of jumping on their bird tables. Initially I was extremely upset and couldn’t think clearly but after a week or so I remembered that morning I had heard a cat scream that was worse than you would usually hear and had looked out my window to see what was going on. My husband saw my neighbour around that time walking up the road away from where she was later found and when asked what he was up to today said he was going for a long walk. I saw the neighbour in his garden briefly a week later, when our eyes met he went straight back into his house which is unusual as he usually chats to me. Generally he has been quite friendly apart from the issue with the cats.

i have spoken to my husband and a few friends about this and generally the consensus is that I’m overthinking and that this theory is just generally wild. Im
absolutely convinced he killed her and placed her at the end of the road to make it look like she got run over. Then again, I’m so desperately upset by it all that I’m not sure if the grief is clouding my judgement

So sorry to read this .... don't think you are being unreasonable but unfortunately don't think there's any way to prove it. He sounds an unpleasant man though.....how can anyone hate cats .....we all adore ours..... don't think I'd better say anything else.....

banabak · 20/08/2024 19:12

The Brighton 'cat killer' was sentenced to five and a half years imprisonment for killing cats. Whether people like cats or not, it's a criminal offence to kill one and anyone who does kill a cat is likely to have sadistic or psychopathic tendencies.

I would certainly be reporting the death of your lovely cat to the police and encouraging your neighbour to do the same. Whilst it may not result in an investigation now, it may form part of future investigations.

And I'd seriously be considering whether to move house.

ThisOldThang · 20/08/2024 19:04

vixnix · 20/08/2024 19:00

Honestly, I’d be making his life a living hell. Animal abusers are the lowest of the low.

There is zero proof he's killed the cat.

You'd be found guilty of aggravated harassment and possibly sent to jail.

vixnix · 20/08/2024 19:00

Honestly, I’d be making his life a living hell. Animal abusers are the lowest of the low.

AlleycatMarie · 20/08/2024 18:58

@Mani2024 your neighbour sounds horrific and has admitted to doing similar in the past. It is too much of a coincidence surely. I would be contacting the police as this is severe animal abuse and is illegal. I’m so sorry for your loss.

JustAnotherDadOf2 · 20/08/2024 18:56

If someone's dog was allowed to run amok in the neighbourhood, crap in neighbours gardens, kill wildlife, kill pets, chase livestock for fun, I'm guessing everyone here would have something to say about it. Why do cats get special dispensation?
Most dog owners (not all) go to great lengths to keep their dogs under control, while most cat owners make no effort whatsoever (except those with house cats that never go outdoors).
So your neighbour may well have killed your cat, which is undeniably cruel. However, how many birds have your neighbours had to watch your cats kill?
Our neighbours (both sides) had cats that regularly left dismembered mice, frogs, birds in our garden, and plentiful piles of shit for my kids to find - it seems they prefer not to shit in their own back garden. Wasn't very nice for my kids to find or to bring in on their shoes / clothes when playing, their response was "what do you expect me to do, it's a cat?".
Eventually when kids were old enough, we got a dog, we walk it, we pick up its mess, we don't kick it out the front door to shit where it likes or terrorise the neighbourhood. Neighbours don't like that the dog chases the cats out of our garden over that it barks while doing it, but what can id do about it, he's a dog ;-)