To suspect my neighbour killed my cat

How horribly stressful for you. I can't even begin to imagine how you are felling. People feel justified when it comes to neighbours cats. I would contact the police.
Many years ago we moved into our new home with our two cats. They used indoor litter trays and seldom set foot outside. Two weeks later I remember the shock of coming home from work and finding cat poo spread all over our door step. A note was placed on top pointing out that cat poo carried toxoplasmosis and warning us to ensure our cats didn't stray to their garden..Pretty difficult when the coward didn't leave a name or address.

Anyone trying to compare a cat killing birds to a monstrous psychopath slaughtering a pet should be avoided at all costs.

Anyone who is not horrified by humans slaughtering beloved pets is not a person who is safe to spend time with.

A vile, terrifying nutcase almost certainly lives next door to you.

That's not an exaggeration. I am not joking when I say you should move house.
And for God's sake keep your cat inside and your kids well, well away from this lunatic.

If he killed your cat - and he probably did - he is definitely capable of harming a human.

https://www.rawstory.com/2015/05/animal-cruelty-is-a-reliable-predictor-of-criminality-which-is-why-the-fbi-is-taking-it-more-seriously/

Ok, I take back my apology as you are being daft and over the top.

‘Delight’ in my description? There was no description. I’m actually tempted to write a description so you can see the difference, but I’ll refrain.

The rabbit was in its owners garden and later found in a neighbour’s house. It had been brought to a different house by a neighbours cat who had ‘roamed’ into that garden. Pets allowed outside are at risk and this is at the discretion of the owner, and therefore the owner’s responsibility.

Unfortunately these types of neighbours are common. Sad but true

None of what he’s complained about is justified. You have not done anything wrong.

Unfortunately, this type of neighbour will also take a mile if you give him an inch. The trying to be nice to keep the peace approach doesn't work with these people.

Next time he complains about anything you’re doing / have done just stop him abruptly in his tracks and ask him to please put his full complaint in writing to you.

Receiving repeated frivolous complaints like this is a type of harassment.

I really do feel for you, it sounds stressful

I would definitely contact the police about your cat too.

Sounds like lots of little things that would make me anxious about him if he was my neighbour tbh. And I don't think it's unreasonable in light of all of this as well as him admitting to "accidentally" killing a cat to suspect he might have had something to do with the death of yours (I'm so sorry btw) and want to find out. YANBU

This sort of thing, amongst various other reasons, is exactly why I keep my cats indoors with safe outdoor access (Omlet cat pen or supervised on harness). I don't trust other people and there are so many possibilities for accidents, whether it's cars, dogs or wildlife etc. I hope your other cat stays safe x

It isn’t nature. It’s more environmental damage caused by humans.

We breed huge numbers of domesticated cats and dogs (not nature) and release cats in particular into the wilds of our towns and villages.

Domestic cats are not a natural native species but they do a lot of damage to our natural native species.

So this is environmental damage…but it is humans again.

This is untrue. Cats can very successfully be kept as house cats and gardens can be cat proofed.

It is an expense to do this, but if you have angled fencing that extends in towards the garden and it is wide enough and not made of sturdy material, the cat will be unable to climb over it.

Plenty of people cat proof their garden to keep in pedigree animals and go on to be able to love those pets for many years. I’m not sure why you think this is not possible?

Not really bothered if you believe me or not. But you’re giving my colleagues and I a right laugh at your expense it certainly has cheered up our Monday morning.

The next client who believes they know the law because they read it on Mumsnet will be contacting us shortly we’re sure.

Not sure where you are then, but it’s a practice that goes back here forever and is also common across Europe. Oh and I forgot Wood Pigeon.

Have you spoken to the police? If I thought my neighbour was killing animals that is the first thing I would do.

But honestly, the neighbour seems unhinged and I wouldn't get cats while living next to someone like that.

@ScrubbedCauliflower oh you see it in your mysterious job? I believe you. Who pays you to deal with bird disputes, not the taxpayer, I hope?

I mean this man told you he had accidentally killed a cat before and that he hates cats.

I would have built a catio or got the garden cat fenced to keep your cats in. I still would now.

However honestly right now I wouldn’t be going around asking for peoples cctv. Because even if you see him putting the cat there, that’s not proof he did anything to it. He could just claim it was dead in a bush and he moved it to the road to be spotted.

Your neighbour is still going to be your shitty neighbour. Priority should be keeping your remaining cat safe.

I do live rurally but not in the UK. Definitely don't see wild game on any menus.

Ffs you let your animals be a nuisance to everyone around you take some responsibility your actions got your cat killed keep it indoors and hey presto problem solved my neighbours cat shits under my tree every fucking day I take it and put in in the plant pot by her front door it absolutely stinks - you want the animal but you don’t want to take responsibility for it.

You clearly don’t live very rurally. Where I live in the U.K., it’s perfectly normal to see wild pheasant, guinea fowl, quail and partridge on the menus of local pubs and restaurants. Our local pub’s owner regularly obtains what’s on the menu in wild shoots (inc venison). The latest wild menu kills are then announced on the pub’s socials. He has all the relevant licenses. Shoots of wild birds for personal consumption are organised every year in the season too. We live in the South West of England

Im confused as to why you would get cats knowing your neighbour actively hated them and killed a previous cat without setting up a safe space for them first. Surely you had ample opportunity to cat proof your garden or set up a catio?
Its like letting your cat free roam when you live next to a busy road....then being shocked when they get run over!

Im sorry for your loss OP but you should of kept your cats safe IMO.

This is a sensible response. If there is footage and it shows him placing the cat there, 100% go to the police.
If there is footage that shows the cat being hit by a car or being killed some other way, you need to let it go. And perhaps consider that, as you mention neighbours in the plural saying this was the one that was mostly on bird tables and you then know has been killed on the road, you need to make your garden more secure for your cats.

Good idea but just tell them your cat was killed and you want to know how it happened.

Doesn't need to be about getting run over or anything about a neighbour. Could be a fox, or it fell out of a tree.

Lots of people like cats so will only be too happy to help

quoting an edited version of my response really isn’t helpful. Let’s include the example I gave shall we about people who purport to be bird lovers who kill rats and I know and have known several neighbours who do this. I also see it in my job all the time, which deals with property and neighbour disputes. Still you apparently know better

”We have another neighbour who has 2 bird tables and 8 bird feeders which are filled to the brim for the birds all year round. He then wonders why he has a rat infestation. So he puts down rat poison. He then wonders why he keeps finding dead hares in his garden without a mark on them and why the hedgehogs and owls seem to have disappeared. He also found a dead red kite in his garden last week.”

Wtf? His 'position' doesn't really matter. He sounds like a controlling arsehole at best and at worst........

The risks OP knew about were traffic etc, she obviously shouldn't have to think that the neighbour would kill her cat.

Your post is odd.

So sorry. Sending lots of ❤❤

I adore cats and this makes me very angry and sad for you. X

Cats don't have a serious impact on bird or rodent numbers in the UK. Despite the many millions that they kill annually.

People tend to ignore predation by other birds and mammals, even the grey squirrel is a huge predator of birds, when making the claim that decline in numbers is due to roaming cats. For good reason, they're not responsible for species decline in the UK either.

By far the biggest threat they face is from human activity, including both habitat loss and pesticides.

It can't hurt to put a bell on your cat's collar, but it won't make a difference to overall bird numbers.

How do you unintentionally kill a cat because it chased a bird?

I can't believe you didn't keep them indoors at this point.

This whole story is nuts.

So offended that you quoted it again, in bold, for anyone who missed it 😂