Neighbour just rung doorbell at 2.30am!

Oh dear. MN is not the place to post this. There are a lot of people on the pet threads who genuinely priorities their pets over people. Even over the closest relatives.

YA of course, NBU. She’s completely mental. I’d be fuming too.

Poor cat. If it’s an indoor cat, that’s cruel.

Give the #bekind a rest ffs

Given her distress I assume the cat doesn’t usually go out. I would have been irritated but would have looked at 2:30. I know there’s lots of ‘it’s a bloody cat’ comments but for some people their pets are the strongest bond they have. Yes lots of problems with that, but I do try to be understanding of that (eg when team members at work need some support because of pet issues). . Also my rabbit escaped and died when I was 7 years old and I had never felt distress like it. So the 7 year old me understand the panic.

I don’t think there’s much risk of this happening again given her level of upset as I assume the cat is usually in.

I’m confused - why is the cat outside an issue? Is it an indoor cat which escaped? Cats are often nocturnal so the cat is likely having a great time hunting mice, enjoying some peace and quiet.

its the year 2026- can we stop with this whole ‘be kind’ ? I’ve had enough. It’s a manipulation tactic to get people to do things they don’t want but should do. 2.30am calls unless an emergency are completely unreasonable

waking a neighbour at 230 am is ‘not kind’

Agreed
It is rude and thoughtless

BUT
If it had never happened before
and clearly the woman was in quite a state
I wouldn’t have got angry

Or she is just selfish. Even if she does have issues, all the more reason for OP to be firm or it will give the woman a free pass to do it again.

My thoughts too. Why else would she have been so upset?

Because it is so entitled, rude and unsocially acceptable to wake your neighbours at 2.30am for anything that isn't a medical emergency or a fire/flood

The neighbour wasn't "being kind" to op and her family when she decided that their need for sleep and a settled night was way down below her need to find her cat

Not everyone has to do things at the total detriment of themselves in the act of "being kind" It's ok for op to be angry about this and put boundaries in place

I would have been annoyed I struggle to stay asleep at the best of times and especially on a week night! But I wouldn’t go round just leave it. Btw is she elderly or younger ? I would understand more if she is older and maybe living on her own

I can't believe anyone thinks you're unreasonable let alone multiple posters! This women sounds completely devoid of any social understanding and I suspect all those be kind doormats wouldn't be so easy going and kind had they been disturbed by the doorbell multiple times before 5.30 over a cat.

Had she opened with, "I am so sorry to disturb you at this time of night but my cat is very sick and has escaped into your garden ..." it might be a different story.

Clearly this woman has issues
If it had never happened before - I wouldn’t have got angry

If it happened again though….!

yes tonight’s there’s been drama

but it would appear the first and only time this has ever happened

In that case, it's probably the first and only time OP has kicked off with her neighbour for this reason. Why is it only on OP to 'be kind' and accept the neighbour waking her up when all she had to do was ring OP's doorbell at a more reasonable hour?

If you are going to be selfish and ring someone's doorbell at 2:30am when it isn't an emergency, very few people are going to 'be kind' and rightly so.

It does seem the neighbour is unwell though- for whatever reason. Either she has anxiety or something more.

I mean to be fair its now happened twice before 6am - I certainly wouldn't be encouraging that

Oh come on, someone who rang at 2:30 about a cat would have pissed me off too.
Keep the cats indoors.

Did she have the decency to apologise? Did she give ANY mitigating circumstances for this bonkersness?!

This has never ever happened before has it?

Guessing this is the first and only time that this has ever happened

and rather than just being kind you chose to kick off and start a thread about how angry you are

A total mentalist!
On no planet was the neighbour’s behaviour ok. And I say that as a very devoted cat owner.

Yanbu at all.

Your neighbour is incredibly selfish if she thinks it acceptable to ring the doorbell at 2.30am and and again at 5.15am

Missing cat is not an emergency that warrants waking your neighbours.

Can't believe some people on this thread think you or husband should have pandered to her at 2.30am!

I would be seething over this, I’m usually the easygoing type.
Tell her to secure something against her fence.