Overhead neighbours talking about me?

Is it? Used to have a cat and never called for it. It was the other way around- he came and told me when he wanted to be let in.

The neighbours weren't really saying anything bad about you, just commenting on your behaviour which is a bit annoying.

Calling cats in is surely normal! I call mine! However, I don't shout loud as they are never far away and it's always before 10pm because that's when they have their supper and then they are locked indoors for the night.

Personally Id let the cat or cats roam at night. Mine stays in during the day and goes out, at will, at night. Less cars. Therefore you wont need to call your cats in at night!

If it’s every night (rather than just an occasional missing cat emergency), multiple times, after about 7pm then YABVU. Children often go to bed around 7pm ish, and I’d be bloody pissed off if you ended up waking them up by calling your cats in every evening.

They weren’t exactly saying anything rude about you. You should have just said “oh sorry, I’ll try to keep it down”.

I’m sorry to be blunt Op but this. You already have several cats in what sounds like a densely populated place. I have a nightmare neighbour who screams her kids all day and on top of it now minds multiple dogs. I’m very very over it but I can’t say anything because it’s too awkward and I’m too nice to shop her to the council about the dogs. But I was considering talking to other neighbours about it as I’m at my wits end.

Two points:
People who bitch about others will always bitch about you and
Do you shout at your cats and disturb people?

That would be embarrassing to overhear, but it's understandable that one or both of them might be annoyed by the noise yet feel that it's not worth the awkwardness of raising it with you, especially as many people don't care if they disturb their neighbours.

I'd try to be a bit quieter if I could and pretend it never happened.

Probably annoying right now with windows open, won’t be so bad when it gets colder. It isn’t the worst thing they could be whinging about! I’d shake the food carton a bit or something.

So, how frequently, at what time, how loudly, and for how long do you do your evening outside yelling?

Yeah the daily frequent shouting would be annoying to me, you could have just owned it and said to them like a pp says, sorry is that me, didn’t realise i was so loud, then find an alternative
sounds like the neighbour looking after your cats was mainly agreeing and not bitching tbh

It wouldn't occur to me to call for my cat. He comes in through the cat flap when he's ready.

Yes you would be unreasonable to stop talking to them.

You could say they were bitching about you, but also they have put up with being annoyed daily by you and not said anything, presumably to keep the peace or not upset you or just be tolerant.
Now you know. Unfortunate how you found out but I don't think you have the moral highground here and maybe rather than the silent treatment you should apologise and find a new plan for the cats.

I hear a woman the next street over shouting for her cat every night, our gardens are 100ft so 200ft back to back and she's half way down the road from us. It is annoying. We have a cat and a cat flap, you can lock it overnight if you want to keep them in then. Also cats can be clicker trained like dogs. If I really need mine in (eg unexpected fireworks) I can click and he comes in.

Correct response (IMO)

'Oh hi, you should have said. Sorry, I didn't realise there was a problem!'

As it is, you now know not to call your cats so loudly. Protip: give said cats a couple of Dreamies at the ame time every evening when they come home and they will quickly learn to queue up outside the door.

No need for shouting. Just crack open a tuna tin. All the cats will appear by magic. You might even get some extra cats 🤣

To be honest that would annoy me a lot. It's a shame they haven't spoken to you directly about it though. But shouting outside late at night, whatever the reason, isn't acceptable.

If you're waking the neighbour up then it clearly isn't her playing the loud music at night.

You really need to take the feedback on board op, it's really not OK to be out late shouting.

Ignore them. Especially the hypocrite who listen to music, who's she to talk badly about you calling for your cat?

With that said, do you actually do it every night? For how long? I'm no cat expert, but I thought cats are capable of finding their own way home? Is it necessary to call for it every night?

Just get a cat flap and stop roaring your cats’ names?

What a shame you didn’t go ‘Oy, excuse, Miss I’m going to play music all ruddy night!’ I bloody hate that. Neighbour was using a pneumatic drill yesterday, music blasting (my Dh already told him to turn it down last week). He’s moved into a small street with families/older people and isn’t making himself popular.

Repeatedly calling the cats is extremely annoying!

Calling cats every night sounds really really annoying! Find another way that isn’t annoying and disturbing your neighbours

Stop it. You're disturbing your neighbours. Call them in earlier if you have to call them in, or get a cat flap

YABU. That sounds really annoying and if I were your neighbour, I’d be unhappy too. You are clearly walking your neighbours so stop the shouting.

Suffering from anxiety is irrelevant here.

Why not just get a cat flap