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am I a bad neighbour?

8 replies

QueenofWhisperz · 22/08/2018 00:29

So, I have this neighbour who is an entitled little shit.

In the past, I have watched her cat twice, once for a week 4 years ago and another more recent (a couple weeks ago) where her cat went missing for 6 hours...but was fine he was sleeping in some clothes (we have just moved back into our old flat after being away for 4 years).

I am a super responsible person, so when I realised I didn't see the cat for more than two hours, I told her I was worried and that I was looking for her cat. We had a delivery before the cat was noticed missing--and I stood in a way where the cat could not have escaped. The door hadn't been opened before or after that so I estimated the chance of escape to be quite low.

In the end, the cat had fallen asleep in my hamper in the bathroom and he woke up and he was fine. She was away and demanded I return her cat to her flat right away. She had another neighbour print out fliers and post them everywhere within minutes of me telling her that I couldn't find her cat. All the neighbours act like I'm an irresponsible neighbour.

Cats sleep, cats hide. I had to alert herbecause I'm not used to cats and if in the off chance anything had happenedwell I wanted her to know that I was doing my best. She was due to return from her trip the next morning so at that point I had watched her cat successfully for 90% of her time away. Her thanks were incredibly bare and all I heard from her was about her feelings of her missing cat... Also, I found out after, the neighbours refuse to watch the cat because it runs away and she refuses to put a collar on the cat.

-Now, this morning I was going to work and my car was waiting for me (I was super late)and I have a separate entrance to the building to everyone else. I don't let strangers into the building (I can grant access to the building, but generally don't need to) and a dishevelled older lady was coming out of the front door holding a tonne of envelopes, they looked like our mail. I said 'Hello' and if I could help her and she proceeded to ask me for money.

I said I didn't have any and the uber driver was getting impatient. As I didn't let her in; I assumed someone else had or she had a key. I have a granny with dementia who does stuff like this all the time. I figured I'd alert the neighbours.

I took a picture of her and shared it in our building chat; in case she was a loopy relative (because the only way to get access to the building is if you have a key or if someone lets you in).

The neighbour with the cat I have watched (out of kindness) messages with a super aggressive message about my responsibility to call the police.

should I have? I got pretty beat up in the whatsapp thread about my responsibilities as a neighbour but my kindness is always overlooked.

OP posts:
QueenofWhisperz · 22/08/2018 17:34

bump

OP posts:
PatrolThat · 22/08/2018 18:06

I got pretty beat up in the whatsapp thread about my responsibilities as a neighbour

By who? Others, or just the batshit cat lady?

B00dyM4ry · 22/08/2018 18:10

I would have nothing to do with any of them from now on.

QueenofWhisperz · 22/08/2018 20:51

The Cat girl just won't stop

OP posts:
TacoFriday · 22/08/2018 21:01

What’s your responsibility, exactly?

wowfudge · 22/08/2018 21:02

So watching her cat involved cat sitting in her flat? I'd go in and feed it, maybe change the litter tray if needed, but no more. Disengage.

PlateOfBiscuits · 22/08/2018 21:09

’when I realised I didn't see the cat for more than two hours, I told her I was worried and that I was looking for her cat.’
I think this was a bit of an over reaction but I can’t really talk because I secretly panic when I don’t know where my own (indoor/stuck to me like glue) cat is.

Now you’re a bit wiser to both her and cats: if you feel happy to watch her cat again in the future then do and if you don’t then don’t. No biggie.

QueenofWhisperz · 22/08/2018 22:14

I will never ever do Cat girl anymore favours.

It's just knowing that the rest of my neighbours think badly of me. I'm from a smallish town where you're supposed to be lovely to neighbours.

@tacofriday
she says my responsibility was to stand there and call the police until someone came and checked out the lady...or at least call the police and report the 'crime'. I just wasn't sure a crime was taking place. The lady had gotten access to the building somehow-either her own key or another tenant. I just didn't recognise her and I know I hadn't given her access.

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