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Original poster

Terrified of cats and one keeps appearing in rental property

39 replies

Eastie77 · 05/07/2021 13:23

I realise this will make some people shake their heads and chuckle but it is a real problem for me.

I have recently sold a property and moved into a rental pending a house purchase. I chose a ground floor garden flat so the DC would have somewhere to play. Since moving in, a cat has wondered into the flat several times when the back door leading to the garden is left open. I have had a deep rooted fear of cats since childhood and have been left shaking uncontrollably whenever this happens. The cat seems well looked after (not a stray) so I assume it belongs to someone nearby but I do not know any of the neighbours and actually have set eyes on any of them since we moved in. DC and DP love cats and are completely untroubled by this, they've said just shoo it away but when I try that the cat just stands it's ground and stares at meConfused. We will probably be here for at least another 3-4 months minimum and at the moment I'm a prisoner in the flat with all doors and windows closed when I'm here alone WFH during the day. (I'm worried it will leap through an open window).

I don't know what I'm hoping for by sharing this. I guess I just have to count down the days until we leaveSad

OP posts:
milinhas · 05/07/2021 13:25

How annoying for you, perhaps the old owners used to feed it? I think keeping the windows and doors open is probably all you can do sadly, unless you want to spend £££ cat-proofing the garden.

Reallyreallyborednow · 05/07/2021 13:28

Have you thought about therapy for your fear?

If the sight of a cat leaves you shaking uncontrollably this fear is affecting your daily life and functioning so probably worth seeing a GP for phobia treatment.

What happens when you see a cat on the street? Same reaction?

Soubriquet · 05/07/2021 13:30

I agree with therapy. Seeing a cat shouldn’t leave you shaking in fear

In the mean time, get a squirty gun and spray it with water every time it’s near

It won’t harm the cat and should get rid of it it.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Cats
Original poster
Eastie77 · 05/07/2021 13:31

Yes, DP said the previous tenant may have fed the catSad We will hopefully not be here for too much longer so I don't want to spend any money on cat proofing, not that I have any idea what that would involve!

OP posts:
Screamingcowboy99 · 05/07/2021 13:32

Is there another cat in the flats? We've started having a cat hanging around our back garden after a new neighbour moved in with a cat. I'm presuming it's a male trying to get lucky.

We have a motion sensor thing that makes a noise in our garden to scare away cats. I'm not scared of them, but I lived in a house where the neighbours cats used my garden as a toilet. It's horrible when you have DC.

Original poster
Eastie77 · 05/07/2021 13:33

I haven't considered therapy, no. I can handle seeing a cat in other settings, ie someone else's house as long as it is kept away from me.

Finding a large black cat in my hallway or my bedroom - not so much.

OP posts:
mikadolado · 05/07/2021 13:36

I would get some netting or something similar to put over the window/door when it is open to let the air in but not the cat. Alternatively buy a whistle and blow it when you see the cat so it will run out.

BarbaraofSeville · 05/07/2021 13:44

Most cats hate vacuum cleaners, so if you started that up every time it came round, it might stop doing it.

Maybe the old tenants used to feed it. Cats are entitled arseholes, it's decided that it has free reign of your house, so will just barge in as it sees fit.

Plus as it can sense your fear OP, it knows that it's intimidating you, so is probably quite enjoying itself Smile.

Spyro1234 · 05/07/2021 13:45

Spray it with water!!! I hate cats

Original poster
Eastie77 · 05/07/2021 14:45

Thank you..I will try the water spray gun (I did think of this but wasn't sure if it was considered cruel), the hoover and whistle.

It's a shame as the garden is lovely but I'm now too nervous to sit in it:(

I'm sure the cat can pick up on my fear. The kids childminder has one and it makes a beeline for me whenever I enter her house. CM said the cat senses my dislike and so is 'targeting' meConfused. She recently tried some kind of shock therapy whereby she made me sit down on her sofa and allow the cat to jump on my lap. It began to claw me and she giggled as I flailed and tried to push it off my lap.

I honestly do not understand why so many people love these creatures.

OP posts:
Joolsin · 05/07/2021 14:50

I adore cats, op, and feel sad for you that you don't, but of course you're absolutely within your rights to not want a cat visitor. Yy to spray bottle and hoover, it's a harmless way of teaching him he's not welcome.

DogsSausages · 05/07/2021 14:53

It wont hurt you but its frightening you, a quick sharp hiss at it might make it run off.

Branleuse · 05/07/2021 14:55

What happened to you in childhood to make you so scared of cats?

Kinsters · 05/07/2021 15:02

Definitely a spray bottle. They hate even the sound of them so you don't have to get close to it and it'll scarper very quickly. I use a normal spray bottle (not even a water pistol) for whenever my cat is doing something she shouldn't and it's very effective.

Paddling654 · 05/07/2021 15:04

You need to get help with this.

Wolfiefan · 05/07/2021 15:06

A water spray absolutely won’t hurt a cat. I have cats and I would have no problem with them being sprayed if they were being a menace. I would leave the door closed but find a way to have windows open without letting cat in. Restricting how far they open? Netting?

NoPostToday · 05/07/2021 15:09

I’d get a baby gate so it can’t wander in through the open door. I would also give it a good soaking with a water gun, after a few times it will learn and not come back.

Wolfiefan · 05/07/2021 15:11

@NoPostToday most cats could easily get in between the rungs of a stairgate or just jump over it!

EndSI · 05/07/2021 15:13

Get an ultrasonic cat scarer (e.g. from amazon). Position it in back garden/by back door.

They do generally work to deter cats.

NoPostToday · 05/07/2021 15:20

@Wolfiefan I’d use two, one above the other. A net over the gaps if they’re too wide. Or even just a net curtain weighed down with door stops, to let air through but not cats.

NoPostToday · 05/07/2021 15:21

Or a paravent so it looks nice?

Gingerkittykat · 05/07/2021 15:29

@Eastie77

Thank you..I will try the water spray gun (I did think of this but wasn't sure if it was considered cruel), the hoover and whistle.

It's a shame as the garden is lovely but I'm now too nervous to sit in it:(

I'm sure the cat can pick up on my fear. The kids childminder has one and it makes a beeline for me whenever I enter her house. CM said the cat senses my dislike and so is 'targeting' meConfused. She recently tried some kind of shock therapy whereby she made me sit down on her sofa and allow the cat to jump on my lap. It began to claw me and she giggled as I flailed and tried to push it off my lap.

I honestly do not understand why so many people love these creatures.

Cats don't like eye contact, when people who don't like them ignore them it makes that person seem less threatening so they go to them.
Reallyreallyborednow · 05/07/2021 15:29

I'm sure the cat can pick up on my fear. The kids childminder has one and it makes a beeline for me whenever I enter her house. CM said the cat senses my dislike and so is 'targeting' meconfused

No-likely the opposite. What is probably happening is you aren’t looking at the cat or making eye contact.

People who like cats automatically look at them, Cats see this as a challenge/threat and will avoid people who stare at them.

People who don’t like cats avoid looking at them- the cat percieves this as no threat and are more likely to make friendly overtures.

Stare the buggers down.

ItsJustTheOneSwanActually · 05/07/2021 16:58

I have 3 cats. Water pistol, can of keyboard duster or a loud hiss should see it off.

We have to evict neighbouring cats so they don’t fight with ours in the garden

JovialNickname · 05/07/2021 17:04

I feel your pain because although I love cats, I hate and fear dogs. If a random dog kept coming into my house unexpectedly I don't think I could live there.

This probably seems quite cruel to the cat people, but cats are skittish and you can make them run away easily, without picking them up. Either spray them with a water mister or make loud hissing sounds and stamp your feet, it'll be off straight away. I know you'll still have to be in proximity to the cat to do this but you can squirt/stamp from a few feet! Good luck