Terrified of cats and one keeps appearing in rental property

[Eastie77]

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 me. 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 leave

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' me

It's because most cats dislike direct eye contact, and people who dislike cats avoid looking at them

My mum doesn't dislike cats but she's not really a cat person - all three of my cats make a beeline for her when she comes in the house. She sits on the sofa and ignores them, and within 5 minutes they've all come and rubbed all over her and climbed on her lap, lol.

Like PP said, a water gun is a good option (it's not cruel, honestly). They'll soon learn that coming into your garden means they'll get a good soaking and won't bother anymore.

I love cat’s, I have always had them. Where we lived before, my Siamese took a liking to a neighbour, and was constantly trying to get into her house. I actually suggested that she spray my cat with water, it worked every time……..not cruel at all.

I hate cats too. I would freak if one came in my house. Definitely try water.

In the long run it would be better to get therapy for it.

I love cats and used to have a neighbour's cat come round all the time. It would jump in our kitchen window and steal my cats food!
I once chucked a glass of water over it (which made me feel guilty)
However it wasn't deterred by the water at all! in the end we had to learn to live with it until we moved!

Thank you for the replies. I had absolutely no idea about the eye contact!! I will stare at the garden cat and the childminders one when I next see it.

@Branleuse I don't actually have a clear memory of this but I was scratched by a cat when I was quite small (my mum has confirmed this) and I've been scared of them ever since. I find them menacing, sly and generally unpleasant.

I absolutely love dogs though:)

Agree with the water gun idea - it’s no crueler than rain coming down on them, as long as you’re not aiming it directly at its face and eyes! A few squirts when it comes in the house, and it will go off the idea of wanting to visit.

They aren't menacing, they are just aloof. It is nothing to be frightened of. But I would spray it with water and get one of those high pitched alarms.

Stare without blinking!

As PP said, cats don't like eye contact. The way a cat "smiles" at you is to close its eyes and turn its head away. Unfortunately that's what people who dislike cats do.

Second the water pistol. It's not cruel, and it's your bloody house!

Honestly this place is like a house of horrors. Last night I heard horrific screeching in the garden. Looked outside to see what seemed to be a fox fighting with another animal. Part of the garden is in chaos this morning, like a crime scene. I appreciate these are just normal everyday urban occurences but I'm really not used to all of this.

Ironically I'm looking to buy a house with a large garden so I think I need to woman up and overcome my fears (I hate foxes too!).

Finding a random large, black cat in my house would make me very happy.

That aside, I sympathise with your fear of cats. I'm terrified of insects.

It is highly unlikely that any cat would ever harm you.

Make it unpleasant for the cat to be in your house, a spray bottle of water, the vacuum cleaner or a hairdryer turned on will make it scarper.

Just came on to say that mine hate tin foil. Could lay some by the door or on the window sill?

One thing we do in my country is screen the windows and doors with something that looks like tulle fabric - mosquito netting. You clean the frame well, then stick on the spiky kind of velcro tape. This holds the fabric in place. We use to keep out the insects, but you can pull it taut and it will also keep out a cat.

You could also fire the water gun through it!