Feel awful but I really don't think it's my fault. TW pet death

[Pebbles16]

We've been away for a few days and the shed was closed but, during the storm the door opened.
It seems that a neighbouring cat found his way into the shed and then got stuck.
Came home, opened shed to get pegs etc... cat is dead.
Obviously we weren't here so have no idea what actually happened.
Have contacted the cat's owner (we have a great neighbourhood WA group) and they have really kicked off. Called me a murderer via DM rather than in group chat.
Refuses to come round.
I feel so bad that this happened in our garden, but I really don't think it's my fault. Despite that I am in floods and don't know what to do with the cat. It's hot and I can't just leave the poor thing there.

Jesus!

I love animals so I would feel awful if this happened, but it obviously wasn't your fault. However, any guilt or sorry feelings I had would have gone out the window after that private message from them.
I would screen shot their horrible message, put it in the neighbourhood group chat and give them a deadline to get their cat, before you contact the council to come & collect it.

ETA sorry, I committed the cardinal MN sin of not reading updates before posting.
They sound even more fucking horrible now.

The police cars are very much the hot topic on the WA group. I am not saying anything,
It's going to take a lot of lavender and plinky plonky music to get me to sleep tonight...
I feel really sorry for the lady because her cat died (and yes, there were no signs of destruction, so perhaps he/she was ill) but she/owner does seem to behaved a little strangely

The cat was vagabonding on your property.
You are not responsible for their cat.
it may have been hit by a car, eaten poison, or simply come to the end of its life

@Pebbles16 I'd come off the local neighbours group.

Why would you not say what happened on the WhatsApp group? You’ve nothing to hide. Anyway at least the police have removed the poor cat.

Has she told the police you murdered the cat? Is that why they’ve taken the cat away?

I think the police had the measure of her (after about half an hour in my house and me showing them the messages). Thankfully (for me), they took the cat away - have no idea whether they will look into their death.
Years ago, different location, my dog was poisoned but could not be proved.
Only just remembered that - was 50 years ago.

@Gingercar
I do think the lady is having a hard time with her cat dying.
The neighbours (I hope) know who I am, so once this malarkey has died down, all will be normal-ish. Strangely, the "middle man" neighbour hasn't messaged me, perhaps they are similarly worried about neighbour - who is still ranting.
My (silent) message: "dear cat lady neighbour, please go to bed and sleep as well sa you can"
(It will be better than me, because I am a jittery mess and would like to clean the entire house but I'm not sure 11pm on a Sunday is the best time to start.
Thanks MN peeps for helping me feel less mad.

@Notaripoff they didn't say anything to me but I understand that they visited her tonight - both before and after me.
She hasn't re-engaged on the WA - which is usually about babysitting and "who would like...."
I do feel like I'm in a film. Am so tired and also jittery

Try to sleep.

you know you haven't done anything wrong.

i too suspect the poor cat was ill or hurt & found shelter in your shed. As many have said, it likely woukd have been able to get out if it hadn't gone there to die as it wasn't locked & cats are clever!!

a normal reaction from the owner would have been devastated, but aware it want your fault, and to want to cond & get their cat.

whatever is going on with her is much deeper & I hope she gets the help she needs. She's more likely to mis gavjnv reports you having a dead body in your house!

im sorry your house was turned upside fine. Hopefully you can make it feel clean & like home tomorrow.

try to condone yourself that your shed l in fly fave a hurt/sick cat it's a refuge!

Thank you @AmelieSummer25
Box breathing ahead because I am knackered and brain is going a million miles an hour

Your neighbour is off their head!! What an awful shock I hope they're prosecuted for wasting police time

Omg Op that’s awful

Firstly the cat is definitely not your fault. Chances are it was injured or sick anyway, because I doubt very much 4 days in a shed would cause it to die. And to be honest if it got in the shed by itself it could probably get out too if it wanted to.

Your neighbour sounds nuts! I hope the police gave her a talking to. I mean what exactly did she hope to achieve by that? Clearly she must have some serious issues because that is not the behavior of a sane person.

They rocked up within an hour or two and searched your house on the say so of a neighbour and without checking the potential identity of the dead body first?

What did it say on the Warrant?

The police would turn up if they were told there was a dead body in a house. The neighbour has obviously given the impression its human

If the police are told there is a dead body in a house they are going to look for it. They aren't going to just believe the word of the home owner that there isn't one and not bother to look. Not sure why you've written that strange little script about it.

Where is the usual due diligence and cross checking?

I find the idea that I could call the police, claim my neighbour has a dead body in their house and see squad cars with a team of police and a signed warrant rocking up within a couple hours to do a full search somewhat surprising.

I would find it more surprising if I reported a dead body to the police and they didn't see it as a priority to come out.

“What makes you think there is a dead body in the house?"
“What have you seen or heard?"
“Who do you think it is?"

Followed by checks on the addresses if there is thought to be some credibility.

Basic checks - the answers to any of the above would have revealed there is no dead human on the premise. Lies in answer to those questions could result in potential prosecution of the neighbour. I would also expect the issuing magistrate to want to see the evidence/answers when issuing the warrant.

If the police don’t carry out that level of due diligence they would spend half their time gaining warrants for non existent dead bodies.

Would they need a warrant, if the owner agrees to a search?

I assume they'd come out to make initial inquiries then come back with a warrant if it's considered there's enough evidence for it.

Sorry you've experienced this, OP.

They don't necessarily need a warrant. And I don't suppose people are ringing up the police and claiming this neighbour has a dead body in their house with such regularity it would lead to them spending 'half their time' attending those sorts of calls.

This wasn’t an officer sent out to talk to the OP it was cars (pl) sent out with a team to search the house within a couple of hours. A search so intrusive that it left the house in chaos.
All without doing the basic due diligence which would have revealed it to be nonsense?

I’d love to know which police force is so well funded it can afford this kind of escapade.

I believe the police are required to attend whenever there's an unexpected death anyway.

Unexpected death reported to them by someone who has seen the body. Yes, even if its not suspicious they have to wait until the coroner’s services collect the body for post mortem.

Random neighbours ringing up to say there is an unspecified and unnamed body which they haven’t seen in a house in their road are not likely to get search teams and squad cars turned out at that speed.

So I’d love to know the police force involved.