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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to want to be able to leave my window/patio etc open without next door's cat coming in?

23 replies

LifeIsButtercream · 14/08/2011 11:51

I know IABU as there really isn't anything that neighbours could do about it!

Seriously though even if I leave an upstairs window open a crack this thing gets in, I just found it in my kitchen after I'd opened my patio by an inch to get rid of the smoke after burning the cheese on toast again

Don't get me wrong I like cats, I'd have one but I'm renting and not allowed on lease, I should probably admire the critter's determination and slender hips, neither of which I posess

My 2yr old is wandering around saying "sneaky cat" over and over. Someone please feel my pain

OP posts:

takethisonehereforastart · 14/08/2011 11:57

Some previous neighbours had a small thin dog that used to get out of the cat flap in their back door and come into our house if the back door was open, which it often was as we have a dog of our own.

We'd often find him asleep on our bed or sofa. We'd take him back, ring their doorbell, they'd be surprised to find us standing on their step holding their dog, apologise and take him back.

By the time we'd get back into our own house the dog would have been back out the cat flap, over the fence, through our back door and be curled up on our sofa again.

We got quite fond of him in the end.

Could you perhaps get those insect net things for the windows, in the hope of keeping him out that way?

MeconiumHappens · 14/08/2011 12:04

Get yourself a water pistol and blast the cat every time it comes in the house, it'll soon get the message. Or borrow a friends ferocious looking dog for a day, cat will spot him and never come in again.
Good luck!

BibiBlocksberg · 14/08/2011 13:10

Oh god, I AM the neighbour who has one of these slender-hipped, neighbour bothering cats

No matter how many times she's shouted at, clapped at, sprayed with water she is determined to get in next door.

She's very well catered for and very loved by me so it's not neglect.

She's just sooooo nosey - I really feel for my neighbours and am mortified when they tell me of the cats latest escapade.

Have been wracking my brains as to how to stop her bothering next door so will be following this thread with interest for any ideas.

PrettyCandles · 14/08/2011 13:21

Oh, I feel your pain.

The previous owners of our house had cats but we do not, which means that our garden was turf war for at least a year after we moved in. Now that territory has been more-or-less sorted, we only get a couple of regular opportunist cat visitors, rather than every cat in the neighbourhood.

I don't know what to do, either. The only thing that works is keeping every door and window shut. I've thought about getting a water-pistol and filling it with very weak ammonia solution. (Very weak - only enough to have an unpleasant smell, not strong enough to harm .) But by the time I get to the cat, it's dashed off. Except for one, who is so sweet and friendly, always comes for a cuddle and purrs incredibly loudly. I haven't the heart! Also, this one is a fairly rare visitor and only turns up at night, while I'm always befuddled with sleep and not wearing my glasses, so I don't actually know what it looks like.

DogsBestFriend · 14/08/2011 13:25

I wonder how long it will take...

saggarmakersbottomknocker · 14/08/2011 13:33

I too feel your pain.

My neighbour's cat keeps trying to get in my bedroom window at night. I don't like cats - I think it knows this and is tormenting me on purpose. It's a PITA having to only have the window open a tiny bit at night. I think this cat has opposable thumbs actually because unless I've locked it down it tries to open the window wider.

bedheadz · 14/08/2011 13:37

I feel your pain, I do have a cat but that doesn't stop next doors tom cat from sneaking in and spraying all over the carpets.

it actually got in my teenagers bedroom and sprayed in her wardrobe all over her clothes.

hollygolightlyandcat · 14/08/2011 13:52

Splash some olbas oil in water around the window sill where the cat comes in. Cats hate the smell so it should deter the cat from coming in. We used it to stop a local stray from spraying our front door.

ProcrastinatorGeneral · 14/08/2011 13:54

candles If you spray ammonia the cat will be more driven to pee and return. It smells like pee to them and they have to 'overpower' it. I learnt this the hard way by bleaching the bathroom every time my sod of a stupid ginger tom missed the litter tray. After a while he thought it was a game >_

evenlessnarkypuffin · 14/08/2011 13:55

I was going to say eucalyptus oil Holly!

Of course you might have an anosmic trespassing ca.

evenlessnarkypuffin · 14/08/2011 13:55

cat

Kladdkaka · 14/08/2011 13:56

One of my neighbours used to complain about my cat terrorising her dogs (2 rotties). I didn't know whether to be or :o

purplepidjin · 14/08/2011 14:11

Lion poo on the window sill?

BuntyPenfold · 14/08/2011 15:38

That's nothing, my neighbour's cat comes round and bites me!

milkmilklemonade · 14/08/2011 17:14

Orange peel around the window/door really works. I use it to stop my cats shitting in the garden (don't worry, I don't have neighbours for them to go to) and it is amazingly effective. If you come face to face with the cat, squeeze the peel outwards so the oil comes out of the outer skin, they HATE it and soon learn to avoid it. I have also discovered by accident that Tea Tree makes them sneeze after my latest natural tick repellent experiment.

Gastonladybird · 14/08/2011 17:17

Does yorur 2 year old not do the job? We had an issue with next doors cats but arrival of dd and ESP if has a few friends round shrieking cat at High volume worked better than a dog

Andrewofgg · 14/08/2011 17:18

DBF I'm going to disappoint you. I'm not going to say what you are waiting for . . .

Beware of cats. They are waiting for someone to invent a tin of tuna they can open with their paws; after which, my fellow-humans, we will be obsolete and they will take over.

WhereYouLeftIt · 14/08/2011 17:54

Water-pistol, preferably when it is half-way through (so that it associates entering with getting wet). It doesn't hurt the cat and it keeps it busy for the next hour doing a top-to-tail self-clean, when it cannot be trying it on again. Pretty soon it will decide not to bother.

PrettyCandles · 14/08/2011 19:36

Procrastinator Ammonia and bleach are not the same thing. Bleach smells of swimming pools, ammonia, yes, it does smell of wee, but cats don not like smelling of wee!

Verahaspurpletwuntypants · 14/08/2011 19:44

My cat learnt the hard way not to be nosy. Had a night shut in a neighbours garage whilst she (neighbour) was at work.

It the seagulls that walk in your patio doors here. Pesky things.

BibiBlocksberg · 14/08/2011 21:35

"They are waiting for someone to invent a tin of tuna they can open with their paws; after which, my fellow-humans, we will be obsolete and they will take over"

YouDoTheMath · 14/08/2011 21:41

Ugh. We have the same problem.

The scrawny things next door clearly are't fed properly, but that doesn't mean I want to take responsibility for them. They come in to eat my cat's food and piss up the table legs.

mummytotwoboys · 14/08/2011 23:04

YADNBU, I love cats, I have 2 cats but I cant leave our doors open because the manky incontinent Tom from three doors down likes to wander in and pee on my babys mat. I dont know what the solution is but its old so hopefully it will die soon maybe I could try the water pistol!

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