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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

AIBU or is my Dog owning Neighbour?

33 replies

GoodWitchHunting · 30/11/2011 20:50

I really can't decide if I am the one at fault. And if I am, well, what do I do about it?

I live on the ground floor of a block of flats and I have a cat. He comes and goes through the kitchen window and never seems to venture beyond our road. He is very often found in the front garden or on the front wall lapping up the attention from people passing by.

A neighbour upstairs owns a large dog. He knocked my door today and asked that I keep the cat inside as his dog is very wound up when he sees him and he's frightened they will fight and the cat will be harmed. At first, he seemed to be saying keep him inside completely and I said that I didn't really think I could do that....

But after a while, he made it clearer he meant keep him out of the common entrance and stairs.

I never let him out there so he must be coming in when other neighbours enter through the main doors.

He seemed quite insistent that I stop this from happening as he has no control over the dog. He walks the dog 3-4 times a day and used to let him down to the door and then put on the lead but now he has to put the lead on the dog before he leaves his flat and it's annoying.

I basically said that I didn't know how I could stop him getting in the main front door, that I never let him out that way myself and that I was sorry for the trouble but I don't see how I can control the cat. He seemed very angry still and stormed off muttering about not being responsible if his dog hurts my cat.

AIBU? I'm a bit worried for my cat's safety now :(

OP posts:

Honeydragon · 30/11/2011 21:51

UANBU

Off or on the lead my dog will not chase a cat when under my control. The neighbours cats regularly lie on the pavement ans she walks past. They come into her garden, then bloody bedlam ensues

Your neighbour should have his dog under control.

Could you ask your neighbours to try not let the cat in and explain why? At least then he will see you are trying to do something?

RoyalWelsh · 30/11/2011 21:52

It's a bit of a silly thing to say IMO, and I have a dog (and a cat but that isn't the point here! I see it as my responsibility to make sure my dog is under control at all times - be that on or off lead. For example, I know my dog can be a bit silly about horses and 'forgets' to listen to me and come back when I call her if she is off lead, therefore I am vigilant and if I see a horse I put the lead back on. I think it is very odd he came to you admitting he had no control over his pet so expects you to curb your pets behaviour.

saintlyjimjams · 30/11/2011 22:25

I own two cats and a dog.

He is being insane.

We have had similar problems with our next door neighbour and our cats (well one of them).

Joolyjoolyjoo · 30/11/2011 22:29

YANBU! I like SoupDragon's suggestion earlier, that you tell him you will have a word with your cat. This is exactly what I said, with a very straight face, to a neighbour who complained that my cat was watching her bird table and scaring the birds away. She never came round again.

Winkly · 01/12/2011 11:12

I walked a dog that tried to run for the same fake slate cat every single day. (Incredibly stupid dog). Wouldn't have dreamed of letting him off the lead. Anyway why is your neighbour annoyed by putting on the lead 30 seconds earlier? Surely its easier in his own hallway and there's less chance someone's left the door open so the dog could run out (chasing the cat?) YANBU

tulipgrower · 01/12/2011 11:56

Sorry slightly off topic, but what if this had been a next door neighbour with a private garden? Would he have to keep his dog in doors all the time, in case the cat wandered into the garden? Are pet owner's responsible for damage to other pets which wander onto their property?

In the OP's case, I'd probably put up a note on the door, and have a word with all the neighbours not to let the cat in, just to be on the safe side.

StealthPenguin · 01/12/2011 12:07

The dog is allowed free roam of a communal area and the owner has freely admitted that the dog is excitable. And the poor, hard-done-by dog owner who, I'm being presumptious here, actually went out of his way to become a dog-owner, finds it horribly difficult to put a lead on before they take the stairs down.

The cat is never allowed into the communal area because of this dog, who isn't restrained and will happily attack.

OP, you are quite possibly the most non-unreasonable person on the planet. I'd have been far less polite to the hypocritical sod. He's essentially saying "control your cat because I can't be arsed to control my dog".

PetiteRaleuse · 01/12/2011 12:17

My cats are indoors cats. Part of the reason why is because my neighbours have a dog which shreds cats for fun. Lovely dog in general, just hates cats.

I also know someone whose cat was killed by a dog.

In your case however your neighbour could keep his dog on a lead. In my case the neighbours have a private garden and I could hardly ask them to keep control of their dog in their garden, especially as they warned us of her cat killing tendancies. If someone asked me to control my dog in my garden I'd tell them where to go (unless he was causing a nuisance)

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