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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Neighbours cat

35 replies

DryIce · 04/04/2016 17:50

Genuine aibu, as I have yet to get home and do anything.

We have a problem with a neighbourhood cat, which hangs about our back yard and terrifies our cats. Not much I can do about that.

A couple of times it has got into our house, most notable this morning where it chased our cats upstairs, made giant messes everywhere (my beautiful wine glasses!) And bit me quite badly when I tried to get it out.

I want to find out whose cat it is and request they keep it inside overnight.

However it gets in through a small kitchen window I like to leave open to air the house, otherwise the kitchen gets quite damo and stuffy.

Aibu to ask them to keep their cat inside when I could also solve this problem by closing my window?

OP posts:
LyndaNotLinda · 04/04/2016 17:54

I don't think you can ask them to keep it in. If it were my car, I'd tell you to shut your window. Sorry !

19lottie82 · 04/04/2016 17:55

YABU. You can't tell someone to keep their cat indoors.

If it bothers you, keep your cats indoors and don't leave your windows doors open wide enough for a cat to get in to your house!

LyndaNotLinda · 04/04/2016 17:55

Cat, not car!

WorraLiberty · 04/04/2016 17:59

Put a bug net up at the window?

NeedACleverNN · 04/04/2016 17:59

Well yanbu to want to have your window open

You can tell someone to keep their cat in either

All you can do is try and cat proof so it can't get in.

Wire mesh on the open window for example

Microchip cat doors for your cat

Iliveinalighthousewiththeghost · 04/04/2016 17:59

Yep. It's your fault. How dare you have the damn audacity to leave your own windows open. (Tongue in cheek, obviously)

NeedACleverNN · 04/04/2016 18:00

Cant*

WetLettuce123 · 04/04/2016 18:03

YABU. According to the law cats are classed as "free roaming" so even if you found the owners and requested they keep it in they would be perfectly within their rights to refuse. The onus is on you to "cat proof" your property and prevent to cat causing a nuisance to you. (You do have my sympathies though this one sounds a nightmare and I love cats!)

PageStillNotFound404 · 04/04/2016 18:05

Yeah, YABU. It's more dangerous for the cat to be out at night but that's the owner's risk to take, I'm afraid.

Can you get a small countertop dehumidifier for the kitchen - it's probably cheaper than replacing smashed wine glasses and other damage.

CiaoVerona · 04/04/2016 18:06

As a multiple cat owner who loves cats I think you've every right to ask them too stop their cat getting into your house I don't know they'll agree to keeping the cat indoors.

You've two issues, one is the cat attacking yours the second is the cat getting in your house.

I genuinely don't think they'll agree to keeping the cat in I think you may have to shut the window I do think you're within your rights to ask them to prevent their cat getting onto your property. Best thing is mention its not nice for your cats if they like cats I think they''ll be receptive to trying to resolve this.

TheoriginalLEM · 04/04/2016 18:07

blimey, you are getting a bit of a harsh ride here OP. How is this cat getting into your house? Can you install a cat flap that reads microchips? They are a bit costly but worth it if you are able to keep unwanted visitors away.

Invest in a water pistol :) a super soaker should do it!

JacquesHammer · 04/04/2016 18:08

We had this with next door's cat.

I was decorating our house before we moved in. It had broken in through the supposedly magnetic controlled cat flap and been stuck in her for more than a week. It wasn't well. But apparently it was my fault.

New cat started coming into house through doors and windows. I said "fair enough, I can't stop it roaming but I also don't have time to check the property from bottom to top for your cat before I go out. Suddenly they managed to stop it Wink.

I also recommend clattering pans in front of it. Scares them shitless

sepa · 04/04/2016 18:11

I don't think you can ask them to keep the cat in at night tbh. Try and cat proof the window!
I have issues with cats out of my house bullying one of my cats. If I see any cats in my garden I spay water in their direction (obviously always misses) but it's enough to deter some of the cats. Can you try this when you see it in your garden?

Leta86 · 04/04/2016 18:15

Ummm.... the cat actually bit her, as she says, quite badly. This in itself qualifies her for a complaint. Don't get me wrong, I'm a total cat addict, but biting a human mandates a vet inspection.
I'd agree on getting a microchip cat flap, but on the other hand OP can't have her own cats terrorised by this catzilla, but I quite suspect the OP's cats are neutered while this is an unneutered one, so I don't think anything but a "snip", which I can allready tell the owner would refuse outright, would make it more boundary compliant.
In total, I sincerely don't think a complaint would make much difference anyway... My condolences... Maybe a fly-net on the kitchen window?

Original poster
DryIce · 04/04/2016 18:21

No, I don't think everyone's being harsh...this was a genuine question! Thank you all for responses

I'm from australia, where cats roaming outdoors is a lot more contentious (native wildlife etc) and pet cats can be required to be kept on own property, like dogs.

Ho hum, guess I'll have to leave it for now. Water pistol sounds like a good start! I do own a microchip cat flap...having glazier issues, which is a whole different rant

OP posts:
sizeofalentil · 04/04/2016 18:26

Are you sure that this is one of your neighbours' cats? From its behaviour it sounds like an unneutered Tom, and quite often they are stray. Especially the more aggressive ones.

To put it bluntly, does it have big balls? Does it pee everywhere? How smelly is its wee? If so, it could be unneutered and you might be able to fix its behaviour a bit.

We had the same problem with a neighbour's cat. Apparently she sent it to live outside for three months every year to 'go and make babies' which resulted in it breaking in to our house and attacking our cats and biting and scratching us.

I contacted an animal shelter and they agreed to lend me a humane cat trap and neuter him for free. We snuck him off and had him neutered and returned him and no one was any wiser.

I have no ideal how legal this is, but the animal shelter worker confessed that she routinely did this to aggressive male cats in her area.

Obviously, use your judgement here - if it looks like a prize-winning royal bloodline super cat-version-of-Crufts champion maybe don't do this…

CiaoVerona · 04/04/2016 18:26

Spaying cats is not a guarantee what so ever they won't attack other cats regardless of gender, it really depends on the cats.

sizeofalentil · 04/04/2016 18:27

It's not a Burmese cat is it? They are gorgeous looking but horrible bullies sometimes.

TheNoodlesIncident · 04/04/2016 18:27

Unfortunately OP the onus is on you to prevent the cat getting in - fly screens fastened securely over your window might be an option? Also spray it with water, as pp have suggested.

One of my cats is very territorial and she will chase and bite other cats on "her" turf - I have agreed times with my neighbour in which our cats go out. They let their cat out after this but they are with her in the garden so they can chase mine away if needed.

My cat is also neutered, spaying her has not made the slightest difference to her feelings on defending her territory.

I quite suspect the OP's cats are neutered while this is an unneutered one, so I don't think anything but a "snip", which I can allready tell the owner would refuse outright The OP has no idea even whose cat this is, so how the jiggins can you justify coming to these conclusions??

LyndaNotLinda · 04/04/2016 18:27

Can you get one of those window locks that prevent ms the window from opening wide? Then you could get ventilation but the cat wouldn't be able to squeeze through the gap.

MyKingdomForBrie · 04/04/2016 18:28

I second net on the window and a water sprayer, as soon as you see him in the yard let alone him coming in the house.

sizeofalentil · 04/04/2016 18:29

Also, it's a coin-toss about how much of its behaviour will change really. If it was a mean cat anyway, or the behaviour is now ingrained, it might not do anything.

It just lessens the all-consuming desire to fight and fornicate, which will hopefully result in it deciding it's not worth the faff of going round to yours and causing trouble.

SupSlick · 04/04/2016 18:35

I send sympathy OP, my Italian neighbours left their cat behind & i often come across it when it finds its way into my house & hides in cupboards, thus when I unknowingly open my own cupboard door I get attacked. I've had to stop leaving windows open & have took to learning "OUT!" in Italian so it knows what I'm saying.

CiaoVerona · 04/04/2016 18:46

There is quite a lot of miss informed posts on this thread and why this cat might be fighting.

Firstly, feral cats male or female spayed or not do not equate to cats that are aggressive some cats just happen to be alpha with cats they don't live with or have not become accustomed too via being outside. Some not all will want to scare away the other cats.

Sure, spaying stops mating with outside cats which can lead too fighting it also stops Some males spaying wee everywhere which stinks, I've seen as many males spayed that continue to exhibit marking behaviors, its simply comes back to the cats personality.

I am definitely 100% on board with all pets being spayed if only to stop all the unwanted breeding we have which leads too the endless dumping of unwanted pets.

Most feral cat colonies, I've set up tons of them rescued 100's of cats live with each other without any fighting what so ever its simply false to equate the Ops situation to some feral male.

OzzieFem · 04/04/2016 19:17

You could try your local council. In my council ward all cats have to registered and microchipped. It sounds like it's partly feral or not neutered, so it's possible it hasn't been registered, and the owner could be fined. If the owner states it's not their cat and it isn't microchipped then the animal could be taken and euthanised.

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