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Original poster

Is DM or neighbour bu re dead cats?

142 replies

Oysterbabe · 27/12/2016 22:42

DM's neighbour has a swimming pool, which is actually a huge hole in the ground containing 2ft of stinking stagnant water. Over the last few years 5 cats have drowned in the pool, 3 of which were owned by DM and 2 by other neighbours. Also a fox, countless rodents and hedgehogs have met their end in the death pool.

After the first of DM's cats drowned the neighbour seemed genuinely upset and agreed to cover the pool. It didn't happen and a while later DM lost another cat. There was another discussion about covering it or at least putting something in it that trapped animals could climb on to, again it didn't happen and recently cat number 3 drowned too.

DM was devastated by the loss of each cat. I suspect emotions were running high and she was not particularly polite when discussing the latest one with neighbour. Neighbour is angry that DM went onto her property to look for the cat when she was out and has now said she is not going to do anything about covering the pool and DM should keep her pets off her land.

DM is very upset and anxious about her cats. She keeps them in all night and worries herself sick whenever they put a paw outside in the day. They can't really be indoor cats, DM has a small holding and they are outdoorsy country cats.

Given that you can't control where a cat goes, shouldn't the neighbour agree to at least chuck a bit of wood into their pool?

OP posts:
OneWithTheForce · 27/12/2016 23:23

Ok I think I get it. So the pool is say 8ft deep with straight sides and 2 feet of water in the bottom. Animals get in but obviously can't climb up 6ft of vertical wall when wet.

I'm wondering if she is laying poison. I think rat poison makes them really thirsty so I could see why they try and get in the water. Other suggestion is they can't see there is water in the pool when it's dark at night because the water is so far down from the ground level.

DonutParade · 27/12/2016 23:24

Cats drown in waterbutts, you are meant to cover even them ffs, and have ramps for wildlife in ordinary garden ponds if they're not covered. God what a grim situation and what a horrible vile neighbour. I'd be incandescent with rage in your mum's position.

SemiNormal · 27/12/2016 23:26

I used to live by a river with a very, very high wall. My cat used to jump down when the tide was out and prowl along the river bank looking for mice. One evening he jumped down whilst I was with him, it was dark and he didn't see the water was really high (lots of reeds in the way), I panicked and was about to jump in after him but he was fine, managed to paddle close to the wall and climb back up. Not saying that a cat drowning in OPs situation couldn't happen, but 5 cats? Not a fucking chance.

CotswoldStrife · 27/12/2016 23:27

I assume it's a pool with (say) 4ft high sheer sides, but with 2ft of water in the bottom of it. So difficult to get out of once in.

OP, I don't think your mother should have gone into her (neighbour) garden without permission. I doubt there is much your mother can do as the neighbour is probably not obliged to cover the pond and it seems to be in a standoff situation now. Is there a third party that the neighbour may listen to once things have calmed down a bit?

We had a cat in our garden pond once, but as we'd only just dug it out and filled it with water the cat was probably surprised it wasn't the firm ground it was used to. The cat got out and shot off! We had a substantial cover on the pond when the fish were in it, cats used to sit on the top and watch the fish through it Hmm

FurryLittleTwerp · 27/12/2016 23:27

The first thing I did when I dug a pond was to put in large stones for things to use to climb out. One of the cats jumped in & swam across as a kitten Hmm & I have seen a hedgehog climbing out more than once.

I think Fanny above might be right - the neighbour could be throwing things in.

notapizzaeater · 27/12/2016 23:28

I cannot believe the neighbour won't do something - we have a deep pond 2ft wall on the outside but 4ft deep in the pond in the back garden before DS we had a huge metal frame put over it that supports a couple of fully grown adults. I could not have slept at night if something had crawled in there,

TooQuickToMoveOn · 27/12/2016 23:29

Hmmm. Maybe that's where our missing cat went? See separate post.

Where we live (hot) most people have pools and cats don't drown in them. I think she's killing the cats

SuperFlyHigh · 27/12/2016 23:31

Not sure what you can do but can you ask neighbour to cover it with something like netting.

My pond (inherited from previous owner of property) has a net structure over it as previous cats used to try and walk on the bit in between them (a sort of 2 part pond) and one cat got caught up in the net one day (it was off, a loose net then and being cleaned) and almost drowned as she fell in... Cats do NOT automatically avoid water if they think something is in there eg fish etc as my previous cats testified, also cats tend to be curious round water and also they can sometimes drink from it too (another story and shouldn't be drinking pond water anyway I don't think).

I'd also be concerned if a child got near the pool somehow and fell in, maybe mention that to the neighbour.

Jellybean83 · 27/12/2016 23:32

It must be poison, no way are they jumping in and starving to death, they would be meowing for days, surely your DM would have heard that from her garden?

Lemon12345 · 27/12/2016 23:32

Things like this is why I couldn't have a cat. I would never relax whilst they were out doing cat things. And I don't feel right keeping one locked in 24/7.

Sounds really odd to have so many cats fall in, are these cats over weight? Old? Infirm? Young and stupid? Seems too strange. Hedgehogs are one thing (they can be pretty daft about pools) but 5 cats.
I suppose if the water is completely covered by twigs and leaves and it smells like rodents then a cat might be interested enough to jump in.

GreenTureen · 27/12/2016 23:37

OK so I can see how if a cat, or anything else, fell into this pool they would drown. Although they hate it, cats can swim fairly well but they'd only be able to stay up for so long before becoming exhausted...and obviously wouldn't be able to climb out.

The point is how these five cats have all managed to fall in in the first place. Cats are agile with excellent eyesight and senses...and five just seems beyond the believable to me. No matter how crumbly the sides are or how hidden the pool.

If the recent cat has died recently, I would second the pp and say to get a post mortem to find the cause of death. Most vets will do it, I had one done earlier this year when our cat died unexpectedly because the not knowing would have driven me nuts.

Butteredpars1ps · 27/12/2016 23:42

I too am struggling to believe cats and foxes would fall in such a pool. One would be unlucky. 5 is more than that.

StarryIllusion · 27/12/2016 23:42

I can't see 5 cats being stupid enough to jump in. More likely she has done something to them and tossed them in there to cover herself. If in fact they were that dim then really it is your DM being unreasonable. I can't believe that any decent person wouldn't cover the damn pool or at least make it possible to get out but legally speaking it is the neighbours property and your DM needs to keep her cats off it if she doesn't want them meeting an untimely end. If it is her pool, on her property, she does have a right to be an evil piece of scum if she wants to be.

SuperFlyHigh · 27/12/2016 23:43

Ps when I say previous cats I meant my own previous dear departed cats! Am sure another cat tried and failed to get into my pond too... Hence the covering!

Ihavenoideawhereitis · 27/12/2016 23:44

Now did your dm get onto the neighbours property? Because if it's accessible surely that's a risk to children who can easily drown in the pool?

FatalKittehCharms · 27/12/2016 23:49

I think there has been some fowl play

Have chickens been drowned too Shock

Heratnumber7 · 27/12/2016 23:58

Over the last few years 5 cats have drowned in the pool, 3 of which were owned by DM and 2 by other neighbours. Also a fox, countless rodents and hedgehogs have met their end in the death pool

How does your DM know all this? Is she keeping a tally and a vigil with binoculars?

sizeofalentil · 28/12/2016 00:00

My parents have a pool and cats/dogs/chickens plus the neighbourhood foxes. We e had no accidents to date. Seems very suspicious.

CotswoldStrife · 28/12/2016 00:04

The cat got out of our pond once we'd held our dog back, who had alerted us with her barking because the water was level with the edge so the cat could climb out easily. If the walls were a lot higher than the water level - as in the neighbour's swimming pool - then there is no escape.

allybally73 · 28/12/2016 00:04

Does your mum have a lots of cats, you mention she is now keeping the others indoors. If she has lots of cats that are 'trespassing' on neighbours land, neighbour may have decided to take things into their own hands ?

There are some evil bastards around, those poor animals that have met an untimely death because of you DMs vile neighbours.

dodobookends · 28/12/2016 00:13

I used to work for a swimming pool maintenance company. Sadly cats and other animals do fall in. We would always recommend that if people are not draining their pool in winter they should either have a ladder down the inside, or to float a plank of wood in the water (preferably tethered to the side) for creatures to be able to escape..

A swimming pool with no way to climb out is a death trap.

The neighbour is being totally unreasonable.

pictish · 28/12/2016 00:14

Is there no ladder - is that it? because if so I can totally see how a cat couldn't get out. Six feet of concrete above two feet of water is going to be hard as fuck to jump out of. They can't get out!

pictish · 28/12/2016 00:15

Yes dodo exactly! How are they to get purchase to leap out if they're treading water?

The neighbour is an evil troll.

thatwouldbeanecumenicalmatter · 28/12/2016 00:25
Shock
Ouriana · 28/12/2016 01:23

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.