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AIBU?

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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:
SnatchedPencil · 28/12/2016 12:36

The neighbour is selfish but technically isn't doing much wrong. It's not their fault that people allow their pets to go into their garden.

It is a real shame that hedgehogs and other animals get drowned in it though. The neighbour doesn't need to cover the "pool" but something simple like a bit of netting at one side would allow most animals to clamber out.

The neighbour is perfectly right though that people don't have the right to go onto their land. And it is the responsibility of the pet owner to keep them away from the neighbour's land. Practical, probably not, but the pet owner is solely responsible for where the pet goes and what it does.

coffeetasteslikeshit · 28/12/2016 12:44

How would you propose someone stop their cat from roaming? A stern talking to?

The same way people stop their dogs/gerbils/ferrets/rabbits/turtles/literally any other pet that I can think of from roaming? Take responsibility for keeping it in a secure area. It's safe and it's not pissing people off. Everybody's happy.

Post of the day! Brilliant Grin

Laiste · 28/12/2016 13:01

There IS such thing as a cat proof fence. I cat proof fenced my last garden. (to keep mine in).

While it's sad to think of animals dying in a pool of water, i can't help but think of all the cries of 'oh cats are free to roam like wildlife by law' when the animals are being a PITA. The same folk throw their hands up in horror when these 'right to roam' pets end up meeting a sticky end on another persons property somehow.

Chuck a plank in the pool.

PossumInAPearTree · 28/12/2016 13:10

I would wait till they go on holiday, get the pool filled with concrete and deny all knowledge.

Cagliostro · 28/12/2016 13:22
Shock
happychristmasbum · 28/12/2016 13:30

I had a pool and nothing ever died in it - I think this is all very suspicious indeed.

You could try chucking something big in it next time she is out, but the animals are probably being poisoned/killed somehow and then thrown in.............

waleybean · 28/12/2016 13:40

I would be contacting the RSPCA. That is a LOT of dead cats. The RSPCA get a lot of grief but they do come out and investigate.

ProfYaffle · 28/12/2016 13:40

There are several cat proofing systems, this is the one that we used. It's effective, keeps our cat in our garden and off the road outside our house.

waleybean · 28/12/2016 13:41

The number is 0300 1234 999

TheSlaughterOfHerodificado · 28/12/2016 13:45

Happychristmas

we had a small pool and filled it in after the second hedgehog was found drowned in it. (After the first one we placed a log in to let things clamber out, but for some reason the second didn't find it, so we cut our ecological losses. Hedgehogs are a protected species now.)

TheSlaughterOfHerodificado · 28/12/2016 13:47

I hope that no child ends up in there one day.

BeaveredBadgered · 28/12/2016 13:49

Securacat sell a kit to install in the garden to stop cats roaming. We have it for our cat- works perfectly.

OnMountains · 28/12/2016 13:51

Why isn't the pool drained completely?

If a child falls in they are likely to seriously injury themselves even without the drowning risk. Same with an animal.

Whilst the large object in the pool may work if an animal is seriously injured on the fall down it may not be able to reach it. Draining the pool completely and covering it seems like the best solution.

Personally, I don't think most cat owners take enough responsibility for their cats particularly with regards to them going on other people's properties. However, I also think it's unacceptable that so many animals have died, and something should be done with the pool to stop further wildlife deaths.

RSPCA may actually be the way forwards.

OnMountains · 28/12/2016 13:53

Thing is with this pool the drop means that animals have to get out of the water and then up six feet of pool wall.

Logs by the way rotate in water when things climb on them - the hedgehog probably kept slipping off unless the log was anchored.

HerrenaHarridan · 28/12/2016 13:54

Theory of ethics of who should do what aside here you find yourself faced with this problem.

You cannot control the actions of the neighbor so you need to consider actions that are available to you.

I would chuck something in for the animals to stand on

JacquesHammer · 28/12/2016 14:03

Unfortunately a risk you take with pets that are allowed to roam.

OP I think if I were your mum I would be cat-proofing my garden to prevent them getting out

Jengnr · 28/12/2016 14:21

It is suspicious and it sounds gross but your mum has lost THREE cats to this death pool yet still lets them out? She is responsible for the safety of her animals and she hasn't taken care of them at all.

HappyLittleCloud · 28/12/2016 14:51

I agree Jengnr. I find it upsetting that 'the dead ones are replaced'. Surely better to hold off getting more cats until this is resolved?

userformallyknownasuser1475360 · 28/12/2016 14:54

Cats are considered wild animals, legally speaking. This is because they are beyond the control of their owners...as in they cannot be restricted in where they go and what they do unless they are kept indoors at all times. Otherwise, cats just do wtf they like.

You are almost right poster, but not completely, they are classed as wild but they are also classed as vermin (under Road traffic legislation) - if they are going to be allowed to roam and act as wild animals ...rather than pets then their owners should expect them to be treated as wild or vermin....if I had rats around my property I would take action to control them, probably by humanely dispatching them.

I wonder if that is what this neighbour is doing? Dealing with what she sees as a vermin wild animal problem, possibly she is pissed off cleaning up the crap from other people's wild animals/pets actions in feeding vermin.

PinkSparklyPussyCat · 28/12/2016 15:02

I would be reporting the neighbour to the RSPCA as well environmental health as something is definitely odd here - no normal person would think it was acceptable to be constantly pulling animal corpses from a 'pool'.

Your mum also needs to think about cat proofing her garden. We are in the process of doing ours, not to stop him roaming (he doesn't go far) but to stop the sick bastards who think it's acceptable to shoot or poison or do anything else to animals.

SilentBatperson · 28/12/2016 15:21

Five cats in such a short period sounds more than coincidental. Meanwhile, your mother needs to take some responsibility for her decision to continually acquire animals she either can't or won't control.

ILoveDolly · 28/12/2016 15:25

Seems dangerous. I'm sure environmental health would be interested

I8toys · 28/12/2016 15:28

RSPCA definitely - very odd

SilentBatperson · 28/12/2016 15:29

What could the rspca do?

HemanOrSheRa · 28/12/2016 15:30

Good grief. Who the hell keeps pulling dead animals out of their 'swimming pool' and does nothing to stop it?! Sad. That is awful.