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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

The Neighbours Cat.

248 replies

MountainPeaks · 30/12/2016 10:24

Looking for some humane suggestions to keep the neighbours cat out of our property. I have a allergy to cats so I can't pick it up and take it back to them (DP has done this a couple of times).

We brought a "doer upper" and we've been living in it, in various states of disarray for the last few months. We can't have any of the windows open without us physically being in the room because without fail that neighbours cat comes in and pees, or poops, in our house. We had just redone a bedroom floor sanded, walls replastered, electrics all fixed up and as we had repainted we had the windows open. Went for lunch and the cat came in a peed on the sanded floors. Just one example to highlight the frustration.

We have a trampoline in the garden which was originally uncovered. Cat pooped on it regularly. We've now brought a cover - cat still poops on it regularly.

Most nights it starts fighting and it goes on for several hours - like 2 or 3. It sits on the wall at the end of our back garden. Sounds like someone is being murdered.

It's regularly decimating our bird feeders, it leaves dead things, semi-dead things, partially injured things all around our back patio.

The neighbours don't have a cat flap because "if the cat comes in it just pees on the floor". They feed the cat outside. The cat stays out the entire time. We've tried to talk to them and their attitude is along the lines of "well the cat was hear before you were and your house has been empty for years".

What's the best way to deal with it (the cat and the owners)? I don't want anything that will harm the cat - even though I don't like them. DP has taken the cat around to owners when we've caught it in the house. We've suggested a cat flap to them and litter tray. We've asked that they put a bell collar on it to give warning to the birds. We don't want to fall out with the neighbours but we are fed up with it. Also TTC and I don't want to be cleaning up anymore pet poop than I need to (ie. my dog).

OP posts:
Original poster
MountainPeaks · 30/12/2016 15:26

Queen thanks for your comments - hugely appreciated. It's a right pain and it is probably one we'd shrug off if it was just a cat peeing or pooping in the garden occasionally, but it isn't just the garden and it isn't just occasionally.

Don'teat Thanks - yes suggested and something we may try when it is warmer if we still have the problem.

OP posts:
SoupDragon · 30/12/2016 15:29

my understanding is that as we have a problem with feral cats in the area an un-neutered Tom would be neutered.

This cat is not a feral cat though, is it?

Original poster
MountainPeaks · 30/12/2016 15:31

Soup I've not said the cat is feral - I've clearly said that the cat belongs to our neighbours.

OP posts:
Strongmummy · 30/12/2016 15:32

Water pistol!!!! I love cats, but this would drive me nuts

SoupDragon · 30/12/2016 15:35

You mentioned feral cats and CPL. Why do you think the CPL would neuter someone else's pet cat without their permission? They catch and neuter feral cats.

JacquesHammer · 30/12/2016 15:37

To share the ridiculousness of some cat owners.

My neighbours (the ones who own the cat coming into my house) had a previous cat.

When we bought this house we were doing it up and living elsewhere so didn't attend the property every day. One day I came to do some work and there was an exceedingly emaciated/dehydrated cat in here. He had forced his way in through the cat flap and been stuck for 5 days. He had no collar etc - we did a knock round, next door not in so we took him to the vets where he sadly died.

Apparently it was my fault

Original poster
MountainPeaks · 30/12/2016 15:37

Cat's Protection was suggest to me upthread. If they want to ask the owner's permission it's up them to seek it.

OP posts:
Sillybillybonker · 30/12/2016 15:38

Link to "trap,neuter, release".
www.cats.org.uk/wrexham/feature-pages/trap-neuter-release-scheme

SoupDragon · 30/12/2016 15:38

So, were you going to take the cat in and say "this is my neighbour's cat. It is unneutered" and leave it with them? Given you are not, apparently, going to lie.

Original poster
MountainPeaks · 30/12/2016 15:39

Jacques That's awful. And surely they should be more caring / concerned about their new cat too?

OP posts:
SoupDragon · 30/12/2016 15:39

Link to "trap,neuter, release"

For feral cats.

Sillybillybonker · 30/12/2016 15:40

It is for feral cats, though!

Original poster
MountainPeaks · 30/12/2016 15:40

Soup Yes - why would I lie. We haven't actually done anything wrong. We are not responsible for this cat.

OP posts:
Pineapplemilkshake · 30/12/2016 15:41

Our neighbours cat is a bit of a pain. It comes in through our cat flap and my 2 kittens are scared of it. Our dog isn't much of a deterrent for some reason, he chases it the odd time but usually ignores it. i started to keep a water pistol filled with dilute lemon juice by the back door and after a couple of squirts it stopped coming back.

Jengnr · 30/12/2016 15:41

The cat is feral though isn't it? It's not taken care of, it isn't neutered, the owner won't take any responsibility for it. It's a stray and a pest.

The CPL is the right thing to do for all concerned.

SabineUndine · 30/12/2016 15:42

I'm a cat lover and my own boy is curled up on the sofa with me as I type this.

First thing, is the cat neutered? If not, ask the neighbour to get it done. That would at least cut down the fighting and reduce the cat's instinct to pee everywhere. If the neighbour refuses, would you feel able to offer to pay for this? Not ideal, but a way of getting it done without catnapping the moggy and doing it illegally.

Second thing: how tame is this cat? If it never get let indoors, I'm wondering if the neighbours are in fact able to catch it. Cats do go wild very quickly and it might be feral to all intents and purposes. If it has been neglected that far, tbh I would be asking the RSPCA to look at it. It probably isn't in a very healthy state.

Third, as others have suggested, squirty bottle of water. I squirted my cat twice the first week I had him, 15 years ago. To this day, if he says a squirty bottle, he runs.

JacquesHammer · 30/12/2016 15:42

Mountain you'd think wouldn't you. When I told them it was coming in they said "oh that's what cats do" with a little laugh and "make sure you check for him before you go away"

FuzzyWizard · 30/12/2016 15:43

If someone owns an unneutered tom and doesn't keep it contained in some way (indoors or in a run) then they are contributing to the local feral cat problem. Their tom will be impregnating local stray females and potentially spreading FIV all over the neighbourhood through bites and fighting. I'm a cat owner and would not be impressed if my neighbours left a pet tom unneutered and didn't keep it indoors. If it came into my home and upset my spayed, properly-cared for cat I'd be on the phone to CPL seeing if they could have it neutered too. If they've left their cat free-roaming and unneutered it's completely irresponsible.

Sillybillybonker · 30/12/2016 15:43

He had forced his way in through the cat flap and been stuck for 5 days. If the flap was set to "entry only", then it would certainly have been your fault! Cats go through cat flaps and you had a flap.

Original poster
MountainPeaks · 30/12/2016 15:43

From CPL "Feral cats are those that have not been socialised during their key period of development (up until 8-12 weeks of age)"

So, it may actually be deemed a feral cat after all. Thank you for sharing that link.

OP posts:
SoupDragon · 30/12/2016 15:44

The cat is feral though isn't it? It's not taken care of

The cat has a known owner, is friendly and in fab condition. No, it is not feral.

SoupDragon · 30/12/2016 15:46

Yes - why would I lie

Then I strongly suspect the CPL will tell you to return the stolen cat to to its rightful owner.

This is bloody ridiculous.

Original poster
MountainPeaks · 30/12/2016 15:47

will tell you to return the stolen cat to to its rightful owner

Which we have done numerous times. Or DP has. I have an allergy to cats so I can't go near it.

OP posts:
JacquesHammer · 30/12/2016 15:50

sillybilly the flap was a magnetic one and the magnets had been lost according to the previous owner. It wasn't my cat flap. We'd only owned the house three weeks 😂 I don't know the first thing about cat flaps, never mind you can set them to "entry only".

And surely in the midst of renovating not the first thing that would spring to anyone's mind......

tattychicken · 30/12/2016 15:51

Plenty of cats live quite happily outside. At our stable yard we've had a few over the years, living in the stables and barns and catching mice. You don't even know if it's not neutered. You cannot take it to the vet or the CPL, it's not your cat, it's not feral, it's not a stray. Shout at it, spray it with the house, bang dustbin lids together to make a racket whenever you see it, anything to get the message across that your garden and house are no longer a nice place for him (or her!) to roam. And I understand why you don't want to set the dog on him, but at least give the dog the roam of the garden as much as poss, so that cat can see/hear/smell the dog, as another deterrent.