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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:
SuburbanRhonda · 30/12/2016 18:18

Thanks for replying, OP.

So have you checked that this is what they'll do? Will they not wonder why you've brought in someone else's pet without asking or telling them, leading to them to have to come in to collect it? I'm just alarmed that someone can just pick up a cat off the street, take it to a charity for neutering and then the owner has to then come and pick it up.

If someone did that to either of my cats and took it far from my home I'd be shafted as I don't have a car.

SuburbanRhonda · 30/12/2016 18:26

If it's chipped as it should be then the shelter would reunite them anyway.

Sorry if I'm being dense but I just can't see how this would work.

In this scenario, the rescue contacts the cats owner and tells them their neighbour has brought in their cat for neutering and could they come and pick it up and/or give consent for it to be neutered.

Suppose the neighbour is on holiday or can't get to the rescue for several days? Who is liable for the costs of the cat's care during that time? Not the owner, who never gave permission for their cat to be taken. The rescue, with their limited budget? It just doesn't make sense.

kali110 · 30/12/2016 18:28

It may have been neutered.
My old cat was neutered yet it still weed up things to mark it's territory with other cats!
he did it for few years, you wouldn't have known he was a good looking cat and always looked in pristine condition, it may not be bad owners who haven't neutered their cat...Confused
As for the post about people who took a cat and dumped it into another town, that is beyond vile Angry

If you get nowhere op, we used feliway as the last thing and did see an improvement (the feliway spray) we sprayed it everywhere that we didn't want him marking.

kali110 · 30/12/2016 18:30

sub i was told the rspca only keep your pets for 7 days then they rehome them.
If you've lost them and they've been found and you happen to be on holiday at the time, to bad.

SuburbanRhonda · 30/12/2016 18:35

kali

I'm assuming they only rehome cats with no up-to-date chip. If they scan the chip and contact the owners who are on holiday I doubt they would rehome.

But that's not what we're talking about here. We talking about someone who knows who the cat belongs to, taking it to a rescue centre for neutering even though they're not the registered owner and then leaving it to the rescue centre to contact the owner to come and pick it up. Which seems a terrible waste of the time and resources of a rescue centre. Tbh I'd be surprised if they even agreed to keep hold of a cat once they found out the person who brought it in knows the owner and has taken it without their permission.

JigglyTuff · 30/12/2016 18:40

You can't take the cat to a rescue centre - it doesn't need rescuing! I get that the cat is annoying but you've had hundreds of suggestions of how to put the cat off coming into your house. Do those.

Don't take it to a charity that is reliant on donations. And especially not one which is run by cat lovers. They'll crucify you. And rightly so.

I was with you initially but you're beginning to sound bonkers. Cats roam. Keeping cats on leads or in the house is horrible. The only reason dogs aren't let out on their own is because they're too thick (I say this as a dog and cat owner)

northernshepherdess · 30/12/2016 18:50

What would you say... its next doors cat but it keeps spraying in my house so I've brought it in so you can neuter/tell the neighbours I brought it here and charge them £60 for the privilege.
My 13 year old neutered male (stolen by neighbour) still sprays but was neutered 12 years ago btw.
That's prob part of the problem too. I've had 7 cats here.
1 remained loyal, of other 6... 3 have been stolen and 3 were multi housers. So all 6 being fed in multiple places! Meaning they just took an open window as an invite :/
Def waterblast intruding cats and speak to the neighbours.
Cats are borderline between being wild and being owned and are not included in straying legislation but ownerd can still be chased for damages to property so I'd speak to the neighbours and tell them the carpet cleaner hire is £80 a time...
The reason it's not allowed indoors in its home.. because it shi7s indoors I'll bet you

northernshepherdess · 30/12/2016 18:51

Ps... they can't neuter any animal without written consent to put it to sleep, and to neuter.

Catra · 30/12/2016 18:56

Not read the entire thread, so don't know if this has already been suggested, but you could get one of those ultrasonic cat repellents which are inaudible to humans.

CrohnicallyPregnant · 30/12/2016 19:00

I didn't mean the OP trying to get the CPL or whatever to neuter it is OK. But I do think that it's a double standard to say cats aren't pets when they are fouling someone else's property, but they are pets when someone wants to do something about it.

There are adverts running round here saying that CPL do education for owners, maybe that is the route to go down?

SuburbanRhonda · 30/12/2016 19:22

Who has said cats aren't pets crohnically?

Sillybillybonker · 30/12/2016 19:40

I'm going to tell them it's next doors cat. They don't need to scan it other than to confirm what I am saying is true. It's up to them to contact the owners regarding neutering it, or coming to collect it. Hopefully the owners get charged for it's board.

OMG! I've heard enough! They will take your head off if you do this. Jiggly is right. Just keep your doors and windows shut. It is winter after all. I'm assuming the cat is an acrobat to get onto the trampoline unless you don't have a safety net or don't zip up the net.

JacquesHammer · 30/12/2016 20:10

sillybilly what do you suggest OP (and I with similar issues) in Summer?

Next door's cat sneaks into my house in the time it takes me to carry something from the car to the door......

I have tried everything so far mentioned on this thread. Absolutely NOTHING works.

My next course of action will be simply to tell next door I won't bother checking for it and put the onus back onto them to stop their cat destroying my property. And provide them with a bill for a new carpet

Original poster
MountainPeaks · 30/12/2016 20:15

silly we can't keep our doors and windows shut - we are renovating. And shouldn't have to either. We should not have to put up with someone else's cat coming inside our house and causing damage, particularly when one of us has a severe allergy.

I have also said we will try the other suggestions.

OP posts:
Original poster
MountainPeaks · 30/12/2016 20:17

northernshepherdess No DP would explain that the cat repeatedly is entering our house, causing damage and that I am allergic to it. We've attempted to speak to the owners and they couldn't care less. We are now unsure of what to do and so we've brought it to them. We can't keep it and we can't have it continuing to come into our house.

OP posts:
DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen · 30/12/2016 20:20

Citrus spray over your trampoline?

Original poster
MountainPeaks · 30/12/2016 20:22

DameDiazepam (love your username) We've just sprayed the garden with a mixture of lime/lemon and water.

OP posts:
Original poster
MountainPeaks · 30/12/2016 20:27

Jacques the bill thing is interesting - actually wish we'd done that when we had to replace carpet that had just been laid. Do you get on well with the neighbours or not at all?

OP posts:
DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen · 30/12/2016 20:28

I have used Behaviour Spray from Wilkos, it's very strong smelling and stopped a neighbour's cat peeing up against our wall near the front door. Honestly, it stank but hasn't happened for at least a week now and I only had to spray twice.

JacquesHammer · 30/12/2016 20:29

Mountain really well in all but this regard. They're very much of the "we have the right to have cats, they have the right to roam" school.

Whereas I am of the "it's my house and I would rather your pet didn't cause damage" school

Sillybillybonker · 30/12/2016 20:32

If you leave your windows opened wide enough for a cat to get in, burglars could get in. I live in a city though....

SuburbanRhonda · 30/12/2016 20:33

We are now unsure of what to do and so we've brought it to them. We can't keep it and we can't have it continuing to come into our house.

(a) it's not your cat to keep so why would you say you can't keep it?

(b) do you know what rescue centres are for? It's not their job to intervene in a neighbour despute.

Seriously, they're going to think you're crazy.

DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen · 30/12/2016 20:34

Spray the citrus deterrent on the window sills.

SuburbanRhonda · 30/12/2016 20:34

*dispute Blush

JacquesHammer · 30/12/2016 20:39

silly I am in the house all day.....windows are not shut when I go out.

And unless it's the size of a sodding Panther cats are much more able to get through smaller gaps than people.

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