to go and kick my neighbour's arse?

[Springersrock]

We have an 18 year old cat. She's quite thin, a bit rickety and looks like she's been dragged through a hedge backwards. Her sight is a bit dodgy and she's doesn't go far these days, just mooches around our house and garden.

We've had some glorious weather lately and her absolute favourite thing ever is to snooze the afternoon away on a manhole cover in our front garden (I assume the sun is warming the manhole cover up for her)

5 times in the last few weeks someone has taken her to the RSPCA as she's being neglected. The cat is chipped and the RSPCA call us and we go and pick her up. After the second time the RSPCA recommended we put a photo of cat in our front window explaining she's elderly and that she lives here and to come and knock if anyone has any concerns. Which we did.

Yesterday I get another call. Someone has taken cat to the RSPCA, can we go and get her.

I was chatting to the man behind the desk and he said it was the same person each time and that the RSPCA have told them 4 times that cat is fine, just old and to stop taking her in. The man described the person and it's my bloody neighbour (5 doors down). Looking back, I've caught my neighbour in my garden a few times but just assumed she was stroking/making a fuss of cat

Cat would have found the whole thing distressing. She's always hated the cat carrier and going in the car (for this reason, we use a mobile vet who comes out to us). Cat always stops eating when she's stressed and her eating is pretty erratic at the moment as it is.

I went over to see neighbour yesterday but she wouldn't speak to me and just shut the door in my face.

So now, my poor old lady is going to have to be confined to the house and I'm fucked right off

What a weirdo. To do it once, a bit busybodies maybe but I can understand her rationale. But 4/5 times?? Wtf!

I think putting up another sign is a good idea. It's puts her off but also lets other people know that your cat is loved and cared for.

And as a pp has suggested do let your neighbours know. We interviened on a few occasions when people tried to take next doors cat - she was born with a spinal problem but ndn took excellent care of her . To a passer by it would like like she was injured & had favourite place to snooze was on our shared driveway.

Put a sign up as you said and state that anyone entering your property to remove your cat will be reported to police for harrassment and tresspass. That police already have this logged and will take it further if it happens again.
Add that removing your old cat is distressing it and putting it off its food and you will report THEM to RSPCA for cruelty.

Neighbour is selfish, loving the attention of being the 'good samaritan, rescuing the cat' and needs to know you mean buisness if she does it again.

Could it be considered harassment? (of you not cat, well cat too, but doubt police would be interested in cat-harassment)

She sounds unhinged. I hope that your note and signs will be enough to prevent her from bothering your poor cat again.

Poor cat! Hope the lady leaves her be now!

Poor kitty poor you! What a lunatic!
I think I'd lose the plot, the poor kitty deserves to be left in peace for her final days not harassed - and this is undoubtedly harassment. I would consider this theft too, as someone else said she's depriving you of your property (sad but that's what pets are considered)

Poor puddy tat! I would be inclined to point out to strange neighbour, that if they steal your cat again you will take legal action- i would be quite irate if somebody dragged me away from my comfy spot during a nap- how rude!! Can you sharpen puddy tats claws and teach her to attack??

Thanks all!

I've put another poster on a stake beside the manhole cover and had a chat with next door and over the road and they'll keep an eye out too.

It's a bit cloudy here today so cat was pretty disgusted her usual spot hadn't warmed up for her and is snoozing on my bed instead. At least I know where she is

Bizarre that she basically ran inside away from you, surely if you thought somebody was neglecting their cat and coming to have a word with you you'd brace yourself to tell them how horrible they are. Running away closing the door just makes it look like she knows she's in the wrong. Weirdo!

"How did you keep your cool?" I may have gone a wee bit batshit tbh. Laugh would have been on her if she had tried to get him to the vets, he panic pees in the carrier.