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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

neighbour scaring cat off from her garden

254 replies

DanHumphreyIsA · 27/08/2017 20:46

Ok not by being physical but just chasing him off with a water pistol or shooing him away.

I am not being arsy about that, by the way but wondering if IBU to offer to buy her some cat repellants or something? OH thinks we should leave it and thinks she's just mean lol.

We have only recently moved to this area, have never spoken to her. We said hello a few times, she's not interested, fair enough. We've also put a note through before when we had work done to the house to apologise for the noise (she's quite old, I would say 70+) so I atleast hope she knows we're not mean people.

We can't keep the cat in as he was a stray so used to outdoors and goes crazy if hes kept in. I have tried shouting him when he goes over the fence, but, well he's a cat Grin

I dont like it as he's my baby of course, but if she doesn't like cats or whatever and aslong as he's not hurt I can't exactly say anything.
I'm not really sure whether to just let it be and let her chase him off? I'm just worried he might piss her off enough to start chucking stones at him or something.

She's obviously not fussed about us being 'neighbourly' so I dont know if it would be overstepping to go and offer her some cat repellents or similar (open to suggestions on something 'similar' btw)

OP posts:
Forheavenssake · 28/08/2017 12:38

A lot of aggression on here if I had complaints can I assure you I'm responsible and would take responsibility. Sorry you have asshole neighbors.
Hope things change for you.
And I'm not sure why people have cats I don't see them as affectionate they are actually stubborn creatures I unfortunately had no choice as my hubby had to take on the two cats when mum passed.but they are ok they are shy. And females are better than males as males spray all over YUK! They don't go far and being girls they like to be in as much as out they don't go out at night. I'm a dog person.i have a dog. But I take responsibility for the two cats as I live with them. And pay for them (vets,food,) but I wouldn't have cats by choice.

PortiaCastis · 28/08/2017 12:43

Also I get so fed up with the stinking faeces in my garden that I just return it over the wall back to its owners with the aid of a shovel

dementedpixie · 28/08/2017 12:47

My cats can be affectionate and my males don't spray everywhere especially as they have been neutered. They come back to the house to use the litter and are kept in overnight.

Original poster
DanHumphreyIsA · 28/08/2017 12:49

*Thissameearth
What would you suggest, if they're not suitable for residential areas?
I'd love for all cats to be kept in personally, mainly for their own safety but when cats (like mine) have grown up outside, as a stray, there really is no way to keep them in.

Cat proofing is a good idea but having researched today, I've found a lot of people have essentially wasted money because some cats figure out how to get over or around whatever is in place. Its still something I'll try, and if its money down the drain, so be it. But after that, I really dont know what further options there are to stop a cat from roaming. A lead is not suitable.

Since the shouting and no response this morning, I've taken cat out, supervised, moved him away when he gets close to the fence but honestly thats just stressed him out and hes whining inside now. Which is cruel to him. He doesn't exactly understand why he's stuck inside now.

Again, if the water spraying is most suitable then fair enough but NDN seems angry, which is what i'm trying to resolve, but isn't responding to my attempts to find a solution (until we cat proof atleast)

OP posts:
purplecorkheart · 28/08/2017 12:50

Op does your cat have a bell on its collar? A neighbours of our has a cat. She a litter box but annoyed the neighbours as she was going into our gardens and killing birds. They put bells on her collar and it seems to have solved the problem.

Original poster
DanHumphreyIsA · 28/08/2017 12:55

@ifyou well Ive just finished a night shift and back in tonight so I cant really instantly 'get on with it'. It can also be costly so I need to get some quotes and ideas on best solutions as its not just 'fencing'. There are different types of solutions available, and from what Ive read, none are 100% effective. So I'll probably end up pissing her off even more with the noise and dust, for the cat to just go over again. So I need to think about the best way to resolve this before acting.

OP posts:
Forheavenssake · 28/08/2017 12:56

Bells are a good idea

indulgentberries · 28/08/2017 12:58

YABU. We get cats in our garden and I chase them out - I don't like my children treading in cat poo when they go out to play. One came in the other day when I was watering the garden. Problem solved - it ran off as soon as I turned the hose pipe in it's direction.

Original poster
DanHumphreyIsA · 28/08/2017 12:58

&purple yes he does, from what Ive seen hes not doing anything, she comes out as soon as he jumps over. Which I appreciate is probably a precaution, or a result being fed up of all other cats in the area going in her garden in the past.
TBH i'll probably just have to keep him in for now it seems.

OP posts:
Grotbagswisp · 28/08/2017 12:58

We had a problem with our cat getting attacked by another cat. The VET suggested spraying water at the other cat to deter him so that's what we do.

We have a litter tray in our garden which our cat uses instead of ours or the neighbour's garden. Might be the solution.

Thissameearth · 28/08/2017 13:00

dan I would suggest people don't get them as residential pets in built up areas if it's cruel to keep them in. I'm surprised it's a socially acceptable practice to get them as pets if they are free to roam and not controlled and then say well what do you want me the owner to do about it.

Original poster
DanHumphreyIsA · 28/08/2017 13:05

@this but what about the cats in these areas now? seeing as they cause so many problems. I'm genuinely interested in what you think, not everyone can move away, not every cat can be rehomed, and there's millions of them stuck in shelters already. Dont get me wrong I do agree people need to be responsible, population wise (neutering helps eg) and keeping them in from the start but I'm not sure what else for the current situation.

OP posts:
Original poster
DanHumphreyIsA · 28/08/2017 13:08

Also sorry I meant cruel to keep then in if they're already used to going outside.

We have another cat who has been indoors since a kitten, mainly due to health issues but also as its better all round.

OP posts:
FluffyPineapple · 28/08/2017 13:12

dan I would suggest people don't get them as residential pets in built up areas if it's cruel to keep them in. I'm surprised it's a socially acceptable practice to get them as pets if they are free to roam and not controlled and then say well what do you want me the owner to do about it.

I agree. I have never seen the point in anyone wanting a cat. All they do is cause problems with the neighbours.

No cat person has ever answered the question about why they would want a cat. They are not sociable animals, out all day and all night and cause nothing but neighbour problems. They return home for food. Personally I don't see the point in having cats.

BTW cat people will tell you "Nobody OWNS a cat". They are free spirits, see, and by nature will roam all day and night causing havoc with the neighbours and leaving their dirty, stinking mess for others to clean up. Cat people are not responsible for picking up their cats filth. They inflict it on the neighbours instead. Maybe that's the attraction of having a cat?? 🤔

5rivers7hills · 28/08/2017 13:15

And I'm not sure why people have cats I don't see them as affectionate they are actually stubborn creatures I unfortunately had no choice as my hubby had to take on the two cats when mum passed.but they are ok they are shy. And females are better than males as males spray all over YUK!

Neutered males shouldn't spray.

My cat is kept in the cat proofed garden, shits in his litter tray inside and is very affectionate :-)

Valuedopinion · 28/08/2017 13:18

I am not a cat person but ended up with one after rescuing it.
I am quite converted now, she is very affectionate, never leaves our garden and is devoted to my daughter who has autism.

My dd adores her, it's her friend.

I am afraid that I do chase neighbours cats out of our garden as they catch birds and I hate that, luckily our cat doesn't hunt or catch anything, I couldn't cope with a hunter.

FluffyPineapple · 28/08/2017 13:18

My cat is kept in the cat proofed garden, shits in his litter tray inside and is very affectionate :-)

YAY! There IS such a thing as a responsible cat owner!

Well done you for taking responsibility for an animal you chose to have 😊

Original poster
DanHumphreyIsA · 28/08/2017 13:19

@5river could you possibly post some photos or info on how you've catproofed, cost wise and if you had to get someone else to do it or was it easy DIY?
Sorry to trouble you, but looking online has confused me even more, and worried me with some people saying their solutions have failed after paying thousands.

OP posts:
Valuedopinion · 28/08/2017 13:20

I do think that people who are aggressive about any animal are very odd though. Humans are by far the worse species on the planet.

Thissameearth · 28/08/2017 13:24

dan I've only just discovered this is what car ownership means (roaming etc) so unsurprisingly not got the answers yet. Plus I've never had cats so don't know what's feasible. But cat runs, cat proofing gardens etc. Don't you have ideas? I wouldn't get a dog or a rabbit etc if I didn't have a plan as to how I would make sure they were happy and that it wasn't imposing on others.

Thissameearth · 28/08/2017 13:27

*cat ownership

PortiaCastis · 28/08/2017 13:30

Yep but humans use a lavatory not (in most cases) somebody's garden, here lies the difference.

Valuedopinion · 28/08/2017 13:31

PortiaCastis, seriously, it's all about poo for you? It wasn't quite what I was getting at but as I said, I think aggression towards any animal is weird.

JacquesHammer · 28/08/2017 13:33

I do think that people who are aggressive about any animal are very odd though

I am never aggressive to any animal. I will use any humane way possible to keep a cat out of my garden.

Humans are by far the worse species on the planet

Bit of a strawman in this argument though. Notwithstanding what the human species does as a whole I never ruin my neighbours garden, scratch their carpet and car and steal food from their house.

I am never noisy, I have one car that is parked on my drive, I tell them if I am having a BBQ etc etc. I am pretty much your ideal neighbour. They however don't see the need to reciprocate in stopping their pet causing me problems.

Valuedopinion · 28/08/2017 13:35

Bit of a strawman in this argument though

Not really, but seems to be the latest mumsnet buzz phrase.