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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Neighbours leaving their cat out all night to meow at the door..

54 replies

KB197 · 28/08/2019 20:21

For a while now I’ve noticed my neighbours cat meowing through the night to get in. They don’t have a cat flap so it meows, whinges and scratches at the door all night. Their back doorstep is just down On the left of my bedroom and I cannot open my windows in this hot weather as it drives me insane. I’m not sure how they can’t hear it themselves because I noticed their top windows were open. Or are they just ignoring it?

My partner is working until 2am each night this week and is a light sleeper but he keeps getting woke up by the bloody cat. Cats meows can sound really loud during the night when everything else is quiet.

Aibu to have a polite word asking they could possibly fit a cat flap or leave a bottom window open? Or even put a bed in their shed for it to sleep in? Or just let the bloody thing in??

OP posts:

PookieDo · 28/08/2019 21:44

Cats usually (mostly but not all) want to be out at night not in but some people think that is where they should be. I would talk to them about it. Does it have food outside? If they have small kids I wonder if that’s why they don’t want it indoors at night

I have a housecat now who is scared of the outdoors but is an arsehole in many other ways. I try not to let either of mine disturb the neighbours too much but just putting out suggestions as to maybe what they will say!

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 28/08/2019 21:44

Mine go out in the garden, we have to call them and bribe them with supper to get them in for the night .

They love coming into the house , leaving a large stinking turd in the tray and sauntering out , smirking.

Cats - you could try poohing outside , no?

MonChatEstMagnifique · 28/08/2019 21:49

Sure, which is why they need telling it's not bloody on and is keeping neighbours awake all night.

I agree. I just wouldn't expect them to care. They're not great people if they ignore their poor cat and probably already realise that it may be disturbing the neighbours. I hope they do start letting the cat in both for the cats same and the OPs.

Crochetymum · 28/08/2019 21:54

So funny how everyone agrees cats are arseholes . I've got my own cat who only climbs out of the window to sit on the roof, doesn't go any further thankfully and he settles down at night when we do.
But one of my neighbours has a cat that is out all weathers, days at a time, feel so sorry for it. He just traipses around looking for somewhere to go, we've had him in a few times.and he just naps on the bed. I've heard people say that cats want to be out at night but if this one is crying he possibly doesn't.

Cheeserton · 28/08/2019 22:00

Cheeserton How do you know they’re intentionally locking it out!? Stop being so judgemental

I read the OP's words? 'judgemental' for this would have to be one of the silliest things on here in a while...

cakesandphotos · 28/08/2019 22:02

We have a cat flap at the back but one of our cats cries at the front and then jumps up at the door and hangs off the little window on the top half. It must look like we don't love him but in reality he spends most nights sleeping on my head. He's just an arsehole

CottonSock · 28/08/2019 22:04

Happened to me in rental. Said something. Owner laughed but it didn't happen again. Bucket of water would also tempt me.

Andromeida59 · 28/08/2019 22:04

At our old house, our dickhead cat would do the same thing. She would cry under our window despite having a working cat flap and being able to get in through the window.

Cats can be dicks.

Pardonwhat · 28/08/2019 22:05

Cheeserton

Again, how do you know the cat doesn’t have a window to go into or a cat flap?? You’re the ‘silly’ one whilst we’ve talking like my 6 year old . But like you said on the last page, your cat isn’t as ‘shit’ as other people’s (your words). Enjoy your prodigy cat

Dippypippy1980 · 28/08/2019 22:12

My cat has a cat flap and comes and goes as she pleases - I would never lock her outside all night, it does seem neglectful. I hope they change their ways in the winter.

That said, my cat cries every morning at five am. She sits in the bath to get the greatest acoustic effect. She stops when I pick her up.

She can be an asshole.

Cheeserton · 28/08/2019 22:14

Again, how do you know the cat doesn’t have a window to go into or a cat flap??
Again, because the OP, their bloody neighbour who can see and hear, said so! She also says it's been going on to a very annoying degree for 'a while' and enough to seriously piss them off. Doesn't take Columbo to figure this one out... Fucking 'judgemental' indeed...

dayslikethese1 · 28/08/2019 22:18

I think it's kinda mean to shut the cat out all night. We have our cat in at night, she uses the catflap and never yowls. I might just be lucky though

NoSquirrels · 28/08/2019 22:22

So it used to be OK out all night but now your dog has ‘stolen’ a bit if it’s territory? It’s nit new behaviour for them to kick it out at night, just new behaviour that it’s miaowing it get back in their house?

I would definitely politely mention it. Perhaps it miaows indoors at night or galumphs around purring and otherwise being a twat cat so that it disturbs their young children? Once you know then solutions are easier to suggest e.g. bed in the shed etc

Pardonwhat · 28/08/2019 22:25

Cheeserton

Well fuck me. I need you and your prodigy cat over. I have a cat flap and my cat spends half the night crying for me to open the door and then proceeds to climb out of the window. Rinse and repeat. I am the least cruel pet owner going. Judgemental indeed.

harriethoyle · 28/08/2019 22:28

Prodigy cat 😂😂😂🙈

Mine's a dunce for the record. Sits like a meercat over the arm of the chair!

Cheeserton · 28/08/2019 22:32

I am the least cruel pet owner going.
Yeah, cats vary. Big bloody deal. Are you suggesting that no cats use catflaps? I've had loads of cats that do, and funnily enough they exist because many cats use them (again, just call me Columbo here...). These neighbours don't have a catflap or window open for the cat, so the cat CAN'T get in. That's why it's howling and scratching at the door all night (again, per the OP, our only eyewitness...). It's definitely more likely to be able to get in if it's not shut out with no access, wouldn't you say?

Pardonwhat · 28/08/2019 22:34

Cheeserton

I give up

Cheeserton · 28/08/2019 22:38

Prodigy cat 😂😂😂🙈
This made me laugh too, as she's anything but and is generally also pretty daft. Just somehow figured out how to use a catflap, which while not universal certainly isn't unique.

scotwood · 28/08/2019 22:40

Are you sure it's the neighbours cat? Cats often choose their own homes. Perhaps the neighbour is ignoring it because they also want it to fuck off

DaveMinion · 28/08/2019 22:41

If anyone lives next door to me and my cat, I’m sorry she’s just a cunt.

We don’t have a cat flap (rented) and leaving a window open means leaving the whole house open (no small windows and sliding patio doors). She meaows loudly when she doesn’t want to come in, and when she does. Then won’t come in when you open the door for her. Even if a window is open she will just meaow to come in even if she just went out the same window.

Just a cunt.

ELM8 · 28/08/2019 22:46

I've had this on and off for the last year with next doors cat. They are lovely (neighbours, not the cat. I hate the cat) and I'm too much of a wimp to say anything..

Water out of the window is a temporary fix but I'm basically just getting used to a 2am wake up call

Jayaywhynot · 28/08/2019 23:02

I'm a serious cat lover but the neighbourhood cats used to congregate in my garden for a howling singsong waking me up every night. I bought a water pistol/ soaker type and kept it in the bathroom, when they woke me up I opened the window and took aim, missed most of the time, it was enough to move them on

Original poster

KB197 · 28/08/2019 23:18

Thanks all. I know they definitely don’t have a cat flap. You can easily see they don’t. It’s their own house so could put one in if they wanted to. The window open is another solution but I can see why people wouldn’t be fully comfortable with this (we live in a safe area but you never know).

Before we had our dog (she doesn’t like cats) it would sleep on our trampoline or even make its way into our shed if it was open (I would he or she wasn’t in there when I shut it).

I’ve shut my windows tonight in the hope I won’t hear it 🤞

OP posts:

OrangeHue · 02/10/2019 06:08

@kb197 hi, is the cat still being left out?

cardamoncoffee · 02/10/2019 07:22

I opened up this thread thinking it was about our cat. He is a narc of the highest order, wants fed every half hour, either self harms/destroys furniture/scratches the dc if he doesn't get what he wants IMMEDIATELY and thinks he's hard done by. During the night he cries to go outside, I let him out, he cries to be fed (he's obese and isn't allowed) he refuses to come in then and just meows. If I lift him to bring him in he will attack me if I haven't fed him

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