To remove these cat spikes on a fence?

[Alexandra80]

Woken up this morning by my DC screaming saying our young cat is bleeding everywhere. Both his paws are very bloody and we've washed him and dried him (he's suuuuper fluffy so it's hard to see the damage and his fur was matted with blood).

He obviously tried to jump onto our porch roof from a non spiked fence which he does a lot as he likes it up there, miscalculated and landed heavily on the spiked fence which is right by our porch door. The spikes are plastic but very pointed. Originally there was a path that led down that side of our house but the lady who lived in our house before put a fence up and the lady with the garden next to us moved her garden (I. E. Grass, gravel...) to reach the fence.

So technically it's no one's legal property and it was an agreement between that neighbour and the previous tenant. She's only put those cat spikes on this one fence as the other two are official shared boundaries. I get some people hate cats, fine, but buy anoyher kind of detterant. Now I've got to take my cat to the vets and he's in a lot of pain. (I'd talk to my neighbour first but she's proven to be awkard before which is long winded and boring but jist for context as to why I can't just ask her). Would we be unreasonable to remove the spikes later, as it'll likely happen again and it's not legally anyone's? Thinking of calling rspca for advice once we're back from the vets. I always thought the spikes weren't meant to hurt/impale cats, just deter them.

Here is some info on the legality of cat spikes.

All types of cat spikes are legal as long as they don’t harm the cat. Specially designed, humane, plastic, blunt cat spikes are the safest.

Although the law does not say that adding metal pigeon spikes or barbed wire to a fence is illegal, these type of cat spikes may become illegal if a pet cat is injured as a result.

DIY cat spikes in the form of nails, pins, carpet grippers and other sharp objects can also become illegal if they are fixed with intent to harm pet cats.

The RSPCA can prosecute if cat spikes are fitted to deliberately injure a pet cat. Creating unnecessary suffering to a cat is a criminal offence under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 and can result in up to six months in prison and/or a £20,000 fine.

keepcatsaway.co.uk/cat-spikes-legal/

Cats have the right to free roam.

So from reading this, those spikes are illegal.

It's a clear puncture wound next to a toe pad consistent with a spike or similar. It's clotting well so he just needs antibiotics and an xray to check it didn't go too close to the joint and damage anything.

Thank you. Yeah it's pretty bloody just because it's quite deep although not very wide.

I have 3 cats. I'd be interested in an update after you talk to vet and RSPCA

They’d be down if it was my cat. Id also take pictures of the bloody section to show it has caused injury incase the neighbour wanted to go down the “it was safe and didn’t cause injury” route of a moan.

Cat spikes might be legal but it’s like all things you can buy cheaper dodgy bootleg versions online that might not be safe in comparison to the original design.

Hopefully the poor cat and kids are ok. Fortunately he didn’t have far to go to get home too.

Poor kitty. I hate cats and really dont want them in my garden but I wouldn't use spikes. No need to hurt them, wouldn't rollers be just as effective at keeping them out?

but the lady who lived in our house before put a fence up

It's your fence then, remove the spikes.

If it's your fence, remove them. If it's not your fence, put up a taller fence or a board right next to it on your side so that the cat can't land on the spikes.

If it's her property, the spikes need to be legal. Otherwise you can report her.
If it's your property, take the spikes down and she can have them back.
If it's nobody's property, cover the spikes with something. You have as much right as her to put something on top of that fence.

I do think it's problematic that cats mess in other people's gardens, but what a brutal way to deal with it. Your poor unsuspecting cat! I hope he's ok.

Or keep your cat inside. No one else wants it's shit. To get mad because someone is trying to keep their garden cat shit free doesn't seem fair

This is always a contentious issue. We have all sorts of shit in our garden. Cat, fox, hedgehog, bird, rat, mice, frog, toad, dead stuff which birds of prey drop....... you can't keep your garden sterile.

Have you taken a pic of the bloody spikes, OP? So you can use it if you need to report.

If it is your neighbour’s fence I believe that she has every right to do it so YABU to expect her to pay the vet bills. If the spikes are on YOUR fence, take them down. Ideally you should have found out whose property they were on before this all happened.

Obviously you’re focused on the cat right now OP but it sounds as if the records show it’s your path that your neighbour has annexed with her grass and gravel? If that’s right it’s important you notify her soon that it’s your land and she can’t use it/can only use it with your agreement (whichever your prefer).

That will also deal with the cat spikes issue

My neighbour put plastic strip spikes all along our boundary fence (her fence) I posted a question about the legality of this at the time in the 'litter tray' section of mumsnet and was given a real telling off and told to keep my cats in etc. I'm glad the OP has received a more sympathetic response. I complained to environmental health, the spikes used were legal and my cats have learnt to walk awkwardly along the fence. I no longer talk to the neighbour.

Surely you're not allowed to put up anything that can cause injury without signage? (yes I'm aware cats can't read!) because if a human got injured they could sue?

Talk to the neighbour first - maybe the spikes can be removed by friendly agreement. Perhaps, though, your cat will simply be afraid to jump again in that area? Anyway, best wishes to Mr Puss for a full recovery.

Just go and speak to the neighbour - you're far more likely to come up with an amicable solution.

If she did put up the spikes, why not offer to purchase something more to your liking to try and limit your cat's roaming?

If she has put the spikes on your fence and it has resulted in injury to your cat, then I imagine she’s legally responsible for your vet bills and any follow up treatment, OP.

I don't understand the number of posters suggesting it's your neighbour's fence. If your predecessor in title put the fence up it's yours. Remove the spikes but I'd be speaking to the police as well, just in case anything kicks off. Seems that putting the spikes down may constitute an offence.

OK, just wanted to comment on the fence.
Do you own or rent? If you rent this might be harder as it is the owner who holds the rights (I think)

The land must belong to one of you, OR it may be a shared path as sometimes happens.
If it is yours, or shared, then it cannot be completely contained in her garden, ie behind her fence.

If the fence was put up by her, but is on your land, you are entitled to remove it, but you must not damage it, and must return it to her.

So, if the land is yours, and it has her fence, (and her spikes) on your land, you can remove it and return it. To start with, if it is on your land, you can remove the spikes, as they are on your land)

In reality, it is always better to do things nicely rather than start a dispute, so I would go round with a map, and show her that the land is yours. The politely suggest that you remove her fence and put up a fence of your own along the boundary line. (this can be a simple wire fence) If she needs/wants a better fence, she can put it along her side of the boundary, but you do not have to put anything there if you don't want to.

If she is unco-operative, then put it in writing, with a copy of the map, and say that on xx date you will remove the fence, return it to her and put up your own fence on the boundary line.

Don't get drawn into any discussion about how much money she has spent on that strip of land (not your problem, she is welcome to lift and re-use the gravel and grass elsewhere in her garden) or discussions over how useful that bit of land is for her and how useless for you (not the point, it is yours, you can use it as you like)

But if the land is yours, you should get it back. At the very least it is a legal annoyance that needs sorting if you ever sell.

I'd get advice from the council, vet and RSPCA and then take a view on how to proceed. It sounds like the spikes might be illegal, in which case you can confidently ask the neighbour to remove them. I don't know about billing her for the vet, but maybe the vet themselves can advise on that and/or it'll be determined by the legality or otherwise of the spikes.

If your predecessor in title put the fence up it's yours

Not necessarily. It is more likely, however there are a number of reasons why a fence may have been erected on a boundary even if the boundary "belongs" to the OP.

The easiest way is to do as has been recommended, download the Title Information Document from the Land Registry and find out for sure.

YANBU. Poor cat.

YANBU. Poor cat..

@Alexandra80 Just echoing the others here. Your poor little kitty... 😢

Awful thing to do, and nasty.

FGS if a cat is pissing you off (someone else's,) squirt some tap water at it.

Also call RSPCA. (If you haven't already.) This neighbour needs reporting. If what she has done is NOT illegal (and I reckon it is,) then she will have nothing to worry about WILL she?

And give your kitty a hug from me.

And who the fuck voted for AIBU?!

@Baaaahhhhh

Yeah no-one wants cat shit in their garden, but we all have all sorts of shit in our garden. Cat, fox, hedgehog, bird, rat, mice, frog, toad, dead stuff which birds of prey drop....... you can't keep your garden sterile.

Yeah this X 1000. It's ridiculous to moan about cat shit in your garden, when it's littered with shit from multiple animals and insects and, snail-trail, and birdshit, and fuck knows what else. Get a grip, seriously...