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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Neighbours cats

52 replies

Sleepycat91 · 07/02/2020 12:45

Next door moved in a year after us, no real problems, occasionally smokes weed in his back garden and stinks my house out but chat if we see each other. They started letting their kittens out a few weeks ago, no problem with cats, i have two indoor girls and i adore them BUT his cats have been climbing the fence into my garden constantly which is stressing my two out. Neighbour chopped the fence lower last year so they climb over. But our back gate is lower than his so now theyre venturing off a bit more, theyre using my gate to climb up which is ruining it and bouncing on and off my OHs car, which he is VERY precious about and his bonnet is getting is getting scratched to high hell already. I was going to put trellis along the top of my gate to stop them and i would like to put some on our side of the fence too. My rabbit has free run of the garden in the summer and i dont want him getting hurt plus ill look after my mums dog on and off and she will kill them if she gets hold of them, i have to put mine out the way or let her play in the garden when shes here. AIBU to do this, should i ask or just do it. I know its not the neighbours fault and cats are cats but i dont want them getting hurt and all our stuff wrecked by them either

OP posts:

NailsNeedDoing · 07/02/2020 12:51

It’s only trellis, of course yanbu.

WellItsNotAFerrari · 07/02/2020 13:26

Of course you're not BU to put trellis up on your own fence, but I think you're being a bit over the top in your reactions to the cats 'ruining' your fence and car. I have cats, fences and cars and I don't see how cats climbing a fence would ruin it any more than squirrels running up it, winds blowing it about, rain and sleet battering it etc. Same for the car, especially if they are outdoor cats (claws are generally not as sharp). I do think you should warn your neighbour that there will be a dog in the garden from time to time, which won't be able to get out, but he might want to raise his fence again so the cats don't get used to venturing over when it's safe and then suddenly get surprised by a dog.

AlpacaGoodnight · 07/02/2020 13:35

I don't think you are bu about the trellis but you are being very over the top over your reaction to the cats!

WhatATimeToBeAlive · 07/02/2020 13:41

If the dog attacks cats that are in your garden, then that's the neighbour's issue, not yours. Get the trellis up.

PersephoneandHades · 07/02/2020 13:49

@WhatATimeToBeAlive It is against the law 'to let a dog be dangerously out of control anywhere. A court could decide that a dog is dangerously out of control if it attacks someone's animal.

Someone can get an unlimited fine or be sent to prison for up to 6 months (or both) if their dog is dangerously out of control. '

The above is a statement from parliament, so OP/OP's mum could potentially be held responsible if the dog attacks one of the cats, as owners have an obligation to keep dogs under control at all times.

Also, what a fucked up thing to say? OP please make the neighbour aware if the dog is over so he can keep his cats safe.

Tombliwho · 07/02/2020 14:02

How are they ruining a fench by climbing? are they tiny tigers?!
Yanbu to put trellis up though as they get bigger I doubt it will keep them out. I believe you would be responsible if the dog harmed the cats too.

Tombliwho · 07/02/2020 14:02

*fence
Dont know where fench came from

pourmorewine · 07/02/2020 14:06

You can't stop cats climbing the fence. In what way are they ruining your gate? We've always had random cats coming into our garden, sitting on the fence and the shed.

GreenFingersWouldBeHandy · 07/02/2020 14:21

his bonnet is getting is getting scratched to high hell already

Um... cats are highly unlikely to scratch car paintwork... and how are they ruining your gate?

Cats are cats unfortunately. Keep your rabbit in a safe run in the summer. I'm sure the cats can look after themsleves re: your Mum's dog.

ScreamingLadySutch · 07/02/2020 14:24

Offer to dogsit someone's jack russell when they go on holiday. Cat problem will vanish ...

ScreamingLadySutch · 07/02/2020 14:26

PS I have cats and not a dog at the moment. But I do acknowledge they can be a pain

FizzyIce · 07/02/2020 14:27

My cats climb on my husbands care which is is very protective of and they never scratch it so doubt that’s the neighbours cats.
They leave footprints and that’s it .
Trellis won’t work as they’ll climb up that too, you need something unsteady like the plastic covered wire you can put around trees or chicken wire

Herpesfreesince03 · 07/02/2020 14:29

Of course you will not be held responsible if your dog attacks a cat when it’s in your back garden! No court in the country would rule against you in those circumstances. People are being ridiculous in how they’re taking the law

Whynosnowyet · 07/02/2020 14:34

Few blasts with a super soaker should sort them out...

Drum2018 · 07/02/2020 14:39

You don't need your neighbours permission to put trellis in your garden.

ktjerl · 07/02/2020 14:46

Cats can and do damage gates. Our neighbors cat climbs ours and has scratched the hell out of the paintwork. Unfortunately there is nothing that we can do about it other than sand a repaint more often. It's a pain.

ILearnedItFromABook · 07/02/2020 15:38

If a cat comes into your closed garden where a dog is being kept, you won't be in trouble if the dog hurts (or even kills) the cat. But OP wants to prevent that because she's a good person who doesn't want animals to suffer needlessly.

OP, definitely put up the trellis, though I wonder if it will make a difference. Won't the cats just climb over that, too?

pourmorewine · 07/02/2020 15:51

Why won't you let your own cats out to mark their territory in the garden?

77seven · 07/02/2020 16:06

I’m not sure how kittens can ruin a gate? Or a car?

Also, how on earth can you have a vicious dog in your garden which, as you say, would kill cats , when you have your own cats and a rabbit?

Can I ask why your cats can’t go out? If you’re worried about roads etc, did you know you can get a wire around your garden which emits a beep and gives cats a minute static shock if they go past the beep (they wear a special collar when out). At least they can get some sun and fresh air and chew the grass etc which they need for digestion.

A normal trellis on top of a fence or gate probably won’t stop nextdoor’s cats, but you could try fitting a trellis that’s unstable because cats won’t climb over anything unstable.

Or you could ask your neighbours to fit a roller to the top of their wall? It’s like a long rod that rotates is the cats paws can’t get purchase on it. But this won’t work if they can jump over anyway due to trees etc, Also, if they’ve scented out your garden now as territory they will probably go around and find a different way to get in.

Have a google for “cat containment”. There are plastic prickly surfaces you can lay in top of walls (these don’t work), rollers (never tried) or wobbly trellis things that will deter cats.

There are sonic detectors that emit a high pitched beep but these don’t work. We have 4 cats. They all say next to the beeping sensor and howled at it to shut up.

The best thing to keep them out would be to let your own cats out! Especially if nextdoor’s are only kittens.

Thefaceofboe · 07/02/2020 16:12

I understand the worry about the dog but it’s unlikely the dog will catch the cat anyway. My dog has never got close to getting our cats!

JolieOBrien · 07/02/2020 16:13

Just get a water gun and everytime they come in your garden zap them. I am a cat lover but mine is forever getting bullied by a couple of siamese cats who keep coming in my garden a pooping on the lawn. They are quite vicious and spit at me if I approach them. I now give them a quick squirt of the water gun to deter them. I think they are finally getting the message. What annoys me is they live several houses away so they are traveling to my garden to poop ... I wish they would do their business in their own garden.

DowntownAbby · 07/02/2020 16:18

Have your mum's dog over much more often.

Problem quickly solved.

DowntownAbby · 07/02/2020 16:20

What annoys me is they live several houses away so they are traveling to my garden to poop ... I wish they would do their business in their own garden.

Are you joking?

You have cats yourself which will be shitting all over some other poor sod's garden, FFS.

mumwon · 07/02/2020 16:22

we had a cat & a rabbit years ago. The cat use to chase the rabbit who would promptly pretend to be dead - until rabbit got fed up with cat & turned round & chased him (disclaimer I was a dc myself & it was my older ds rabbit) rabbits have very sharp claws & he gave as good as he got (I think all our animals were eccentric )

MarieG10 · 07/02/2020 16:28

@PersephoneandHades

A court could decide that a dog is dangerously out of control if it attacks someone's animal.

The dog would be in the OPs back garden fenced in. Utter nonsense. Of course a court could decide anything but it would be overturned. There is a long held convention of "A mans (yes I know) home is his castle" and hence why traditionally parliament has been reluctant to legislate and why so much law does not apply within a dwelling although being weakened now

What would be reasonable is a dog is not j dear control in the front garden where there is a walkway to the house and an implied invitation to persons to say knock at the door or post mail

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