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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Should neighbours ask beforehand?

198 replies

TisforTucan · 01/05/2020 11:36

Woke up today to our neighbour nailing spikes onto the top of the fence (i'm assuming it's to deter our cat from going on it). We've never had any bad words, sure we probably irratate each other but never argued or anything and we've talked before.

Im not offended by the spikes, cat annoys us half the time by pooping in the garden ect but I just feel like they could of knocked and said "hi were going to do this, as we don't really want cat in our garden". I would of appreciated it more to have been told and think I'm more offended that they couldn't come talk to us.

Would anyone else want to be told? Funny thing is, it's not going to work as cat can jump over other parts of the fence so it's just made things a bit awkward I feel now.

OP posts:
SoupDragon · 01/05/2020 12:20

You could have trained it to use a litter tray in your home!

She has.

Walkerbean16 · 01/05/2020 12:20

There was a thread on here where the posters cat was badly injured on their neighbours fence that had these up.

SeasonFinale · 01/05/2020 12:20

*Why didn't you stop your cat going on the fence

I tried to have a reasonable conversation with the cat but she was having none of it.*

This is hilarious! Grin

vanillandhoney · 01/05/2020 12:21

As long as they're not metal spikes, they're perfectly legal.

I don't think it needs to be awkward. It's their garden and they can take whatever (legal) measures they like to keep it cat-free.

JKScot4 · 01/05/2020 12:22

OP bare in mind there are a hardcore of cat/dog haters on MN, they expect you to have potty trained your cat and walk them on a lead!!

Wewearpinkonwednesdays · 01/05/2020 12:22

But it doesn't affect you.

Also why have 2 people now asked if they will be paying the bill if the cat gets hurt? It's not their cat.

JKScot4 · 01/05/2020 12:23

@wewear
If they have put something that’s illegal on their fence and the cat or anything even human is injured then they are liable for costs.

Wewearpinkonwednesdays · 01/05/2020 12:24

Is it illegal though?

BlankTimes · 01/05/2020 12:25

Google cat-proof fencing that you can put on your side to keep your cat in your own garden.

I'd also check if the spikes are legal, are they rubber ones, probably okay, but some of the metal ones cause awful injuries Sad

Original poster
TisforTucan · 01/05/2020 12:25

@bettybattenburg if I was having work done in my home or in my garden that might disrupt them, then I would yeah? Is no one ever nice anymore?

@Biancadelrioisback if cat hurts themselves now it will, she's not the brightest cat.

OP posts:
BuddleiaTime · 01/05/2020 12:25

Our house had cat proof fencing all round when we moved in. I doubt the owners consulted anyone - they are their fences, why would they?

I don't understand why you think it will be awkward, don't mention it, then it isn't.

Frangipanini · 01/05/2020 12:28

I've never had a cat and probably wont get one as I am not that keen on them. I just don't understand why you would get an animal that goes out on it's own all the time, with a high chance of never coming back and one that poos in other peoples gardens.

One of my friend's cats sits on her neighbours car bonnet and has been known to crap all over it and has massive hissing fits at my neighbours dog. My friend is all awww, cute.

I actually got a dog to stop my neighbours cats crapping in my garden. Not seen one since!

CD41 · 01/05/2020 12:31

My partner tried spikes (plastic type form amazon, nothing extreme) to deter cats. We didn’t ask the neighbours first. We were just rely stressed at cats coming in and pooing.

Anyway, it didn’t work. One of the local cats just walks across them. 🤣

tenterden · 01/05/2020 12:32

I think it's fair enough. Why didn't you stop your cat going on the fence

Are people really this stupid?

Original poster
TisforTucan · 01/05/2020 12:33

@Wewearpinkonwednesdays

Because a cat doesn't realise its dangerous and if it gets injured by something they have used to deter an animal, is it your fault for letting the cat out too?

Are metal spikes illegal to deter cats? I always thought they were. It's not a nice thought people are using these.

OP posts:
Wewearpinkonwednesdays · 01/05/2020 12:33

if I was having work done in my home or in my garden that might disrupt them, then I would yeah? Is no one ever nice anymore?
Its not disrupting you though, it's only disrupting your car going in their garden. Also you don't even know if it is just to stop your cat. Maybe they have a few going in. Maybe it's to deter birds.

NC4Now · 01/05/2020 12:33

What kind of spikes? That would make all the difference to me. If they were the type that would hurt my cat I’d be pissed off

Wewearpinkonwednesdays · 01/05/2020 12:33

Cat, not car obviously

Electrical · 01/05/2020 12:34

OP, the word ‘of’ never comes after should/could/would. Sick of reading it.

Most people would consider talking to their neighbour about their animal to be ‘confrontation’, or at best, a hassle that they don’t need and didn’t ask for. It’s his fence, he can do what he likes, and yes, it is possible to keep your animal on your property, why not research it, or keep the animal safe indoors?

Wewearpinkonwednesdays · 01/05/2020 12:34

is it your fault for letting the cat out too?

Well it's your animal, so your responsibility really.

Jux · 01/05/2020 12:35

They might have talked to you about it, except that a) there are a lot of cats in the area, so it's not necessarily just yours; b) they are reasonable people who know that you can't do a damn thing about it except force your cat to stay indoors (and this doesn't solve the problem of the other cats).

Just be pleased that they are sensible and haven't bothered you about it.

FLOrenze · 01/05/2020 12:36

It is a waste of time anyway. Our neighbour has 9 cats, all can adeptly tiptoe along the fence with their paws either side of the spikes.

Jupiters · 01/05/2020 12:36

As you can't reasonable expect your cat to understand being told not to go in their garden there would seem little point in raising the issue with you.
I've seen it on here before where neighbours have asked people to stop their cat going in their garden and posters have come into AIBU complaining about the request!

puffinandkoala · 01/05/2020 12:37

I think it's fair enough. Why didn't you stop your cat going on the fence

Is this for real? It's a cat not a child or dog!

mommybear1 · 01/05/2020 12:39

OP how confident are you these spikes are for the cat? Our neighbour put up razor barbed wire on a dividing fence in our gardens didn't tell us I wasn't best pleased simply because I have a toddler who loves a climb (admittedly he's not gone for the garden fences .... yet Grin). I mentioned to them when I next saw them turns out they were having trouble with another neighbour's teen and "friends" jumping their fence to get into their house when the parents locked them out the "friends" in particular had sticky fingers and had been stealing their garden tools etc they had spoken to the neighbour who simply shrugged so they put this in as a deterrent. They didn't tell me as they didn't want to worry me knowing my DH works away a lot and I'm on my own with said climber monkey toddler Grin.