Neighbours, cats and birds.

[Birdmurderer]

NC for this but regular.

We've lived in out house for a year, on a "hello" basis with next door. She's got a voice you can hear 3 streets away and her eldest daughter seems to have inherited it. A few issues but generally ok neighbours.

We have 3 cats - one who is old and never leaves the decking area of our garden, one who seems to have another family a few doors down (other side to neighbour in question), and one who likes to peep through their chain link fence at them but is too much of a mamas boy to leave our garden. (we've had a lot of time during lockdown to confirm our theories about where they go during the day). They made it clear from day one they don't like cats and will talk loudly about how awful our cats are when they know we're within earshot .

DP just went outside to get his bike and the woman is sobbing in the garden. Spots DP and starts shouting at him because apparently one of ours cats has eaten a bird that she was looking after (she has a feeding table in her garden).

DP apologised - for what I'm not sure - and sort of left it there and went off about his day. I was still in bed when all this happened.

He's gone out now and I can hear her sobbing and shouting in the garden about this bird.

There are 2 big cats the other side of her, one of which is horrible and has put my little cat in the vets twice. I think that's the culprit over my fat old one who sleeps 23 hours a day, the deserter, and the little one who can't catch his own tail.

AIBU to think she's massively overreacted? I have quite bad social anxiety and I am not good with confrontation so I'm hiding indoors now.

It should be a decision of getting one of the other dozens of pets available that doesn’t make other people’s lives a misery

So what would happen to all the cats that people don't take on, just because you had a bad experience? Should we have them all put down?

Dogs bark on "instinct". Barking dogs are classed as a nuisance. They chase sheep on instinct...and owners are held liable for this.

Dog poo is a nuisance. Cat poo carries the same toxoplasmosis and other delights as dogs.

I know cats can't be trained as well as dogs but they are a pain to those who have to love near them and don't want to.

If I was to get a loud woofy dog I reckon the neighbours would be pissed off pretty fast for the annoyance it imposes on them

So what would happen to all the cats that people don't take on, just because you had a bad experience? Should we have them all put down

No need for that. Just have them all neutered, like responsibile owners do anyway.

Winterlife I repeat, they don't take months or years over it, though.

Collars aren’t actually safe - even the quick-release ones, one of those almost strangled a friend’s cat as he got stuck and couldn’t get it off. If they can get them off they’ll be off. So either dangerous or pointless.

This woman sounds a bit hysterical, if she’s ever been in a car she will have killed wildlife herself.

@TinySleepThief
@Pelleas

Really? You can't see the difference between WILD animals eating other animals for survival, and domesticated well-fed PETS killing animals for fun?

Really?

No need for that. Just have them all neutered, like responsibile owners do anyway.

That wouldn't eradicate cats though, not for many years at least. And why should cats be woped out, but other creatures who kill 'for fun be allowed to continue to live and breed? Especially humanity, who choose to do these things consciously?

The ops neighbour sounds batshit.
I hope she never watched a wildlife programme, it will blow her mind.
I also agree about hypocrisy.
Unless she is a vegan she can shut up.
Oh but it's ok for humans to kill and tuck into a roast chicken isn't it.

Really? You can't see the difference between WILD animals eating other animals for survival, and domesticated well-fed PETS killing animals for fun

Plenty of wild animals kill 'for fun'

Dogs bark on "instinct". Barking dogs are classed as a nuisance. They chase sheep on instinct...and owners are held liable for this.

It's fairly easy to train your dog not to nuisance bark, or simply to bring him inside if he starts barking for no reason (in my experience, doing the latter teaches the former).

It's also fairly easy to keep your dog away from sheep. Dogs have nothing like the natural climbing abilities of cats. Cats don't have a chase instinct - they have a stalk and pounce instinct.

@Pelleas, I’m certain the injured bird or mouse being toyed with by a cat before the kill finds the fact they’re being played with for only a short time very soothing.

PETS killing animals for fun

It isn't 'fun' - it's following a natural instinct.

You can't see the difference between WILD animals eating other animals for survival, and domesticated well-fed PETS killing animals for fun?

Well a feral cat isn't a domesticated well fed pet and we honestly have no idea a cat even killed this bird so I don't see why she is blaming cats when it's much more likely to be another bird or a fox for example.

Plus of even the RSPB state that those birds killed by cats, even the well fed house variety, wouldn't have made it to the breeding season why does it actually matter whether the animal that killed it was wild or domesticated?

@Herpes hahahaha 🤣🤣🤣 I am doing nothing wrong. I rescued my cats from horrific conditions and they are now living out the best life. If that makes me selfish I am proud to be! HTH

She would have hated my baby girl cat. The cutest tiniest car I ever had. She killed endless birds. No use to me, I'm vegetarian!

I’m certain the injured bird or mouse being toyed with by a cat before the kill finds the fact they’re being played with for only a short time very soothing.

Its brain isn't capable of comparing methods of death, but it's in distress for far less time than if it was ill and slowly starving to death.

Cat not car.

I have 2 cats, one of which is a serial killer. She has 3 bells on her collar and lots of toys at home but yesterday she bought 3 rabbits home. Not a lot I can do about it.

I don’t understand why cats are allowed to roam free ,they are the responsibility of the owner and the garden should have netting over the Top of the fence To keep cats in .
They should not be allowed to roam and kill wildlife

But every bird or mouse killed by a cat is not ill or starving to death.

Hate Cats.
And that's why.

Cat owner here - also wanting to live in harmony with neighbours. I'd wait until she's calmed down, and then present her with a very large water pistol, and say that she's more than welcome to aim it at any of your cats once they cross the boundaries into her garden. She gets a new hobby, your cats stay dry and the thuggish cat on the other side very possibly gets soaked!

@GuyFawkesDay get a small dog. The most annoying, badly-trained dogs in my area are smaller breeds. The mongrels and large dogs seem to be better trained.

Don't do as some people have suggested, and keep them in. That is cruel. The most I'd do is put a collar with a bell on it on your traitor cat, just in case, but even that would go against the grain as I'm not keen on cat collars. Your neighbour is being over the top ridiculous. Obviously hunting isn't a nice trait in cats, but it is normal.

Oh but it's ok for humans to kill and tuck into a roast chicken isn't it.

Yes, and it's fine for animals to kill for food.
But fox hunting isn't.