AIBU moving into house with a cat in no-cats neighbourhood

[museumsandgalleries666]

Asking for a friend :-)
Buying a house (freehold) in a newly-built (20 years old) neighbourhood and have received a letter from the resident's association advising no cats are allowed.
AIBU to continue my purchase and move in anyway? Do the Res Assoc have any legal right to stop anyone owning a cat?
Looking for advice as nearing completion and purchase chain will be affected.

YABVVU
Why can't somewhere in the country be actually nice without selfish pet owners insisting on their animals right to shit all over the place?

I love that the cat owners think their cats bury their shit! They do not. They shit and fuck off.

I guess it’s a restrictive covenant. Bit of an odd one. But if a party who has the benefit sought to enforce they could make you get rid, yeah. Google dogs in flats- is similar.

@csigeek

I love that the cat owners think their cats bury their shit! They do not. They shit and fuck off.

Some cats might not but a large portion will bury it. Unlike foxes, badgers, hedgehogs, rats and any of the other animals that will be passing through a UK garden especially in a 'cat free' area.

I would contact them and ask for a copy of the legal documents confirming that you are not allowed cats ... (obvs there won’t be any!) and then question how on Earth they can tell you what pets you can / can not have.
I would also check the questionnaires the vendors sent to your solicitors. If this is a ‘thing’ then maybe that should have been mentioned somewhere? Under ‘property restrictions’ maybe ?? (Not sure if there is any question where this should be answered properly, but worth asking your solicitor).

I know for a fact that my cats bury their poo. I’ve seen them doing that in our own garden. We’ve always made sure that there is plenty of soil in our garden for them to dig in as well as indoor litter trays.

Train your mog to look people straight in the eye and say "I am not a cat".

Never heard of 'cat free' neighbourhood, is a new one on me.
I certainly wouldn't want to live in such a controlling neighbourhood with an RA like that.
They can stuff it, they wouldn't like dealing with me anyway😬

@SmudgeButt

Train your mog to look people straight in the eye and say "I am not a cat".

You win 😂

I wouldn’t buy a house where such people live. Who knows what other rules they try to enforce ? No dirty cars ? Grass always neatly cut ? Bollocks to the lot of them. Having said that, I once lived in an area where the residents association complained about me because I hung my washing on the line. They said it “ wasn’t in keeping with the area “.

Oh how i wish this area was cat free! Ive never heard of such a thing tbh and i sold houses for over 30 years.

Personally I think you ABU!
There are a ton of cats where we currently live. Every. Single. Day. They come into my garden and dig up plants - sh*t everywhere - crow all night long - frighten our bunnies - spray up our fence - scratch on our trees. The list is endless. The poop is particularly bad. They go on my patio, kids toys, lawn. Everywhere. Can't let my 2yr old outside without checking it first.
I've always been a cat person (compared to dogs) but with all the above; I just hate them all now.
Every single day - poop!

If we were to move to a specific area that didn't allow cats and you rocked up next door and completely flouted the rules; I'd be soo angry! Why should I have to clear up your animals poop? Especially when it's toxic to my children.
If I knocked on your door every day and said your cat has sh*t in my garden again; are you coming straight over to clear it up?!

They can enforce.

If you have it in your house and you don’t let it out they can’t.

If you let it out of your house and it poops or bothers other residents they can. They can take you to court. You will lose. And will be liable for all costs and have to give up cat.

If you let it out of your house and it poops or bothers other residents they can. They can take you to court. You will lose. And will be liable for all costs and have to give up cat.

I find that almost impossible to believe.

@csigeek you are so right! I think cats are the most antisocial pet you can own. They shit everywhere, and the ones that frequent my garden are definitely not burying it! Yes, there's probably a vast number of irresponsible lazy dog owners who don't pick up after their dogs but how many people are wandering their community picking up their cats shite? If i let my dog shit on the pavement outside my neighbour's house they'd rightly think i was a knobhead. But my neighbours cats foul all over my drive, my gardens, where my kids play and thats apparently totally ok They can't see it happening so out of sight, out of mind. My car is all scratched from them climbing the bonnet. I never realised I disliked cats until I had neighbours with so many.

Clauses like this are really common in residence associations in the US but I've never seen it in the U.K. Her solicitor should tell her whether it's enforceable or not surely?

To all those posters complaining about cats. So what should people do, create cat free zones? How about dogs? Should there be dog neighbourhoods, dog free neighbourhood? Do whatever you like neighbourhoods? How about grass cutting? Hanging washing up? Cleaning your car or windows? Should everyone behave the same and like the same things for you? People are different, one should accept that.

Legally a cat is classed as a free roaming animal and they can’t do fart all legally but I’d be highly concerned about a cats safety in the area. But you can’t stop a outdoor cat from wondering about it’s like saying the birds don’t have permission to fly over my garden

What a strange rule. Has anyone told the neighbourhood cats ? I don't see how you can prevent cats from going into a specific area on their nightly prowls.

Do all residents pay a maintenance fee for landscaped areas and that’s why they say no cats???

I hate cats but wouldn't want to live somewhere like this.

I also used to live somewhere that forbade hanging of washing. I bloody hung mine out. They also said I needed to apply for permission for my then dog which would cost £50! I ignored them.

Do they make cat shaped penguin bollards?

@Trudij123

Do they make cat shaped penguin bollards?

If I were you I'd patent the idea ASAP.

Tell your friend to ditch the cat and get a peacock 😆

@hedgehoginthebag

Tell your friend to ditch the cat and get a peacock 😆

Or several cockerels. They'd have something to really moan about then. Miserable sods.