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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Cat scratching neighbours car?

95 replies

MotherofPoodles · 15/06/2021 22:27

We have 5 cats, not intentionally a stray gave birth and we got them all spayed and then kept them. I live in a farm so nearest neighbour is half a mile away. Neighbours daughter took a shine to one of the cats and we had a few reports of friends seeing her petting him etc. Contact was made with the neighbour by my husband as obviously initially we were worried he'd been lost. A few times we collected him but as they'd been having him in the house at this point we were fighting a losing battle.

Fast forward to now the cat has adopted this family and now won't leave. Tonight we've had a text to say this cat has now caused damage to their car on 2 occasions by scratching it, caught on camera. We haven't seen him for weeks despite looking.

Where do we stand? My husband I think should have been firmer and said if you don't want the cat visiting don't pet him/stroke/feed/take into your house. But he just apologised and went to collect him. We have photos of their daughter holding the cat in their house. Please advise if ibu to tell them to piss off? He's taking his care into the garage to be assessed.

OP posts:

TwoLeftSocksWithHoles · 16/06/2021 08:49

Oh that's very interesting, that's made me wonder now if it was a group of cats who nicked my hub caps.

Hoppinggreen · 16/06/2021 09:40

@TwoLeftSocksWithHoles

Oh that's very interesting, that's made me wonder now if it was a group of cats who nicked my hub caps.

No, that will be the foxes, probably sold them to the badgers

VestaTilley · 16/06/2021 10:54

I agree with @CoraPirbright

Patapouf · 16/06/2021 11:15

They can fuck off, they stole your cat the damage to the cars is their problem.
I don't really believe a cat can do much to a car though 🧐

TwoLeftSocksWithHoles · 16/06/2021 11:50

They should be grateful you haven't got a dog...

Couchbettato · 16/06/2021 12:23

Send him the pictures of his daughter with the cat and say "our cat? I thought it was yours..."

Penners99 · 16/06/2021 12:47

Justin can fuck off to the far side of fuck, and when he gets there, fuck off some more.

The etymology of “Justin” is “man with small penis”. Just in case you wondered…..

AryaStarkWolf · 16/06/2021 12:51

Really odd that a cat would scratch the outside of a car like that. I'd want to see the footage just out of curiousity haha but yeah I would be having a word with them about feeding and taking your cat in and then complaining when he behaves badly

TheRedHen2 · 16/06/2021 13:06

Does he mean the interior of the car?

It's highly unlikely the cat has done any damage to the paintwork as cats don't sharpen their claws on anything smooth.

Legally they have no recourse.

Up to you if you feel morally responsible but I don't think I would!

Anycrispsleft · 16/06/2021 13:08

@Bananapuppy

My neighbours’ cat scratches my car bonnet. It has a sunbathe on the car then scratches- no idea why! It’s a nice shiny red car with lots of little cat scratches on it.

I’m not a huge cat fan, have never petted it and the only time it has been in my house is when it came to steal some fish from my shopping bag...

I’ve never asked (and never will ask) the neighbours to fix my car! What the heck were they meant to do about it? It’s not like they’ve intentionally damaged it. Just one of those things. I was a bit miffed the first time but now I just laugh at the crazy cat and go and try and shoo it away.

Clearly these people have adopted/catnapped your cat anyway and are now trying to be CF. They want the joys of your cat without any of the financial responsibility/ material consequences .

Does he do it on cold mornings? They love a warm patch on a cold morning. There's one that comes and sits on my bin on winter mornings because it's black and it's in just the right place to catch the sun.

Cillmantain · 16/06/2021 13:09

My cat sunbathes on the roof of my car.
It has multiple fine scratches.
Your neighbour is a CF.
It encouraged the cat
He hasn't got a leg to stand on
Tell him to jog on.

AmyDudley · 16/06/2021 13:17

'All my cats were accounted for last night. I think the cat that supposedly damaged the car must be the one you stole from us.'

And in reply to 'I'll take it to the paint shop to see what the damage is' - 'Good for you, - I can't see how you think I'd be interested in that piece of information. But good luck getting the cat to pay up'

OhRene · 16/06/2021 13:19

@Bananapuppy

My neighbours’ cat scratches my car bonnet. It has a sunbathe on the car then scratches- no idea why! It’s a nice shiny red car with lots of little cat scratches on it.

I’m not a huge cat fan, have never petted it and the only time it has been in my house is when it came to steal some fish from my shopping bag...

Clearly these people have adopted/catnapped your cat anyway and are now trying to be CF. They want the joys of your cat without any of the financial responsibility/ material consequences .

Hose pipe or jug of water on the cat every time it tries to sunbathe on your car should do it. It causes no harm to kitty and makes your car a hostile environment it wants to avoid in future. Just let your neighbours know though so their cat coming home wet has an explanation. I say this as a cat owner. I would feel bad for my cat getting wet but it's a harmless deterrent that really works.

OhRene · 16/06/2021 13:22

My DH's brand new car got scratched up by cats.

Bucket of hot soapy water then a bottle of T cut and hey presto! Brand new looking car again.

OP, I agree with others here, you need to say no. Explain that you have no control over the cat that has been lured (emphasis on the word lured!) to their property. Had their DD not wanted to feed and pet it then it would have never been near their car.

SilverGoblin · 16/06/2021 14:11

Fuck, how big is the cat to reach that high up the side of a cars slippery metal wing.

I see what might be interpreted as (diagonal !?!?) cat scratches BUT how have kitty's claws passed uninterrupted through the silver trim piece and the numbers badges without ripping kitty's claws out. Kitty carefully lift his paw off and place it back on in the right place to continue the mark on the other side of the trim?

Just looks like dirt, well actually it looks like it's been rally driven across a sodden wet field.

Maybe check nearby fields for signs of a burn up churn up with tyre marks.

I think he's scratched it some other way and sees an opportunity to you to cough up to respray it.

Look out next for him saying kitty's had the hood up, has voided the warranty by tinkering with the engine and now you are on the hook for the car's service bill forever more.

Chancer.

Singlenotsingle · 16/06/2021 14:13

You are not legally responsible for damage done by your cat.

VeganVeal · 16/06/2021 14:28

If you let a cat drive a car of course it will get scratched, it could have been much worse TBH

Pompom2367 · 17/06/2021 07:09

Op I would message saying he was looking after the cat and your happy to have him back but you are not liable for damages

MrsFlinch · 17/06/2021 14:14

Im struggling to see any scratches!

But he can’t pick and choose which bits of your cat he wants. They decided to Essentially cat nap him. You haven’t seen him for weeks, now he’s claiming that as the cat caused damage he actually belongs to you.
Would he have contacted you if cat had scratched the sofa/wallpaper/carpet etc??

I’d tell him to do one!

Hawkins001 · 21/06/2021 11:33

@MotherofPoodles

Thanks for all the replies, really appreciated! Here's the messages sent to my husband.

Any updates op ?

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